20.11.2023
Source: Energie & Management Powernews
The Heat Planning Act passed by the Bundestag has met with approval, but also criticism from the affected municipalities and energy and climate protection associations.
On 17 November, the Bundestag passed the Heat Planning and Decarbonization of Heating Networks Act (WPG) with the votes of the coalition of the two parties. The German Association of Cities pointed out the great need for advice for consumers and businesses on future heat supply. The federal and state governments should establish nationwide advisory structures for the future heat supply, demanded Markus Lewe, President of the Association of German Cities.
"The federal government should therefore increase federal funding for efficient heating networks to 3 billion euros per year for the coming years," demanded Lewe. The timetable for the submission of heating plans is very tight. The federal states must therefore quickly transpose the Building Energy Act (GEG) and the Heat Planning Act into state law, he warned. Sufficient local advisory services from energy agencies for homeowners and tradespeople are needed.
For the energy industry, Kerstin Andreae, Managing Director of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries ( BDEW ), praised the fact that the simplified use of regionally available biomass has been included in the law. It could play an important role in heat planning, particularly in certain rural areas and smaller municipalities. The coalition has also sensibly relaxed the requirements for the use of waste heat from thermal waste treatment with regard to the residual materials used.
Grid expansion costs money
Andreae said that it was pleasing that investments in the construction of the infrastructure and generation capacities required for the heating transition were also considered to be in the 'overriding public interest' in the same way as the expansion of renewables and a contribution to 'public safety'. The enormous infrastructure investments also require planning security and financial security through a funding framework that enables grid operators to make the necessary investments. This would make the heating transition affordable for building owners and customers, said the BDEW boss.
The Association of Local Utilities ( VKU ) agrees with this. The promotion of district heating must be solidly and adequately financed, said Managing Director Ingbert Liebing. "Heating network operators in particular need security in terms of financing because the planning, financing and construction of infrastructure projects for public services have long lead times," he appealed. The planned €1 billion per year until 2027 was not enough to finance the project; at least €3 billion per year until 2035 was needed.
Jörg Höhler, President of the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water ( DVGW ), said that the WPG fell far short of its goal of creating planning security for the hydrogen network at the distribution network level in Germany. There is no reference to the Gas Grid Transformation Plans (GTP), which should become part of the WPG as an industry tool for practitioners. "Creating the conditions for technological openness in the important consumption sectors, from industrial operations to heating customers," Höhler called for improvements to be made.
Biomass and hydrogen not always climate-friendly
Antje von Broock, Managing Director of the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland ( BUND ) criticized the WPG for leaving "too much scope for inefficient, expensive and unsustainable types of heating". BUND wants to get involved in heat planning and push for the sustainable use of biomass and try to save households from expensive and inefficient hydrogen heating systems.
The climate chief of the environmental organization World Wide Fund For Nature ( WWF ), Viviane Raddatz, also criticized the false incentives in the law. The conversion of gas heating systems to hydrogen is wrong because its production requires around five times more electricity than a heat pump. The promotion of biomass heating systems is also bad because, taking into account the CO2 storage balance, a pellet heating system emits about as many emissions per unit of energy as an oil heating system. The forests are already overused today and should be protected, said Raddatz.
The German Renewable Energy Federation ( BEE ) welcomed the raising of the biomass cap, which only applies to heating networks of 50 kilometers or more. This would allow local, sustainable and permanently available biomass potential to be used at suitable locations, said BEE President Simone Peter. The District Heating Association AGFW also welcomed this regulation in the WPG.
Frank Brachvogel, Managing Director of the Open District Hub Association ( ODH ), missed the recognition of district concepts in the law. The district solutions that already exist in numerous municipalities could and should be an essential part of municipal heating planning. In addition, the electricity, heating and mobility sectors should be considered together in order to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions, said Brachvogel. According to studies, a CO2 reduction of up to 90 percent in the building sector is possible through sector coupling.
Author: Susanne Harmsen
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