Concept paper on the German heating market published

05.06.2024

Source: Energie & Management Powernews

The consulting firm Rödl & Partner has published a concept paper "Wärmezielscheibe 2.0". It contains an analysis of the heating market and options for action for suppliers. 

The consulting firm Rödl & Partner has published a new edition of the concept paper "Wärmezielscheibe 2.0". The first edition from 2019 already analysed the German heating market and outlined options for action to enable a decarbonized heat supply in Germany. Today, however, the framework conditions are fundamentally different, according to the company.

With the Heat Planning Act (WPG), the amendment to the Building Energy Act (GEG) and the Federal Promotion of Efficient Heating Networks (BEW), politicians have created a new legal framework in the heating sector since 2024 to initiate the necessary decarbonization of the heating industry. The EU level has also formulated important binding framework conditions with the resolutions on sustainable finance and the ESG criteria. The revised paper addresses the new laws.

Suppliers would face many challenges in the transformation process. However, the upcoming tasks also offer new market opportunities and incentives to establish a future-oriented business model. Gas sales, for example, have long been a stable source of earnings for many suppliers. In the course of the upcoming decarbonization, suppliers will probably be under pressure to drastically restructure their business areas. Although the government has not yet finally clarified what is to happen to the existing gas distribution networks, the trend is clear according to the consultants from Rödl & Partner: district heating supply and decentralized heat pumps are to become the "game changers" in the heating transition.

After an overview of the German heating market, the concept paper goes into detail on the various renewable heat generators, among other things. The paper also focuses on municipal heat utilization concepts and current trends and challenges in district heating supply.

The Heat Target 2.0 can be downloaded here free of charge.

Author: Heidi Roider