The German government is arguing about climate-friendly oil and gas heating. Economics Minister Habeck wants to ban new systems from 2024.
Robert Habeck at his presentation for saving energy in June 2022 in Berlin
The German Federal Economics and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) is serious: From the beginning of next year he wants to more or less ban new oil and gas heating systems in Germany. For reasons of climate protection, but also because oil and gas have become a valuable commodity after Russia's attack on Ukraine a year ago.
The turnaround in the heat supply for apartments in Germany is “imperative”, said Habeck in the middle of the week in Berlin. Germany must “catch up in a short time” when switching to renewable energies, which has not been done in recent years. Otherwise, neither the legally defined climate targets nor the prosperity-securing transformation of the German economy can be achieved.
Expensive heat pumps instead of oil and gas
In concrete terms, this means that heat pumps powered by electricity should replace the old heating systems. The electricity for these pumps should come from renewable sources such as wind turbines or solar systems. In Berlin, Habeck said on Thursday: “If we believe our Sunday speeches a little bit, then things can't stay like this.”
Heat pumps are climate-friendly, but expensive – there is also a lack of specialist staff
Habeck then stated somewhat reassuringly in another press release from his company: “Nobody runs into the basement and rips it out.” This refers to the old gas and oil heaters that the minister would like to replace.
80 percent heat with fossil fuels
Strong tobacco nonetheless. Actually, the coalition had agreed when it started in 2021 not to take the step with the ban on new oil and gas plants until the beginning of 2025.
Repair of a gas boiler: The Economics Minister plans to ban new systems soon
But a press release by the Habeck Ministry now says: “More than 80 percent of the heat demand is currently still covered by the combustion of fossil fuels. Natural gas dominates in the building heating sector. We burn more than 40 percent of the natural gas consumed in Germany every year, to heat our buildings and supply them with hot water. Of the approximately 41 million households in Germany, almost half are heated with natural gas.”
Heat pumps cost up to 25,000 euros
Around half of households are still dependent on gas and oil. Switching to alternatives is expensive and simply not affordable for many people. A heat pump for a detached house costs between 11,000 and even 25,000 euros. A big investment, even if the state pays up to 40 percent of the costs.
Everyone wants heat pumps, why?
Habeck's plan therefore goes beyond the coalition agreement that the SPD, Greens and the business-friendly FDP decided in December 2021: It was agreed that all new heating systems from 2025 must generate at least 65 percent of their heat from renewable energies. According to experts, this is not feasible with oil and gas systems, but only with alternative systems such as heat pumps or district heating.
And then there was the war in Ukraine, which raised all questions about energy supply in Germany put it to the test. Germany was able to free itself almost completely from Russian imports of oil and gas at record speed, albeit at the price of sharply increased energy prices.
New dispute with the FDP
< p>Habeck's plans now called the coalition partner FDP on the scene. Their parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, Christian Dürr, said promptly: “I think blanket bans are wrong, instead we should remain open-ended and ensure that classic heating systems can also be operated in a climate-neutral manner in the future.” Once again there are signs of an open conflict between the Greens and the FDP in the government alliance.
On course for confrontation: Finance Minister Christian Lindner and Economics Minister Robert Habeck
Habeck has two major problems: heat pumps are expensive, Habeck wants to reduce the costs for homeowners and tenants with a multi-billion dollar subsidy program. He left it open exactly how big this program should be. Problem number two: There is a lack of skilled workers, both for the mass installation of new heat pumps and in the solar industry, for example, which is currently complaining about a deficit of around 200,000 jobs.
Lindner slows down when announcing the budget
And it also seems clear: The Green Minister offends Finance Minister Christian Lindner in particular. There are other reasons why Lindner and Habeck are at odds: Habeck openly spoke out against predetermining an increase in the defense budget.
Lindner, on the other hand, postponed the federal cabinet's decision on the key figures for the budget on Friday of the coming year, which was actually fixed for next Wednesday. And had his State Secretary Florian Toncar explain: “The spending requests of many departments are still far too high or there are no savings elsewhere to be able to set new priorities.”
So it shouldn't be difficult to guess, also meant Habeck. After all, the ambitious minister received support from Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on Thursday, who said in Berlin: “From 2024 we will install 500,000 new heat pumps every year.”