The European Commission wants to accelerate the replacement of gas boilers with more environmentally friendly (but currently more expensive) heat pumps. The German newspaper Bild claims this by referring to a draft of the new Ecodesign directive that the Brussels administration is working on.
Currently, the European Commission has set an overall target for the transition of heating systems from fossil fuels to renewable sources: at least 10 million heat pumps should be installed in the EU by 2030. Brussels has dedicated a special section within RepowerEU, its energy transition strategy launched the day after the war in Ukraine, to encourage the transition to these electrically powered devices that deliver the collected heat to homes. and should also be financed by Pnrr funds.
Offer
This target has already been considered ambitious by various experts, who underlined that the high installation costs of heat pumps are much higher than that of a gas boiler. Also, most critically, it has increased the risk of increased technological dependence on China, which has the most heat pump installations in the world. However, Brussels sees the transition to this new heating system as one of the most important means of increasing the energy efficiency of buildings. Even more so, given the growing opposition to the so-called “Green Houses” directive, not just in Italy.
The path chosen to accelerate heat pumps may therefore go through another directive on Ecodesign, which is currently under preparation. According to the draft quoted by Bild (confirming several rumors that have surfaced in recent months), the Commission could introduce a rule that by 2029 all newly installed heating systems in EU countries must have at least “efficiency”. ( energy efficiency, ed) 115 percent”. This level disables gas boilers and opens the door for heat pumps.
German model
The proposal seems to comply with the law passed in Germany by Economy Minister Robert Habeck, leader of the German Greens. This law stipulates that by 2024, all new heating systems installed in the country must operate with at least 65% renewable resources, excluding boilers powered by pure fossil fuels such as gas or diesel. In addition to solar thermal or hybrid systems, central heating, pellet systems and at least 50% hydrogen or biomethane fueled boilers can be used with heat pumps. For heat pumps, the federal government provided a subsidy of up to 40% of the cost, with Habeck promising to introduce new tax breaks for energy-saving measures in the event of condominium renovations.
According to the Berlin government’s own calculations, farewell to gas boilers will cost the Germans 9 billion euros a year in the short term. But in perspective, given the lower consumption and possible increase in gas costs, it should save 11 billion by making the energy transition to renewable energy easier for citizens’ pockets. But Habeck’s assurances do not seem to have convinced a large portion of his citizens, as evidenced by the sharp decline in Greens polls and the backlash of political forces, including influential advocates of the same government majority.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
