Climate-neutral transition of Germany’s heating sector with a plan: reducing emissions, increasing energy efficiency

Although emissions in the building sector have fallen in recent years according to the German Environment Agency, the annual emissions for the building sector stipulated in the country’s Climate Action Act have been regularly exceeded. There are technological options for solving this problem. There is a lack of consensus as to how quickly and with what preferred instruments the climate-neutral transition of the heating sector should advance in future. In a new report, Ariadne researchers, including researchers from Oeko-Institut, give their recommendations to the German government: a rapid switch to renewable and more efficient heating systems and the systematic refurbishment of buildings.

Clear information and a reliable framework for the climate-neutral transition of heating

The debate surrounding a possible new heating law in Germany has undermined citizens’ trust in policy decisions relating to the climate-neutral transition of the sector. Therefore, according to the authors of the new Ariadne Report, a new discourse is needed that includes clear information, reliable framework conditions and unbureaucratic funding programmes.

From 2027, emissions trading will be extended across Europe to the buildings and road transport sectors. This will cause the carbon price to rise further and make heating with gas, coal and heating oil more expensive. For homeowners, this can be an incentive to invest in a cost-efficient, technological solution like the heat pump in order to save costs.

Promoting the switch to low-emission heating

In order to achieve the climate targets in the building sector, the report states that a rapid switch to low-emission energy sources is needed, flanked by energy-efficient building renovations and measures to increase energy efficiency. Amendments to the Building Energy Act and the Heat Planning Act aimed at simplifying them would make sense. However, creating uncertainty for property owners in choosing heating and renovation measures should be avoided.

According to the researchers, the general requirement to install fossil-free heating systems provides planning security and should therefore be maintained. The government must support low-income households in particular so that they can afford to switch to zero-emission heating. In addition, building owners and investors need reliable data on the energy consumption and requirements of buildings in order to make cost-efficient decisions. Scientists and researchers therefore recommend a policy mix of regulatory law, carbon pricing, subsidies and municipal heating planning.

Ariadne-Report "Wärmewende jetzt - Impulse aus der Wissenschaft"
(A shift towards sustainable heating now – ideas from science)