What are the transition periods for heaters? – Politics

Even after an agreement in principle on climate-friendly heating systems in residential buildings, the traffic light coalition still does not agree on all the details. The ministries involved made different statements at the weekend, for example about planned transition periods. Above all, the Greens and FDP tried to claim sovereignty over the compromise reached in the controversial building energy law.

In principle, the governing parties agreed on Friday that no new oil or gas burners may be installed from next year. Instead, new devices are to use at least 65 percent renewable energy. In fact, heat pumps or district heating have to be used in many cases. The government wants to protect the climate and make the country less dependent on fossil fuels. In 2045, Germany should no longer cause emissions that are harmful to the climate. However, existing oil and gas heating systems may continue to be operated and repaired for the time being.

The Federal Ministry of Economics explained that if an old heating system breaks down and can no longer be repaired, a transitional period applies: A heating system powered by fossil fuels, for example a used device, may then be temporarily installed for a period of three years. If a connection to the district heating network is foreseeable, the transition period will be extended to five years.

Differences remain, among other things, with gas floor heating, which is still common in old buildings; each apartment is heated by its own gas burner. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has announced a transitional period of up to six years in total: If the first gas floor heating system in the building fails, the owners have three years to decide how to switch to renewable heating systems for the entire building. Second, if they had opted for centralized heating, they were given an additional three years to implement it.

In circles in the Ministry of Finance, however, it was said that the owners initially had three years to make the basic decision and then ten years to implement it, i.e. a total of 13 years and thus more than twice as long as specified by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The tensions within the traffic light coalition, especially between the Greens and the Liberals, continue to show in these different depictions. Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) wants more ambition and speed in climate protection. The Liberals, on the other hand, are opposed to overly far-reaching state intervention. In circles of Christian Lindner (FDP)-led Ministry of Finance says that it has been achieved that citizens do not have to replace a heating system that is still working prematurely.

There are no concrete plans for the planned grants

With a view to state support for climate-friendly heating systems, the details are still completely unclear. Lindner advocates considering the age of the devices to be replaced. “The staggering could be based on how old and dirty the heating is that is to be renewed,” said the FDP leader picture on sunday. People with little financial means tend to have heaters that are older. In this respect, there is a social component associated with it. In general, the possibilities for funding by the state are limited.

The opposition criticized the fact that it was still unclear how the heating system conversion would be paid for. The agreement on the traffic light was a “big disappointment” for the citizens, said the parliamentary manager of the Union parliamentary group, Thorsten Frei (CDU). Rheinische Post.