As of: March 28, 2024, 8:13 a.m
By: Max Schäfer
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The new heating law came into force in 2024. If you need a new heater now, you have several options. An overview.
Munich – Anyone who needs a new heating system now is confronted with the requirements of the Building Energy Act, which will come into force in 2024. This means that Germany's buildings should be climate neutral by 2045. So far, oil and gas heating systems have been the culprits when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. New heating systems must therefore run on 65 percent renewable energy.
However, gas heating can still be installed in existing buildings as long as the respective city or municipality has not yet decided on a heating plan. In large cities this has until 2026, in smaller towns until 2028. During this time, homeowners can also install a gas heater - if it is hydrogen-capable.
New heating needed: What options do homeowners have?
However, the 65 percent rule already applies to new buildings. Currently there are already several options that meet this requirement:
Heat pump
electric heating
Solar thermal energy
Biomass heating (e.g. wood pellets)
Hydrogen heating
Hybrid models (heat pump or solar thermal energy)
District heating (depending on an available network)
In addition to the options mentioned, it may also be possible to install a hydrogen-capable gas heater in new buildings. This depends on whether the municipality has already completed the heat planning. Where a district heating network is available, a connection may become mandatory, although heat pump owners are the exception.
Which heating system is suitable depends on the house in question
Which option makes sense depends on the individual house. Heating via district heating, for example, requires that there is a network in the homeowner's city or community. For solar thermal energy, the decisive factor is whether the solar radiation is sufficient. Hydrogen heating requires access to it. However, the Federal Ministry of Economics does not currently assume that green hydrogen will be used for heating in private households. Instead, the hydrogen should be used in energy-intensive industries.
A general recommendation is therefore not possible. When replacing a heating system or building a new building, homeowners should therefore decide individually what is both inexpensive in the long term and also technically possible. Ecological considerations can also play a role. The
consumer advice center
also recommends taking the insulation standard of the house into account.
Purchase price, installation and operating costs: What is the cheapest heater?
First of all, most buyers will pay attention to the purchase price of the heater itself. When purchasing and installing, gas heaters are often cheaper than a heat pump, wood pellet heating or an additional solar thermal system.
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However, there are no funding programs for installing gas heating. Heaters that meet the 65 percent target, however, receive funding. According to
Focus,
rates of up to 70 percent and a maximum eligible investment amount of 30,000 euros are possible. This rate targets low-income households.
Normally the funding rates are 50 percent. The installation can therefore be funded with 15,000 euros. If a heat pump with a natural refrigerant is used, the funding rate is 55 percent. The
consumer advice center
also refers to low-interest loans that are available for purchasing low-emission heating.
Although heat pumps are more expensive to purchase, they can be cheaper in the long run due to lower operating costs. (Symbolic photo) © Silas Stein/dpa
“The investment costs for a heat pump, wood pellet heating or an additional solar thermal system are higher, but are usually worth it thanks to the efficient provision of heat and the generous support programs and low-interest loans,” summarizes the
consumer advice center
.
Climate-friendly heating systems such as heat pumps can be worthwhile despite the higher purchase price
If you take the operating costs into account, the more climate-friendly variants can also be easier on the wallet, i.e. cheaper. The gas price of 6.7 cents per kilowatt hour for new customers is lower than the electricity price of 25 cents per kilowatt hour for new customers (as of March 21, 2024). Nevertheless, gas heaters are more expensive to operate than heat pumps, as they can generate up to five times more heating energy from one kilowatt hour of electricity. If a solar system is also available, the electricity is even cheaper.
Gas customers also have to take the rising CO2 price into account. According to
Focus,
this could increase by 50 percent
by 2035 .
Electricity from renewable energies, on the other hand, is cheaper compared to fossil alternatives. Consumers have to prepare for rising network charges for both electricity and gas.
What role does the availability of the heating systems still play?
Once these questions have been clarified, the availability of the heaters also plays a role. Demand for heat pumps was initially high, but capacities were lower. Interested parties had to expect waiting times of up to a year. The systems are now available more quickly. The industry average is currently three months. Depending on the region and installer, the process could take from two weeks to six months, said a spokeswoman for the Federal Heat Pump Association in response to an
IPPEN.MEDIA
request. (ms)