For a long time, the heating law was criticized with its obligations on energetic renovation. Opinions diverge before the election. In coalition negotiations, it is likely to be struggled hard.
The heating law was one of the biggest excitement and issues of the soon ending legislative period. It is about that Obligations on energetic renovation for homeowners. From the beginning there was criticism because there were many small -scale regulations.
Before the Bundestag election, the votes for a fundamental revision are now increasing. The Federal Association of the German Heating Industry, for example, demands that the building energy network (opposite) – according to the official name – must be designed more clearly and more practical for people. The complex regulations would be perceived by many consumers. What are the parties demanding?
SPD strives for revision
The SPD wants to hold on to the opposite, but subject it to a “practical”, de -bureaucratizing and formulating it more easily, where it is possible without endangering the achievement of targets. This was announced by Verena Hubertz, deputy SPD parliamentary group leader. In any case, the law to implement a European directive on the efficiency of buildings must be amended.
In general, however, the SPD parliamentary group is behind the heating law. “The upstream municipal heat planning in combination with extensive, socially balanced funding makes the switch to renewable heating feasible for the breadth of society.”
Minister of Construction Klara Geywitz had already spoken out for a fundamental god reform. The law has to be made “much, much” easier, according to the SPD politician.
Union wants change of course
The Union is in favor of a basic change of course. “We throw off the backpack of the over-regulation that the traffic light has packed on the building energy network with its heating law,” said Andreas Jung, deputy chairman of the CDU and the union faction spokesman and energy policy.
“There is only a new dynamic with new trust. For the way to climate-neutral warmth, we therefore rely on clear framework conditions: gradually CO2 pricing with social compensation, reliable support and a technology open to technology.”
The CDU wants to give a “simple message”, so young. “The new heating must be able to be operated climate -friendly – and there are different ways for this: heat pump and heating networks as well as sustainable wood pellets, solar thermal, geothermal energy or green gases.”
The heating law has unsettled millions of homeowners, said Jens Spahn, the deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, recently at the party congress. The Union will reverse the law, he said.
In addition, the funding for the heating exchange should also be significantly shortened. According to Jung, however, there should be further support for the installation of a climate -friendly heating – without inequalities through the “back door of the funding rules”.
With revenue of the CO2 prize for heat and traffic, the Union wants to reduce electricity tax and network charges in a first quick step. A climate field has also been in the political debate for a long time.
How the FDP stands for the law
The FDP, which the heating law 2023 had included, would also like to abolish it again. The party had implemented significant changes to the original plans in the then traffic light. Now the election program says: “Freedom in the heating cellar.”
Instead of “countless individual regulations”, the FDP relies on a market economy solution, the CO2 certificate trade. “The heating law with its excessive requirements must expire completely.”
In order to cushion the social costs of climate protection, the FDP plans to introduce a “climate dividend” and drastically lower energy control. The liberals reject a “compulsion” to connect to district heating networks. “Heating with wood remains possible with us, we want to reduce requirements for fireplaces and stoves.”
Greens want to continue course
The Greens around Minister of Economic Affairs and Chancellor Robert Habeck, on the other hand, want to stick to their course and the heating law. They continue to consider it correct and want to maintain the regulations as they are now.
The election program says: “We continue the energy and heat transition.” The support for the installation of modern climate -friendly heating such as the heat pump should be expanded.
The Greens want to pay a large part of the income from the CO2 prize as a socially staggered climate field of people with low and medium-sized incomes.
What is in the law
The current form has been in force in its current form since the beginning of 2024. Long and hard negotiations within the traffic light coalition were preceded. The goal is more climate protection in the building area. In the housing stock, three quarters of households are still heating with gas or oil.
In the future, all heaters will generally be operated with a share of 65 percent of renewable energy. A switch to more climate-friendly systems such as heat pumps should also bring cost savings in the long run due to the increasing CO2 price.
However, the law only applies to newly built heating and initially only in new development areas. Functioning oil and gas heaters should continue to run and be able to be repaired if necessary. Even with broken heaters there is a five -year transition period.
How it ultimately continues depends on the mandatory and comprehensive municipal heat planning. They should be available in large cities from mid -2026 and for the remaining municipalities from mid -2028.
Only then will stricter rules for the installation of new heating to be incorporated into existing buildings. House owners should have clarity as to whether they are connected to a district heating network, for example, or whether they should take care of their own decentralized solutions for a new heating – for example, a heat pump.
Currently still extensive funding
The goals of the federal government for the installation of new heat pumps have not yet been achieved, significantly fewer new devices were sold than expected last year. However, the State Funding Bank KfW has been showing significantly more inquiries about government funding since the end of 2024.
“We see this from the numbers that it is being modernized there- also for fear that the CDU will be willing to will be willing to be willing to be attractive,” said Christina-Jahann Schöder, the construction and housing policy spokeswoman for the Greens parliamentary group.
There are currently extensive subsidies for voluntary switch to climate -friendly heating. In the best case, the KfW pays 70 percent of the costs for the heating exchange. The maximum eligible expenditure is 30,000 euros for a family home. As a result, up to 21,000 euros are converted.
However, the funding is not exactly easy to see: In addition to the basic funding of 30 percent, there is a climate speed bonus and an income bonus. In addition, the KfW offers various interest -fitting loans for all -round renovation.
