Will the heating law come before the summer break? The coalition leaders had agreed on that. The SPD and the Greens are sticking to the schedule. However, the FDP does not want to be put under any time pressure.
The traffic light coalition is struggling over the controversial heating law. The Greens called on the FDP to clear the way for consultations in the Bundestag.
“We assume that the FDP will give up its blockade regarding the first reading of the law in the Bundestag,” said the deputy parliamentary group leader Julia Verlinden. Planning security must be created for people and companies, which will apply from 2024. FDP politicians replied that the liberals would not allow themselves to be put under time pressure. “For us, thoroughness comes before speed,” said the FDP energy politician Konrad Stockmeier.
There is movement in the dispute
The FDP wants fundamental improvements to a draft law that has already been passed by the cabinet. This stipulates that from the beginning of 2024 every newly installed heating system should be operated with at least 65 percent green energy. The switch is to be socially cushioned by state funding, and there should also be transitional periods and hardship regulations.
The heads of the coalition had agreed at the end of March to pass the law before the summer recess in the Bundestag. The summer break begins after July 7th. Due to fundamental concerns, the FDP has so far prevented the bill on heating replacement from being discussed in the Bundestag for the first time. The next week of meetings is mid-June.
Recently there had been movement. Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has answered a comprehensive list of questions from the FDP on the Building Energy Act (GEG) – the so-called Heating Act. Negotiations between the coalition factions are going on behind the scenes.
FDP does not want any time pressure
SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert said on Thursday evening on the ZDF program “Maybrit Illner” that he now considers it “absolutely realistic” that the heating law could be passed before the summer break.
Verlinden from the Greens said with a view to the FDP: “Advice is smarter than blocking.” If you want to make a law better, you do it by carrying out a parliamentary procedure. “But we are in talks at the traffic light, and that’s why I’m assuming that the schedule can be adhered to. But the FDP must also take their step for that.”
FDP parliamentary group deputy Christoph Meyer said that the FDP is not blocking the GEG, but wants a technically good law for people and companies. With regard to Kühnert’s statements, Meyer defended himself against “artificial time pressure”. The FDP energy politician Stockmeier said: “People are not interested in exactly when a law will be ready. They are right to demand a good, practicable and affordable law.”
What the heat transition costs
Two out of three people in Germany are worried that the planned measures for climate-friendly heating will overwhelm them financially – 67 percent said so in a survey by Infratest Dimap for the ARD “Germany trend”.
In the questionnaire of the FDP, the Ministry of Economics should also name current average prices for air, water and geothermal heat pumps – which have so far been significantly more expensive than gas or oil heating systems.
In its reply, the Ministry emphasized that, in addition to the investment costs, the operating costs of the various heating technologies must also be taken into account. “Especially with heat pumps, the savings in operating costs compared to the operating costs for a gas heating system over a period of 18 years clearly exceed the additional costs of the purchase.”
In concrete terms, the Ministry of Economics estimates the price for the purchase and installation of a heat pump (air/water) at 22,420 euros to 45,920 euros, depending on the renovation status of a single-family house. In an apartment building with six apartments, the costs for a heat pump are estimated at 38,680 to 78,080 euros.
Another topic in the catalog of answers is what consequences a new, more climate-friendly heating system could have for tenants via the modernization levy. The Ministry replied that the conversion to a heat pump in an unrenovated multi-family house with 6 apartments each 83 square meters led to a total investment cost of 78,080 euros for the owner. That could lead to a surcharge of 79 cents per month per square meter. However, according to the ministry, a large part of the modernization levy can be offset by lower operating costs. “By claiming a subsidy, the rent including heating could even drop due to significantly lower operating costs.” In general, it was said that the costs that can be passed on via the modernization levy differed depending on the solution for heating with renewable energies selected from the range of different technological options.
Source: Stern
