The Heating Act was actually intended to ensure that heating systems are more climate-friendly in the future. Heat pumps are to play a central role in this. The current development raises questions.
In the first half of the year, significantly fewer heat pumps were sold than in the same period last year. This was announced by the Federal Association of the German Heating Industry (BDH). According to the report, 90,000 pumps were sold, which corresponds to a decrease of 54 percent compared to the same period last year. The association expects a maximum of 200,000 heat pumps to be sold by the end of the year.
The Building Energy Act (GEG), which came into force at the beginning of the year, was actually intended to make heating in Germany more climate-friendly in the long term and also protect consumers from price hikes for oil and gas when CO2 pricing increases. There is even a speed bonus for owner-occupiers for the early replacement of old fossil heating systems.
The BDH’s managing director, Markus Staudt, assumes that there is a lack of planning security: “We see that the market has cooled down significantly after the strong demand in 2023.” The municipal heating planning that cities have to submit in the next few years brings with it uncertainty. “In this confusing situation, people are more likely to postpone modernizing their heating systems.”
Sellers are pessimistic
Overall, manufacturers sold 43 percent fewer heating systems in the first half of the year than in the same period in 2023. This included not only heat pumps, but also condensing boilers and pellet boilers, among others.
An economic survey by the BDH has come to the temporary conclusion that manufacturers are largely pessimistic about the market development of various products. According to the statement, the association hopes that further positive impulses will be created for the heating transition, for example by expanding subsidies. However, for the BDH, the key factor in stimulating the market remains to strengthen consumer confidence in heating modernization.
There is attractive funding, all technical solutions are available and the skilled trades have the capacity. “These are good conditions to invest in heating modernization now,” Staudt announced.
Source: Stern
