Environment and Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler said yesterday, Monday, that the Renewable Heat Act has been wrapped up and is being examined: This is intended to reduce dependence on (Russian) gas. It stipulates that by 2035 all coal and oil heating systems must be replaced by renewable heating systems. From 2040, all gas and gas floor heating systems are to be replaced or run on biogenic gas.
This goal is to be achieved in stages: From 2023, gas heating may no longer be installed in new buildings. Buildings that have already been approved, that have already been planned or that are under construction are excluded. From then on, broken oil and coal heating systems may only be replaced by renewable heating systems. From 2025, coal and oil heating systems installed before 1980 are to be replaced. From 2035 this applies to all coal and oil heating systems. According to the Ministry of Climate Protection, there should be funding for this. There was no draft law yesterday.
No more country blockade
Gewessler also wants to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies: “We want to get in the fast lane with the process,” she announced yesterday: Together with ex-Verbund boss Wolfgang Anzengruber and the managing director of IG-Windkraft, Stefan Moidl, she presented her proposals for an amendment to the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (EIA). These must first be coordinated within the government. Firstly, a lack of spatial energy planning should no longer be a reason for blocking the expansion of renewables. So far, there has been spatial energy planning in Lower Austria, Burgenland and Styria. For example, wind turbines may be built in the designated zones. “If there is no spatial energy planning, the environmental impact assessment can be started without a dedication having to be made beforehand,” said Gewessler. The location will then be checked as part of the EIA. This measure is primarily aimed at the western federal states, where there has not been a wind turbine up to now.
Second, multiple exams are to be eliminated. This is the case, for example, with the landscape: It is already checked during the zoning whether a facility disturbs the landscape, and this must be proven again in the EIA procedure. Thirdly, it should be stipulated by law that the energy transition is of high public interest.
Source: Nachrichten
