Overview
- An economy ministry official said a reform proposal to replace the current Gebäudeenergiegesetz will be presented by year-end and aligned with the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
- Once municipal heat plans are published—by June 30, 2026 for cities over 100,000 residents and by June 30, 2028 for smaller towns—new systems must meet the 65 percent renewable requirement in those areas.
- The 30‑year operational ban for older oil and gas boilers under §72 still applies in 2025, affecting units first operated in 1995, though common exceptions such as condensing and low‑temperature boilers limit the cases.
- Tenant protections gained traction as LEG agreed with the Mieterbund to drop costly heat‑contracting, tie electricity to local basic tariffs, cap increases at about 50 cents per square meter, and roll back earlier pass‑throughs.
- Debate over subsidies is intensifying, with Union parties urging cuts while consumer advocates and analysts call for income‑targeted support as ETS2 from 2027 and rising gas network fees make fossil heating progressively less economical.