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Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens): "I want to make the law better"

Photo: IMAGO / IMAGO/Political-Moments

The improvements to the Heating Act announced by Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) meet with approval in the housing industry. "This is exactly what we have demanded from the beginning: to review the law for its feasibility and to flank it socially so as not to disproportionately overburden anyone," said the President of the Federal Association of German Housing and Real Estate Companies (GdW), Axel Gedaschko, the newspapers of the Funke media group.

In view of the serious shortage of craftsmen, the proposal to extend the time frame for existing buildings is also positive.

»I want to make the law better«

After a fierce coalition dispute, Habeck had held out the prospect of revising the plans for a switch to heating with renewable energies at some points. "I want to make the law better," he told the Funke newspapers.

Habeck named four areas for improvement:

  • The planned start on 1 January 2024 could be equalised if the law initially only applies to new buildings planned at that time. More time could be left for the old building stock.

  • With the various technologies envisaged, even more could be done, for example in the use of wood pellets.

  • Especially with regard to cities, "a major district heating offensive" is to be launched.

  • In the case of hardship rules, many exceptions are already provided. But one could "take a closer look at them and be more generous".

The Central Association of Sanitation, Heating and Air Conditioning welcomed the announcements, the implementation of which remains to be seen. It should also be clear that "a new regulation that still does not exist" will take effect on January 1 will be unrealistic, Chief Executive Helmut Bramann told the Funke newspapers. In the case of modernizations that are still being initiated for 2024 under the current legal situation, grandfathering must apply.

Criticism also came to Habeck's latest signals from the head of the CSU in the Bundestag, Alexander Dobrindt. "How many improvements is that now?" he told the news portal "t-online". Dobrindt demanded again: "The law is screwed up from start to finish, messed up, stupid and therefore belongs in the bin."

»Robert Habeck's credit has been used up«

Left Party parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch welcomed the announcements. "It's good that after months of ideology and narrow-mindedness, a pragmatic approach is now being pursued," he told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. »Insight is the first path to improvement.« It is long overdue to stretch the timetable.

Public heat planning is necessary. "Millions of households could save on questionable heat pumps if a functioning local heating network exists." With regard to the improvements, Bartsch warned: "Nothing can go wrong now. Robert Habeck's credit has run out."

Meeting with the new State Secretary Nimmermann

Habeck announced joint talks with his new state secretary Philipp Nimmermann next week on the improvements. For this Tuesday, a meeting of Habeck with members of the traffic light factions SPD, Greens and FDP is planned.

This will also be Nimmermann's first day at work as State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economics. Nimmermann, who is currently state secretary in Hesse, will be seconded from there, the ministry told the German Press Agency. He succeeds Patrick Graichen, who has to leave because of the intertwining of business and private life. His announced transfer to temporary retirement is also to take place on Tuesday, according to dpa information.

The current legislative plans aim to ensure that from next year onwards, at least 65 percent of every newly installed heating system must be powered by green energy. Alternatively, it is also possible to switch to climate-neutrally generated heat from a heating network.

jpa/AFX/dpa