Countries are still hesitant
Schedule for municipal heat planning is shaky
December 15, 2023, 7:38 a.m
All municipalities should submit heat planning by 2028 at the latest in order to make progress with the heat transition. But doubts arise as to whether this schedule can be maintained. According to President Dedy, there could be delays in the implementation of the federal law by the states.
The German Association of Cities doubts whether the timelines for municipal heat planning can be adhered to. According to General Manager Helmut Dedy, the reason for this is that the legislation that will be voted on in the Federal Council on Friday still has to be implemented into state law. “It is not enough that there is a heat planning law at the federal level. Only when state laws are in place can cities collect data on existing buildings or existing heat networks.” This is the first step for any municipal heat planning.
“Unfortunately, we are receiving signals that the states could use the open questions about the federal budget as an opportunity to wait with the necessary state laws on heat planning,” said Dedy. However, the deadlines for municipalities to create a heat plan are already tight in the Heat Planning Act and without any buffer.
“We cannot afford any further delay,” emphasized Dedy. If the heating transition is to actually gain momentum, the federal government must quickly resolve open budget issues. “Heat planning alone will not bring about a heat transition. It depends on the implementation. We urgently need clarity about the planned funding.”
Heat planning is a condition of the heating law
In a motion, Bavaria demands that the Federal Council call the mediation committee on the heat planning law. The application states that the law imposes additional tasks on the states and subsequently on the municipalities in a significant number and on a significant scale – without the federal government even beginning to compensate for the additional financial burden associated with it or even making any concrete commitments in this regard.
The Bundestag has already passed the law. It supplements the Heating Act and is scheduled to come into force at the same time as this on January 1, 2024. Large cities should draw up heat plans by the end of June 2026, smaller cities and municipalities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants by the end of June 2028.
Only when a municipality has a heating plan do homeowners have to ensure when installing new heating that it is powered by at least 65 percent renewable energy. The new heating law will initially apply to new buildings within new development areas from 2024.