« The German Bundestag approved the contentious heating law during a parliamentary vote session held in Berlin on Friday. Vince-Chancellor and Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck expressed satisfaction with the decision.
« This law creates legal certainty, it protects consumers from high energy prices, it ensures that municipalities and associations are taken along, it ensures that the law is socially balanced, it is a good law that we will pass today », said Habeck.
The law, set to take effect at the beginning of 2024, will initially primarily impact new construction projects. It mandates that newly installed heating systems must be powered by at least 65 per cent renewable energy. For existing buildings, municipal heat planning will play a pivotal role in gradually implementing the law.
The passage of the heating law was not without controversy, reflecting divisions within the coalition government. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) played a crucial role in reshaping the law, emphasizing ‘technology openness’ to ensure that heating systems are tailored to individual buildings.
Despite the debates and amendments, the law is now on its way to becoming a reality, pending approval by the Federal Council at the end of September. »
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