German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) announced plans to import biogas, specifically biomethane, from Ukraine. She said the renewable gas is already available, produced domestically and sold on the market. “A market will emerge where there is demand” she explained. “Ukraine offers us large amounts of biogas. We still face regulatory hurdles on the Ukrainian and EU sides, but once those are resolved, we can expect significant biomethane imports”.
Reiche dismissed ongoing criticism of the new heating law. “We want to encourage consumers to make investment decisions by removing their fear and helping them transition to a modern heating system” she said. “In many cases, consumers will opt for a heat pump. Where that is not feasible, new gas boilers can be used”. She added that this approach would save CO₂.
She said a model for blending so‑called “green gases” will be developed by the summer, following a statement that the cabinet was to approve the draft law by Easter. The law is slated to come into force on 1 July.
When asked about the additional costs that homeowners and tenants might face, Reiche replied that contractual arrangements are individualized. “There are already many products on the market today” she noted.
The emission trading scheme will raise the cost of fossil fuels. “The heat pump will, in many cases, be the right solution. But we no longer intervene in the heating cellar and leave the decision back to homeowners and landlords” she said. “Other options-such as modern gas heating, hybrid systems, or pellet boilers-may also be better suited to individual circumstances”.
On how she would protect tenants from excessive overhead costs, the CDU minister added that the worst and most expensive situation arises when no heating swap takes place. “Old units with high gas or oil consumption would run, and that is not in our interest”.
