The German Cities and Municipalities Association (Deutsche Städte- und Gemeindebund) has strongly criticized the draft Heating Law proposed by the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Katherina Reiche. Speaking to “Spiegel”, the association’s Managing Director, André Berghegger, emphasized that the primary need for its members is legal certainty.
Berghegger argued that government objectives appear contradictory, stating that it cannot be a sustainable goal to simultaneously maintain natural gas grids, expand electricity grids for heat pumps, and build completely new heat networks. He stressed that the appropriate infrastructure choice can only be determined through local municipal heating planning. He warned that contradictory subsidy incentives could arise, potentially leading to an overall economically inefficient energy transition that would place undue financial strain on citizens, businesses, and municipalities alike.
Despite these concerns, the representative for German cities is not fundamentally opposed to the new building modernization law, which would allow natural gas incorporating biomethane to serve as an alternative (such as for district heating or heat pumps). However, this acceptance is conditional on the continued operation of existing gas grids.
Consequently, Berghegger urged the government to present a robust support package and a detailed biomethane strategy for this alternative to even become viable. He critically noted that the use of green gases, particularly, currently lacks reliability. Ultimately, he fears that the scope and demands of the new legislation could overwhelm local municipal authorities.
