Modern Heating Trends in Saxony Soar
It's a new era for heating in Saxony, as the region sees a significant rise in the use of modern systems. Data from a recent German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) study reveals that a whopping 23.3% of heating systems in the area are now only five years old or younger, up from the 2019 figure of 13.8%.
Simultaneously, the proportion of particularly old heating systems with a lifespan over 25 years has gone up – climbing from 16.5% to 28.2%. On average, heating systems in Saxony homes have an age of 14.6 years (previously 16.6).
As for the types of heating, oil central heating systems are leading the pack with an average age of 21.2 years, followed closely by gas central heating at 13.4 years, and other systems at 13.1 years .
Over a third of homes in Saxony rely on additional heating sources, and fireplaces continue to be popular (40.4%), followed by wood and pellet stoves (20.2%) and coal stoves (18.6%) .
With the Building Energy Act and municipal heat planning, the German government, a coalition of the SPD, Greens, and FDP, intends to create a more sustainable heating future. The act targets gradually making heating in Germany greener by replacing oil and gas heating systems.
Soon, all new heating systems installed in Saxony will be required to run on at least 65% renewable energy (beginning in 2024 in new constructions) . This policy aims to minimize climate impact in living spaces.
From district heating to waste heat utilization and municipal planning, Saxony's plans to modernize and climate-proof its heating systems are in sync with Germany's ambitious goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2045 .
Enrichment Insights
As Saxony takes strides in modernizing its heating systems, Leipzig plans to build a 19-kilometer-long district heating pipeline to bring waste heat from the Total Energies refinery in Leuna to the heating plant in Kulkwitz. This $160 million project is set to support 100,000 homes .
Additionally, Saxony is considering the installation of a hydrogen pipeline in Leipzig as part of the "Leipziger Wärme" transformation plan. This will connect Stadtwerke's new H2-ready South gas-fired CHP plant with the existing hydrogen infrastructure in the west of Leipzig .
Germany aims to have heating planning in place for all municipalities by mid-2028, with large cities required to finalize their plans by June 2026 and smaller municipalities following suit .
The German government also aims to boost the share of renewable energy in new heating networks by January 2024, with 80% of the pipeline heat to be generated in a climate-neutral manner by 2040 .
Lastly, financial support for projects like the one in Leipzig is provided by the Federal Ministry of Economics, indicating the government's commitment to climate-friendly heating systems transition .
: www.dpa.com : [enrichment data] : [enrichment data]
