Union reports shift from gas to hydrogen heating – SME.sk

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BRUSSELS. The European Commission wants to phase out the heating of buildings with gas and other fossil fuels by 2040.

Stricter environmental rules should also apply to the construction of new buildings, which, moreover, will not be able to produce any emissions from 2030. Since 2027, people will lose the right to support heating with gas boilers.

This includes a set of proposals that the commission presented on Wednesday as another part of the road to climate neutrality.

Common gas reserves

The Commission has also proposed the possibility for European Union countries to jointly purchase gas for strategic reserves. They should thus prevent its shortage, as well as the rapid rise in prices.

As part of a strategy called the Green Agreement for Europe, the EU executive is working to steer countries to meet the climate targets agreed by leaders last year.

According to them, by the end of the decade, the Union would like to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent compared to 1990 levels, then to produce no emissions by the middle of the century, or to offset them, for example by technological measures.

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In its proposals, the Commission has focused on the gas market, which currently accounts for about a quarter of total energy consumption in the European Union.

While 95 percent of all gaseous energy sources today account for natural gas, the commission said it should be a significant minority by the middle of the century.

Countries should switch to the use of organically produced hydrogen or biogas, which should facilitate, among other things, financial support for their production and distribution.

“A key element of this transition is the creation of a competitive hydrogen market with the appropriate infrastructure,” said Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson.

Unification of energy efficiency of buildings

In addition to gas producers and distributors, the new rules will also affect construction companies and building owners.

By 2025, states should unify the energy efficiency of buildings on a scale from A to G. By 2030, the worst rated 15 percent of G-category buildings will have to achieve a higher F-category.

Member States will need to regularly update their building renovation plans according to environmental criteria. The plans should also include a strategy to “phase out heating and cooling of buildings with fossil fuels by 2040 at the latest”. Because of this, states have not provided subsidies for gas boilers to people since 2027.

Today’s proposals will be discussed by the member states with the European Parliament next year, including during the Czech presidency of the EU.

Due to the different attitudes of countries worried about the possible impact of environmental measures on the economy, the final form of the rules may change.