The German Association of Cities and Municipalities has criticized the draft heating law proposed by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Katherina Reiche. During discussions reported to Spiegel, chief executive André Berghegger stressed that the primary concern for its members is the lack of legal certainty.
He questioned the long-term viability of the proposed energy transition, stating that it is unsustainable to simultaneously maintain natural gas networks, build out electric grids for extensive heat pump use, and establish new district heating systems. According to Berghegger, only localized municipal heating planning can effectively determine the most sensible infrastructure path forward. He expressed concern that conflicting subsidy incentives could arise, leading to economic inefficiencies during the energy transition while simultaneously overtaxing citizens, businesses, and local governments.
While the association does not fundamentally reject the use of natural gas blended with biomethane through the new building modernization law-seeing it as a potential alternative to district heating or heat pumps-this approach is strictly conditional upon the continuation and maintenance of existing gas networks.
The association emphasized that the government must present a comprehensive action package and a clear biomethane strategy before this alternative can be applicable. Berghegger further criticized the persistent lack of reliable information concerning the deployment of green gases, warning that the complexity of the new legislation risks overwhelming local authorities.