Energy use in German buildings stagnates at 2010 levels – report
Clean Energy Wire
The final energy use for heating rooms and water in Germany's 22 million buildings rose slightly in 2017 and stagnates around the 2010 level, shows a report published by the German Energy Agency (dena). A total of 870 terawatt hours (TWh) of final energy were consumed in the country's buildings sector – 5 TWh more than in 2010. In the years from 2014 to 2017, the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions rose by 11 percent. "Little has happened in the last decade," said Andreas Kuhlmann, head of dena. "Without additional efforts, we estimate that greenhouse gas emissions from buildings in 2030 will be up to 28 million tonnes above the target of 70 to 72 million tonnes." Dena proposes tax incentives for replacing heating systems, installing new windows and insulating roofs and exterior walls in order to speed up the energy transition in the sector, supplemented by targeted communication and advice.
The buildings sector is responsible for 14 percent of Germany's total emissions, which translates into 120 million tonnes of CO2 per year. In its new Climate Action Programme, the government has introduced a swap premium for old oil-fired heating systems and a ban on the installation of new ones by 2026 in most homes. Energy efficient retrofitting of buildings will also become tax deductible by 2020 – measures dena says could enable a new dynamic of renovation in the sector.
