German government proposes boost for renewable heating infrastructure

The German economy and energy ministry has tabled a draft law for accelerating the expansion of geothermal energy installations, large heat pumps, heat storage units, and district heating grids in a bid to push decarbonisation in the heating sector. The draft law implements the EU’s renewable energy directive (REDIII) and labels the buildout of renewable heating infrastructure as a matter of “overriding public interest,” a step previously taken for wind and solar power installations to speed up their construction.

“The law is supposed to bring a visible boost into all procedures and thus achieve significant relief for the economy and industry” by reducing licensing hurdles, the ministry said. It clarifies aspects relevant to environmental law, species conservation, and geological stability to assist local authorities in approving new projects, it added.  

The draft law builds on an existing law for expanding geothermal energy in the country and adds provisions for the faster construction of large heat pumps that can use lakes, rivers, sewage water, or waste heat to provide heating energy. According to the ministry, district heating grids should be built out faster by applying similar instruments used for the expansion of gas or hydrogen grids in the past. “The transport of heat will be accelerated in the same way as other energy transmission lines,” the statement said. The draft law also seeks to provide greater legal clarity regarding damages caused by geothermal drilling by expanding companies’ liabilities.