“The end of oil-fired heating is nothing but wishful thinking”

A recent study by Agora Energiewende* shows that Germany can achieve its climate goals in the heating sector by increasing efficiency and by rolling out millions of heat pumps to replace oil-fired heating systems, writes Daniel Wetzel in Die Welt. But it remains an open question as to how the government plans to persuade landlords to make the necessary investments. Last year, 66,500 heat pumps were installed, but the targets require a rate of more than 400,000 per year until 2030. Wetzel says heat pumps are more expensive because the Energiewende increases power prices. “The revolution devours its own children.” 

*Like the Clean Energy Wire,  Agora Energiewende is a project funded by Stiftung Mercator and the European Climate Foundation.

Read the article in German here.

Find background in the CLEW dossier The Energiewende and Efficiency.