Gas heating saves money and protects our climate
- Wintershall Dea welcomes amendment to the climate protection law in Hamburg
- Senate approves financial support for conversions to climate-friendly heating systems
From 2022, the installation of new oil-fired heating systems and from 2026 the renewal of existing ones will no longer be permitted in Hamburg. Wintershall Dea welcomes this amendment to Hamburg’s Climate Protection Act, passed by the senate on 14 April. Hamburg’s citizens were informed of the new provisions on 22 April.
“The decision in Hamburg paves the way for the wide-spread installation of natural gas heating systems in future, which will significantly reduce CO2 emissions,” explains Thilo Wieland, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of Wintershall Dea. The senate plans to offer financial support to encourage the conversion to more climate-friendly heating systems. “Home-owners and tenants can benefit in two ways by installing modern gas heating: they can cut down on their heating costs, since the new heating systems are much more energy-efficient, and they can also make an important contribution to protecting our climate,” says Mr Wieland. “The heating transition is a fundamental part of the energy transition.”
There are two requirements for a successful heating transition: firstly, it must be implemented in a socially acceptable way. Secondly, there must be sufficient affordable housing available. Gas is ideally suited to the implementation of a socially acceptable heating transition, already possible today, thanks to two key attributes: its relatively low CO2 abatement costs and its enormous potential to reduce CO2 emissions in various types of buildings. Replacing an old boiler with a new condensing boiler, for example, reduces CO2 by up to 40 percent. Furthermore, modern gas heating systems can now also be fired with green gases such as biomethane.
Hamburg’s population in particular could benefit from these advantages: according to a study conducted by the BDEW (the German Association of Energy and Water Industries) on the heating market in Germany (entitled “Wie heizt Deutschland”), the heating systems in the Hanseatic City of Hamburg are on average 19 years old and are the oldest nationwide.
Note to editors: For more information on gas in the heating sector please refer to the position paper by the Gas Coalition which Wintershall Dea has published together with industry partners. The Gas Coalition is made up of gas producers, gas retailers, transmission system operators and one industrial company. The paper is available here:
About Wintershall Dea
Wintershall Dea is Europe’s leading independent natural gas and oil company with more than 120 years of experience as an operator and project partner along the entire E&P value chain. The company with German roots and headquarters in Kassel and Hamburg explores for and produces gas and oil in 13 countries worldwide in an efficient and responsible manner. With activities in Europe, Russia, Latin America and the MENA region (Middle East & North Africa), Wintershall Dea has a global upstream portfolio and, with its participation in natural gas transport, is also active in the midstream business.
Wintershall Dea was formed from the merger of Wintershall Holding GmbH and DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG, in 2019. Today, the company employs around 2,800 people worldwide from over 60 nations.
