Press release , Oct 15, 2025

Kehler: “German Building Energy Act Must Finally Create Trust and Technological Neutrality.”

Copyright: Lotte Ostermann/DIE GAS- UND WASSERSTOFFWIRTSCHAFT

On the occasion of today’s German Heating Conference in Berlin, Dr. Timm Kehler, Chariman of the association Die Gas- und Wasserstoffwirtschaft (The Gas and Hydrogen Industry), calls for a fundamental revision of the German Building Energy Act (GEG):

“The misery in the German heating market and the significant uncertainty among modernizers clearly show: the German Building Energy Act has failed spectacularly. The intention to advance climate protection in the building sector is right — but the implementation falls short, is overly complex, and ultimately socially unjust.

Technologies such as gas hybrid systems, biomethane, or H₂-ready solutions are included in the law but are effectively blocked in practice by excessive requirements. At the same time, key questions regarding the availability and cost of electricity and district heating remain unanswered — even though many citizens need clarity precisely in these areas.

Particularly troubling is the one-sided mandatory consultation rule: anyone choosing a new gas heating system — an option explicitly permitted by the GEG when using biogas — is legally required to seek advice. Yet customers are left in the dark about the risks of future electricity or district heating prices. This undermines trust and distorts fair competition between solutions.

We need a true overhaul of the GEG: away from technological restrictions and towards fair competition. Whether heat pump, district heating, or green gas — what matters is that the solution fits the property and the budget, and that the building’s CO₂ balance is put at the center. Instead of focusing solely on achieving a 65-percent share of renewables in heating, the overall CO₂ footprint of the building should be the key metric — combining renewable heating sources, heating efficiency, and previous modernization efforts to the building envelope. Affordable climate protection in buildings requires more than just the use of renewables.”

About DIE GAS- UND WASSERSTOFFWIRTSCHAFT

As the voice of the gas and hydrogen industry, the association DIE GAS- UND WASSERSTOFFWIRTSCHAFT e.V. pools the interests of its members and is committed to utilising the potential of hydrogen and its derivatives as well as biogas and natural gas, including the associated infrastructure. The industry association also provides information on the opportunities offered by gaseous energy sources and their infrastructure in a climate-neutral and resilient energy system and drives the industry's transition to new gases. It is supported by leading companies in the energy industry and covers the entire value chain from production, transport and distribution to trading, sales and applications. Other industry associations and industrial companies support DIE GAS- UND WASSERSTOFFWIRTSCHAFT e.V. as partners.

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