The Federal Association of the German Heating Industry, BDH, and the Federal Association of the Solar Industry, BSW-Solar, are calling on the federal government to significantly accelerate the energy transition in the heating sector.
The heating sector is currently contributing far too little to reduce CO2 emissions in Germany. Germany is threatened with fines running into billions because the EU climate target is not met.
Solar thermal energy
"In combination with solar thermal energy, condensing boilers, heat pumps, and wood central heating systems become hybrid heating systems and save up to 40 percent of energy compared to an old system," says Andreas Lücke, General Manager of the BDH. Over 2 million heating systems in Germany already use the sun for heating and/or hot water.
The modernization backlog in German boiler rooms is huge: around 13 million heating systems are completely out of date and should be replaced quickly. So far, only 10 percent have used renewable energies via solar thermal energy.
Expensive energy wasters
Heating systems that are over twenty years old are usually expensive energy wasters and very harmful to the climate"
“Heating systems that are over twenty years old are usually expensive energy wasters and very harmful to the climate. They urgently need to be renewed and can be trimmed for significantly more efficiency with a solar system,” says BSW Managing Director Carsten Körnig.
“We need a massive use of renewable energies in order to achieve the heating transition. That is why we should also use the huge potential of local and district solar heating. Large solar heating systems in Germany can generate heat for three to five cents per kilowatt hour,” says Körnig.
Renewable energy system
Both associations are committed to strengthening this renewable energy system in the heating market. Of course, professional planning and installation as well as proper handling of this technology are required so that optimum solar yield is achieved. The BDH publishes information sheets on this (series no. 17 and 27).
Solar thermal operators, but also the HVAC specialist trade, receive tips and information for the optimal operation of solar thermal systems. The German Solar Industry Association explains in a background paper what one should consider when buying and installing a solar thermal system. There are also several videos on the topic of solar heating on the BSW-Solar YouTube channel.