Germany's 2030 target of 50% renewables in heating "ambitious, but possible" – industry

It is possible to achieve Germany’s target of covering half of heat production with renewable energies by 2030, the German Renewable Energy Federation (BEE) said at the presentation of its 2045 heating scenario report. “The target is ambitious, but possible,” BEE head Simone Peter said during a press conference. “The potential for renewables is huge,” she said, adding that the technology is available and technological advances still have room for growth. According to the report, the share of renewables in the heating sector could reach 54 percent by 2030. To achieve this, all renewable technologies are necessary, including heat pumps, solar thermal and geothermal energy as well as biogas.
Ramping up renewables in the sector could also ensure supply security and affordable prices, Peter said. But challenges remained in the form of rampant bureaucracy, a lack of skilled workers and supply chain issues. Additionally, more research on heating technologies, socially just financing and amendments to legal frameworks are needed to achieve the target. Ninety-seven percent of heating could be covered with renewables by 2045, according to the BEE report.

Over 50 percent of Germany’s final energy consumption comes from heating and cooling, according to the BEE. Advancing decarbonisation in the sector is a key aspect of climate policy in Germany’s coalition treaty, as fossil fuels currently cover more than 80 percent of the country’s heating energy demand. The government has proposed that, as of 2024, all newly constructed heating systems be powered by 65 percent renewable energy sources.