Germany presents energy efficiency "work plan" to reduce fossil fuel demand

The economy and climate ministry has presented plans to make Germany save more energy and increase efficiency, particularly in view of the impact of the war in Ukraine on Russian fossil fuel imports. The "work plan" offers a catalogue of measures that includes financial incentives, targeted support and regulatory framework adjustments. “We are currently pulling out all the stops to become less dependent on Russian energy,” said economy minister Robert Habeck. “As important as it is to find alternative sources of supply for gas in the short term and to build the infrastructure for this, the cheapest and most efficient contribution to greater independence is lower energy consumption.”

The plan includes funding and incentives to promote more energy efficient standards in heating and building and the discontinuation of subsidies for gas heating and construction projects that do not meet the new Efficiency House 40 standard. The renovation of buildings with the poorest energy performance is seen as the greatest potential for saving energy and greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, solar roofs are to become the standard in order to quickly increase renewable power generation.

The buildings sector has been slow to reduce its carbon footprint in recent years, but the massive increase in energy costs has made the renovation of existing residential buildings to increase energy efficiency more cost-effective than ever, according to a recent report.