- The ban on gas and coal stoves is part of the EU’s major Fit for 55 project
- Does the ban have a chance of coming into effect – and in five years’ time? The expert tells us that the chance that someone will “derail” the regulation is not very high
- This means a real revolution for Poland. An estimated 40 percent. houses in cities are heated with gas, and 26 percent. – coal
- More such information can be found on the main page of Onet.pl
In 2027, no new-build home may have a gas or coal stove. Three years later, there will also be a similar ban on renovated homes.
The prospect is therefore very close and Poles are dependent on both gas and coal. A recent study by Heat Decor shows that gas is unparalleled in the largest agglomerations – more than 40 percent. people use this raw material to heat their homes. 26 percent use coal, 10 percent wood, and only 9 percent. – heat from the grid. Renewable energy sources are still very rare in Poland.
Ban on gas stoves. Can the Union change its mind?
So it is clear that the new EU regulations are a huge challenge for Poland, but will they come into effect in a few years?
The proposal is part of the Fit for 55 package and is based on a reduction of CO2 emissions of up to 55%. in 2030. 20 years later, the Community will become carbon neutral. For the time being, however, the ban on the use of stoves is only a proposal from the European Commission.
– Of course there is a risk that the proposal to ban the use of gas and coal stoves will somehow “derail”, but I would be very surprised if it happened – Joanna Flisowska, a Greenpeace energy and climate expert, told Business Insider.
– The EC’s proposals are discussed by the European Parliament and the Council (represented by the relevant ministers of the EU countries), who then negotiate the final form of the regulation. Voting in the Council is voting by majority, so it’s not like one country can block it† Of course, some changes to the Commission’s proposal are possible in the course of the negotiations. However, I wouldn’t expect any radical changes here – says Flisowska.
How do you prepare for a stove ban?
Experts have no doubts: When preparing the new regulations, we must now focus primarily on heat pumps.
It is a device that uses energy from the air, water or ground to heat the house. According to Joanna Flisowska, the government should think about programs that support the purchase of such pumps as soon as possible.
Install a heat pump that uses energy from the air to heat your home.
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Piotr Dziurman / REPORTER / East News
– When the heat pump is powered by a solar photovoltaic system, the operation is not only free, but also completely emission-free. This solution is much safer, cheaper and more ecological than gas or oil boilers or other electrical systems, said Business Insider Adam Krajewski, sales director at Vosti. As he adds, the interest in such pumps can already be seen growing strongly.
The rest of the article is available under the video
As Flisowska emphasizes, pumps are not everything and the government should also promote thermal modernization of buildings and solar energy.
Krajewski recalls that the government is already providing support for such purchases, mainly as part of its flagship “Clean Air” program. – Investors can count on up to 37 thousand. PLN (90% of the eligible costs) of co-financing when purchasing a heat pump and photovoltaic energy – says Vosti’s sales manager.
– Apart from that, it is of course also worth thinking about connecting homes to system heat. We should not only be encouraged by changing regulations, but also the raw material situation. It is well known that rising gas and coal prices will make heating in the coming winter a challenge for everyone – adds Flisowska.
Adam Krajewski points out that the EU proposals concern not only the ban on the use of stoves, but also the use of photovoltaic energy. And so, from 2027, the obligation to install panels will apply to all existing public and commercial buildings with a usable area of more than 250 m². From 2029, the obligation to install photovoltaic installations will apply to all new homes.
Will we succeed in developing such rules in the coming years that the new EU regulations will not shock Poland? Flisowska argues that there is no other way – and that it is a necessary step, not only in the context of environmental protection. – After all, everyone wants to be independent of raw materials from Russia and reduce dependence on fossil fuels in general as soon as possible. So it will be a big change, but I think it’s just a necessary step, says Greenpeace expert.
Our interlocutors emphasize that for the time being there is a ban on installing new stoves in new and modernized homes. However, the EU does not intend to ban the use of such installations as long as they are installed before the entry into force of the new regulations.
As Flisowska adds, change can be not only a challenge, but also an opportunity for Poland and our companies. – The new regulations will lead to a boom in heat pumps across the EU. I think it is worth taking advantage of this, producing them on a large scale in Poland and training the staff of installers – say.
Also see: The Dutch consume less gas. They heat less and have a shorter bath time
“Cinderella” will have to be replaced even sooner
However, before the new EU regulations come into effect, the use of “soot” will be banned in many regions of Poland.
Such bans are already in place in two Polish regions and in three voivodeships they will come into effect early next year. It is estimated that in Polish single-family homes there are still up to 3 million “pacifiers” waiting to be replaced. However, such non-ecological stoves are often replaced by gas stoves.
Mateusz Madejski, journalist at Business Insider Polska