Germany's building modernization law faces heated debate over heating standards and green‑gas quota

Germany's Federal Council committees released a 59‑page statement ahead of their June 12 meeting, urging major revisions to the draft Building Modernisation Act (GModG). Their central demand is to retain the 65 % renewable‑energy requirement for new heating installations and to reject proposals to reinstate oil and gas boilers, arguing that weakening the rule would undermine the country's heat‑transition goals.

A parallel controversy has emerged over the law's green‑gas quota. Energy firms Eon and Uniper are split on the requirement that gas suppliers demonstrate an increasing share of sustainable fuels from 2028 onward. Critics warn the quota could raise gas prices by up to 25 % by 2040, while supporters claim it safeguards climate targets by shifting responsibility to suppliers.

The Bundesverband Nachhaltige Wirtschaft (BNW) is also urging parliamentary amendments. It proposes (1) a standardized cost‑comparison tool for heating decisions, (2) linking BEG heating subsidies to revenues from the national CO₂ price, and (3) embedding a post‑2023 adjustment mechanism to automatically correct shortfalls in biogenic fuel availability.