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Incentives abolished and sales ban
Starting in 2025, incentives for gas boilers, especially those fuelled by natural gas, will be phased out, until they are completely abolished. From 2040, the production and sale of fossil fuel boilers will be banned. This means that it will be impossible to install new gas boilers in newly built residential and non-residential buildings.
Impact & Alternatives
In Italy, it is estimated that there are about 19 million gas boilers, with over a third of them (7 million) in operation for more than 15 years. These boilers account for 50% of the country's gas consumption. To reduce pollution and promote sustainability, it will be necessary to adopt alternatives such as heat pump boilers and hybrid systems. The former harness the thermal energy of the outside air, while the latter combine gases and heat pumps to ensure more efficient and sustainable heating.
Planning and financial support
Member States will be responsible for establishing plans for the gradual replacement of existing gas boilers. Incentives will be introduced to encourage the transition to heating and cooling systems powered by renewable energy, such as heat pumps or solar thermal systems. The European Union will provide funding through the Social Climate Fund, the Recovery Fund and the Regional Development Funds to facilitate this transition.
Next steps
The EU has yet to formalize the directive through the Council, but approval appears to be just a formality. It is important that citizens start considering replacing gas boilers with more sustainable solutions adapted to the new regulations, especially considering the reduction of incentives and the imminent ban on sales from 2040.