Improved support conditions for renewable energy sources under the market incentive programme enter into force

The Federal Environment Ministry has improved support conditions under the market incentive programme for renewable energies (MAP). Parliamentary State Secretary Ursula Heinen-Esser announced this move at the opening of the international fair ISH 2011 today in Frankfurt/Main. The ISH is the biggest international forum for bathroom, building, energy and air-conditioning technology. The focus this year is on presentations of innovative technologies in the fields of efficiency and renewable energies. In her opening speech Parliamentary State Secretary Heinen-Esser stressed that progress is needed in the area of heating and cooling in order to achieve the Government's goals defined in its Energy Concept. The new guidelines can be found online at www.bmub.bund.de and www.erneuerbare-energien.de, and in the electronic Federal Gazette.

Ms Heinen-Esser noted: "Buildings are responsible for around 40 percent of final energy consumption in Germany. The electricity demand of cooling technology is also considerable, accounting for around 15 percent of total electricity consumption. There is enormous potential for saving energy and CO2. This area is rarely focussed on, despite the fact that success in achieving the goals of the Energy Concept largely depends on progress in this field. We need to significantly step up the pace of our efficiency measures in particular."

Important impetus for energy-efficient products for heating, air conditioning and ventilation is expected by the end of this year from the EU Eco-design Directive for heating boilers, combi boilers, water heaters and air conditioning appliances.In order to bring increased dynamic to the renewable heat market, the Federal Environment Ministry will now intensify its activities to support heat generation from renewables. The following changes will be implemented with the new guidelines on the market incentive programme, which enter into force today:

I. Solar panels

1. (Limited) increase in the basic support for solar panels for combined warm water provision and room heating to 120 euros / square metre (m2) up to 30 December 2011; after that, support will once again total 90 euros/m2.
2. The bonus for exchanging boilers (bonus for additionally replacing a conventional, non-condensing boiler with a new condensing boiler) has been extended indefinitely, but the amount of bonus will gradually decrease. The bonus totals 600 euros (previously 400 euros) up to 30 December 2011, after which it will be 500 euros.
3. The combination bonus for solar thermal energy plus heat pump or solar thermal energy plus biomass also totals 600 euros (previously 500 euros) up to 30 December 2011, after which it will be 500 euros.

II. Biomass boilers

1. Reintroduction of support for low-emission log gasification boilers. A prerequisite for support is compliance with a particularly low dust emission value of a maximum 15 milligrams per cubic metre (mg/m3, previously 50mg/m3). This value is based on the emission limit values according to level 2 of the First Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act (1. BImSchV), which are due to enter into force in 2017. Total support equals 1,000 euros.
2. All support for pellet stoves with water jackets, pellet boilers (including combination boilers) and wood chip installations remains unchanged.

III. Heat pumps

1. The technical requirements for support have been revised. The seasonal performance required has been reduced.
2. Support for heat pumps has been switched to another basis for calculation (thermal capacity rather than living space). The level of support remains roughly the same.

IV. KfW support

1. Inclusion of large heat pumps in KfW support.
2. Discontinuation of support for biogas pipelines.
3. Continuation of support that was discontinued at the end of 2010 for small biogas processing installations.