Gas heating phase-out: a poorly planned transition is a ticking time bomb for households

Que Choisir Ensemble and the European Bureau of Consumers' Unions (BEUC) are publishing two complementary studies to challenge public authorities on the consequences that an insufficiently planned and unsuitable energy transition would have on the purchasing power of consumers.

While decarbonizing our heating systems is essential to significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, it cannot be done without considering the millions of households still dependent on gas. Between technical obstacles and the costs associated with switching to electricity, the occupants of more than 5 million homes in France are currently "captive" to gas (1).

Significant technical constraints…

Collective housing presents technical constraints (lack of space, incompatibility of equipment, poor insulation) which deprive a large number of co-ownerships of realistic short-term transition solutions.

Despite more attractive subsidies, a heat pump remains more expensive to purchase than a gas boiler. For a heat pump installation to be truly cost-effective, the home must be well-insulated. Yet, the government has chosen to reduce support for insulation work… Renovation grants are therefore still insufficient and ill-suited to the challenges!

A ticking time bomb for the gas bills of captive households

The decline in the number of gas subscribers has a major unintended consequence: as network maintenance costs are spread across fewer users, the bills for those who remain mechanically increase. According to BEUC's findings, annual gas network maintenance costs could thus double between 2030 and 2045 for households still on the network!

A major risk of social injustice

The transition, as currently conceived, creates a divide between households that can easily switch off gas (homeowners in detached houses) and those that remain trapped (renters, occupants of energy-inefficient homes). The former generally refers to the wealthier households, while the latter are the most vulnerable, who will have to bear the brunt of a continuous increase in their gas bills, which already represent 16% of their budget!

Faced with this situation, Que Choisir Ensemble and BEUC call on public authorities to act to guarantee a fair and accessible energy transition that will truly give households the means to effectively move away from gas and reduce their energy consumption.

To do this, it is necessary to:

Plan the future of the gas network in a clear and transparent manner;
Protecting the purchasing power of consumers captive to gas.

According to Marie-Amandine Stévenin, president of Que Choisir Ensemble: "While phasing out gas is necessary and beneficial in the long term for consumers and the climate, the lack of planning and solidarity mechanisms will be painful for a segment of the population. I strongly urge public authorities to organize a more structured and consumer-friendly phase-out of gas."

A poorly prepared transition

In reality, a plan for phasing out gas heating does exist, driven by clear regulatory and climate objectives. However, this plan now appears largely insufficient and poorly adapted to the realities on the ground. In particular, it lacks clarity for households, coordination with the realities of co-owned properties, and financial support commensurate with the challenges. More than a lack of a plan, it is therefore an incomplete and improvable strategy that poses significant risks to users.

(1) Captive households are households which for economic, technical or situational reasons cannot switch to electricity (tenants, households in co-ownership, households occupying thermal sieves).

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.