Prohibition of gas boilers: The government launches a consultation with the sectors concerned

A ban on the installation of gas boilers "is one of the possibilities open to consultation, it is on this subject that we are consulting the sectors", it was indicated to the office of the Minister for Energy Transition on Monday, specifying nevertheless that it would not be "not a replacement obligation" and that the evolution would be "very progressive".

The consultation, announced last week before the Senate by the Minister for Energy Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher, is part of the ecological planning "launched by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, the same source said. .

It must make it possible to "secure the achievement of the country's climate commitments by 2030", by seeking in particular to know how "accelerate the dynamics of removing fossil boilers (fuel and gas)" in buildings, in the tertiary park and in the residential stock, mainly to replace them with heat pumps.

CO2 emissions from the building sector in France amounted to 75 million tonnes in 2021 and will have to drop by around 45 Mt to reach 30 Mt in 2030: "This involves drastically reducing emissions linked to fuel oil and gas by accelerating the replacement of gas-fired boilers and the insulation of housing", adds the government.

In addition to the boilers, the consultation will also focus on the measures to be put in place more broadly to achieve the decarbonization of the building (insulation in particular): incentive, accompanying or binding measures?

Currently, the use of buildings - excluding construction - represents 18% of greenhouse gas emissions in France, and 60% of this total comes from gas heating, adds the Ministry of Energy Transition.

11,2 million residences heated by gas

According to statistics from the Center for Economic Studies and Research on Energy (Ceren), 11,2 million main residences used natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas for heating in France in 2021 (collective or individual).

Some 2,7 million main residences were heated with domestic fuel oil and 11,2 million with electricity (including 2,3 million with heat pumps). 3,1 million main dwellings were heated with wood and 1,5 million with district heating.

The Ma Prime Renov' system set up to help finance energy renovation work, especially for the most modest households, has already put an end to aid for the installation of gas boilers, including the most modern ones which recycle their exhaust gas.

A meeting is scheduled next week between Ms. Pannier-Runacher, the Minister for Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu, the Minister in charge of the City and Housing Olivier Klein with the heads of the sectors, industrialists, manufacturers, installers, building and construction professionals. maintenance, associations of consumers, owners, tenants, communities, and associations for the defense of the environment.

According to France Gaz, some 130.000 people in France work in the sector, including 38 to 45.000 for gas boiler equipment and service. 16.000 installers have been identified, a number of whom are in the process of training on electric heat pumps which emit less CO2 than fossil boilers.

The results of the consultation will be able to "feed the texts of laws to come", one indicates to the ministry, in particular the draft finance law voted in the fall for 2024.