Germany set to ban new natural gas heating systems from 2024

The German government on Wednesday approved legislation that will outlaw most new heating systems that run on oil and gas, a move that one expert warns would burden the nation with "incalculable costs."

Beginning the first of next year, all heating systems installed in any home – old or new – must be 65% operated on renewable energy, with reported exemptions for elderly and low-income households. As a result, the collect annual energy costs for Germans could reach $10 billion until 2028, according to Reuters.

Critics have been quick to respond to the bill being approved, such as opposition Christian Democrats spokeswoman Anne König, who said citizens will pay the price.

“Homeowners, tenants, housing associations and heating network operators will face incalculable costs,” König stated, adding that Germans are now worried over “whether they can even afford the roof over their heads.”

Kai Warnecke, president of property owners association Haus & Grund, says the proposal has left residents "unsettled and overwhelmed."

“The federal government wants to push through the energy transition with a crowbar," he said.

More than 78% of Germans oppose the pending ban, with 62% convinced electricity prices will rise following the transition, according to a Forsa poll cited by Reuters.

Just days ago, Germany shuttered its last three nuclear energy plants, leaving the country all the more dependent on coal and natural gas as they attempt to phase in a green new era.

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