June 27, 2024, 1:03 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Germany aims to achieve a climate-neutral energy supply by 2045. The switch from gas to heat pumps is a prevalent topic. However, those looking to make the switch may face high costs. myHOMEBOOK consulted the Consumer Center of North Rhine-Westphalia to learn what needs to be considered when decommissioning a gas connection.
To reach the ambitious goal of a climate-neutral energy supply, a comprehensive overhaul is necessary, involving the use of various innovative technologies and new energy sources. A key aspect is the abandonment of fossil fuels like gas. The transition to renewable energies is widely discussed, as is the shutdown of gas networks. In Germany, more people are considering making the switch. The spread of heat pumps and district heating systems is increasing. Yet, in some cases, decommissioning the gas connection can lead to unexpected costs for consumers.
Why Costs Arise When Decommissioning a Gas Connection
Purchasing a heat pump is not cheap. But given the climate goals, many citizens in this country are opting for this technology. The Federal Network Agency also states that renewable energies are on the rise. To facilitate this, natural gas consumption is expected to be reduced in the coming years. Those who still have a gas connection at home must, of course, decommission it—and this can be costly in the worst-case scenario.
If homeowners no longer need their gas connection, they can temporarily stop, decommission, or even dismantle it. Decommissioning involves disconnecting the house’s gas line from the supply, while dismantling involves removing the gas connection lines from the ground. Costs are incurred for all three measures.
However, there are some uncertainties here. Christina Wallraff from the Consumer Center of North Rhine-Westphalia explains to myHOMEBOOK that there are no clear regulations: “It is legally disputed whether consumers must bear the costs for decommissioning the gas connection.” She further mentions that Paragraph 9 of the Low Pressure Connection Ordinance (NDAV) states that network operators can charge customers for changes to the gas network connection. She adds: “However, it is legally unclear whether a termination or decommissioning can be considered a change. Therefore, network operators seem to handle this differently.”
How High Are the Costs?
In fact, the question of how high the costs for decommissioning or dismantling are cannot be answered across the board. Wallraff explains that the amount of the costs results from the work involved. myHOMEBOOK conducted a random check with some gas network operators to see how high the costs for such work are.
According to the Federal Network Agency, there is only one gas or electricity network operator for each network area. Therefore, citizens are automatically tied to one operator. There are numerous gas supply companies in Germany. To illustrate the costs for dismantling or decommissioning, we took a closer look at three randomly selected operators:
- Netze Südwest: 2,975 euros for complete decommissioning; 72.59 euros for temporary shutdown and then 71.40 euros annual standby fee
- EWE: 965 euros for complete decommissioning
- Stadtwerke Bayreuth: 250 euros to 480 euros
It is indeed difficult to find valid figures. Only a few companies provide fixed costs on their websites. Often, it is noted that the costs will be sent after the application.
Additionally, it can happen that ongoing costs arise despite termination. The Consumer Center says: “If I, as a former gas customer, do nothing, consumption-independent costs for the connection to the gas network and the operation of the gas meter can arise. And even if I decide to temporarily not use the gas connection, network operators usually charge a standby fee for this.”
Also interesting: Why Cheaper Electricity Can Be Used for Heat Pumps
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Advice from the Consumer Center
Anyone who no longer needs their gas connection or wants to switch should immediately contact their network operator. This way, they can find out how high the costs for decommissioning or temporary shutdown are. Wallraff, however, says: “A dismantling is not necessary from our point of view.”
She also criticizes the current uncertainties in the regulations: “Basically, the legislator should address the issue and explicitly regulate the NDAV for the case of decommissioning the connection. It must be clarified whether the costs for decommissioning should be borne directly by consumers or allocated through network charges.”
The high cost differences that currently seem to exist between network operators would raise questions, she further adds.
So Many Apartments Still Heat with Gas and Oil
With the Climate Protection Act, the federal government wants to ensure that climate neutrality is achieved by 2045 and CO₂ emissions are reduced by 65 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. To achieve this goal, neutral or renewable energies must be expanded and fossil fuels largely replaced.
However, the results of the latest 2022 Census suggest that this will be a challenging endeavor. Three-quarters of all apartments in Germany are heated with gas (56 percent) or oil (19 percent). Only three percent of households are heated with solar or geothermal energy, environmental or exhaust air heat (usually with heat pumps).