- Rural areas provide financing for urban heat management plans
Commencing in October, municipalities in Thuringia will receive financial aid from the state for their local heating scheme development. The government has enacted a regulation on compensating expenses related to the creation of heating plans, as announced by the State Chancellery in Erfurt. Thuringia becomes the first federal state to establish regulations for the funding of municipal heating planning.
This year, the state will contribute seven million euros from its budget. Starting from 2025, the annual funds will surge to approximately ten million euros. The allocation will be dependent on the size of the municipality. Energy Minister Bernhard Stengele (Greens) declared, "This legislation now brings clarity." The state legislature had passed the related legislation in June.
An estimated total expenditure of fifty million euros is anticipated.
The financial assistance will cover hiring necessary specialized personnel, obtaining external expert opinions, and participating in public engagement processes. As per the State Chancellery, the state government anticipates spending around fifty million euros on personnel and external planning by 2028, which will be drawn from the Ministry of Energy's budget.
Heat planning entails examining the current state and possibilities, designing a strategy for implementation, and engaging the public. Once the heat plan is finalized, the actual expenses will be determined, ensuring that each responsible authority receives the necessary funds.
Municipal heating planning is a vital part of the transition to heating, aiming to decrease CO2 emissions, particularly from buildings. Stengele stated, "The quicker municipalities advance with their planning and the better it is, the sooner homeowners will have clarity about their options, such as district heating or heat pumps."
The financial aid from the state is intended to support initiatives in energy-related areas, such as hiring specialized personnel and obtaining external expert opinions for the local heating scheme development. With the implementation of the heat plan, each responsible authority will receive funds to reduce CO2 emissions, primarily from buildings.
