The EU is tightening its gas belt to survive winter, but it has yet to put a countdown on one of the most gas-guzzling source of consumption: heating. The new Coolproducts national study underlines how, for many member states, a phase-out of fossil heating technologies can easily be a triple score for independence, climate, and energy security, writes Bich Dao. 

Amidst one of Europe’s hottest weeks on record, the European Commission and Council talked chilling news: “Save gas for safe winter”, Europe must slash 15% gas consumption to spare energy for the upcoming winter, faced with unreliable Russian supply. However, it misses out on addressing the underlying issues of relying on gas for heating, not only for this winter, but for the winters to come.

With 75% of European homes using fossil fuels for heating, gas has been a headache for families and governments alike with recent massive energy price hikes, high inflation, climate deterioration, and worsening rates of energy poverty. Getting fossil fuels out of our heating has now become and will continue to be a matter of security, climate, and social concerns for the years to come.

Import independence

Buildings are the EU’s largest gas consumers, responsible for approximately 38% of EU gas use of which heating accounts for a large proportion. With 45% of gas import in Europe coming from Russia, there is a clear beneficiary to any delay in decarbonising the heating sector.

However, there is a way out.

The results of the latest Coolproducts study in collaboration with Öko-Institut on national scenarios for phasing out fossil fuels in heating show promising results. With a phase-out that starts in 2025, the EU can expect to cut Russian gas imports by 21%, and total imports by 8% by 2030, all in one swift measure.

Some countries stand to benefit more than others: Romania would see its gas imports cut by almost 70%, while Poland, Slovakia, Czechia and Denmark would also see a sharp increase in their gas independence. 

Read the full article here.

Find the report by Coolproducts attached.