A significant number of new regulations are intended to protect consumers from the high costs of heat and electricity. Consumers can expect some changes when it comes to energy in 2023. The changes are intended to help get high energy prices under control! We have summarized the main innovations in the energy sector here :
Promoting energy saving investments:
If energy saving measures are carried out on your own, the material costs will also be subsidized from January onwards. Heating systems will only be subsidized if they are operated using at least 65 percent renewable energy. In addition, the rental of temporary heating systems can also be subsidized if the heating system is replaced due to a defect. From January onwards, energy saving measures will also be supported if they are carried out on your own.
“Anyone who chooses biomass heating, for example using wood pellets, must also use solar thermal energy in order to receive funding,” says Inse Ewen, energy consultant for the Bremen Consumer Center. Biomass heating systems also have to meet higher requirements for pollutant emissions. When promoting building renovations, the use of prefabricated elements is rewarded with a bonus. The bonus for the renovation of houses with very poor energy efficiency should also be increased.
Tax relief for home renovations:
Anyone who does not take advantage of funding programs can receive a tax reduction for energy measures instead. This will no longer apply to the installation of gas-powered heaters from 2023. Tax reductions of 20 percent of expenses continue to be granted for heating systems based on renewable energies. Likewise for subsequent thermal insulation or the modernization of windows.
Limiting energy prices:
In order to limit the burden on households from increased energy prices, the costs for electricity, gas and district heating should be limited to a quota of 80 percent of the forecast annual consumption. For this relief quota, the price for natural gas should be set at 12 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) and for district heating at 9.5 cents/kWh between March 2023 and April 2024. For electricity, the reference price is 40 cents per kWh. Although this mechanism will only take effect from March, it is intended to provide relief for consumers retroactively to January 2023.
Households that used more than 80 percent of the forecast amount of energy should pay the price specified in their supply contract for each additional kilowatt hour. If consumption is below 80 percent, the current price per kilowatt hour for the amount of gas saved should be reimbursed to the household with the year-end bill. In this way, households are given incentives to reduce their consumption.
Housing benefit increase:
Low-income households will receive significantly more housing benefit from January 2023. This is also intended to take account of the increased heating costs. The amount of housing benefit depends on income, net rent and the number of people in the household. The average housing benefit is to be almost doubled and the number of households entitled to housing benefit is to be increased from the current 600,000 households to around two million.
One-off payment for increased heating costs:
It is planned that students and technical school students will receive a one-off payment of 200 euros over the course of 2023 for increased heating costs.
Promoting electricity generation from photovoltaics:
The Renewable Energy Act (EEG), which last provided more support for solar power fed in in July 2022, will be changed again from 2023. “From this point on, the obligation to limit the feed-in power to 70 percent of the nominal power no longer applies to new and existing systems,” explains Inse Ewen.
This means that more electricity can be fed in from the systems. For the same reason, network operators no longer need to be granted remote control capability. It is also planned to exempt income from photovoltaic systems of up to 30 kilowatts from income tax from 2023. The purchase of new photovoltaic systems should also be exempt from VAT. The tariff rates for the electricity fed into the power grid were also increased.
Elimination of the EEG levy:
The EEG levy will finally disappear in 2023. This makes the operation of systems cheaper, as a generation meter is no longer needed to determine the total amount of electricity generated. The EEG levy had already been reduced to zero cents in July in order to relieve citizens of the high electricity prices.
Energy efficiency regulations for new buildings:
From 2023, increased requirements will apply to new buildings in the Building Energy Act. The primary energy requirement can therefore be a maximum of 55 for an efficient house. This increased requirement is intended to be a step towards climate-neutral building stock. Electricity from photovoltaic systems may also be taken into account when balancing a new building from January 2023 if the full feed-in option is selected in accordance with the EEG remuneration system. To date, a proportion of the building's own consumption has been required.
Incandescent and fluorescent lamps:
For most incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps, 2023 will finally be an end. “They may no longer be placed on the market from September 1st at the latest,” says Inse Ewen. These include compact fluorescent lamps, the common T8 fluorescent lamps and R7s high-voltage halogen lamps. The latter are still often used in outdated ceiling floodlights and are real power guzzlers due to their high electrical output. Fluorescent lamps are considered a particular threat to the environment because of their mercury content.
Source: Bremen Consumer Center
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