Why the Heat Transition Is Important for Climate Protection
The heating transition is crucial to achieving our climate goals. One out of every three metric tons of CO₂ is related to heating. This means that heat generation causes more emissions than transportation. Anyone who wants to protect the climate cannot avoid the heating transition.
Current Situation
More than three-quarters of the heat generated for Wiesbaden currently comes from fossil fuels. The transition to climate-friendly heating systems therefore makes a significant contribution to reducing emissions.
Wiesbaden’s current heat supply consists predominantly of gas heating systems, followed by district heating networks and oil-fired heating systems. The use of fossil fuels results in the release of greenhouse gases each year equivalent to approximately 780,000 metric tons of CO₂.
Which heating systems are climate-friendly?
Heating solutions differ significantly in terms of their environmental impact. Biomass, such as wood pellets, currently ranks highest. However, sustainably produced biomass is available only in limited quantities. A citywide supply of wood-fired heating systems for Wiesbaden is therefore not a realistic option.
Local and district heating also offer good conditions for a climate-friendly heat supply. They already stand out today for both their high efficiency and their climate-friendly heat generation. By 2045, heat generation for heating networks will be gradually converted to climate-neutral technologies.
Electricity has relatively high specific emissions, as a large portion of Germany’s electricity is still generated from coal and natural gas. Direct electric heating systems and night storage heaters are therefore less favorable from a climate perspective. Heat
pumps, on the other hand, are significantly more efficient: Depending on the system and operating conditions, they can generate approximately 2.5 to 3.5 kilowatt-hours of heat from one kilowatt-hour of electricity. If the heat pump is powered by green electricity or combined with a photovoltaic system, the climate impact of the heat supply can be significantly improved even further.
Get Your Heating System Ready for the Future Now
By switching to a climate-friendly heating system, everyone can make an important contribution to climate protection. While fossil fuels fuel climate change, alternatives such as district heating networks, biomass, and heat pumps are already available today and produce significantly lower emissions.
In addition, the gradual decarbonization of district heating systems and the electricity grid will further improve their carbon footprint in the future. As a result, these heating solutions will become even more climate-friendly in the future and remain a good choice in the long term.