By Jeanne Plaumann
On Wednesday, the federal cabinet decided on savings regulations that are intended to reduce energy consumption so that Germany can get through the winter better.
In general, savings of almost 20 percent (compared to the pre-crisis period) in consumption are considered a condition for Germany to get through the winter without gas rationing.
The savings regulations decided by the cabinet will initially apply for six months from September – an overview:
︎ In public buildings, the temperature should be reduced by one degree to 19 and areas such as corridors and foyers should no longer be heated. Social facilities are excluded.
▶︎ Requirements for tenants to set a minimum temperature should be dropped if this does not pose a risk to health or the building.
▶︎ Private owners of houses and apartments with gas heaters must check them. A heating check is mandatory for the next two years.
▶︎ Not only in authorities, but also in private offices, energy should be saved in winter. Due to the very different conditions in the companies, only minimum temperatures are specified. The employer decides to what extent there is a deviation upwards.
▶︎ Private pools must remain unheated.
▶︎ Buildings and monuments are no longer illuminated for purely representative purposes.
▶︎ Neon signs are banned at night.
► From October, companies with an energy consumption of more than ten gigawatt hours per year will be obliged to take energy-saving measures, provided these pay off for them.
Germany
Private households should help
The federal government assumes that the measures can save almost eleven billion euros in two years.
According to government estimates, gas consumption could be reduced by around two percent with further instruments from the regulations: Industry and the residential and building sector should contribute another five to ten percent – for example by voluntarily lowering the private room temperature by two degrees. Three to five percent is planned by replacing gas-fired power plants with coal or oil. Up to eight percent have already been saved in view of the high prices.
The two other important factors for the winter, in addition to savings, are the connection of two liquid gas terminals on the North Sea coast and full gas storage facilities.
► Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (64, SPD) promised to import Canadian liquid gas during his trip to Canada in order to achieve faster independence from Russian gas. “Canada is our partner of choice if Germany turns its back on Russian energy,” said Scholz in Toronto on Tuesday.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck (52, Greens) said on Wednesday: “But it is also very important to save significantly more gas: in public administration, in companies, in as many private households as possible. (…) We are facing a national effort,” said Habeck. This requires interaction between all social groups. “Every contribution counts.”
In addition, the cabinet has passed a joint ordinance by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Ministry of Transport:
︎ According to this, energy transport by rail should have priority in the future in order to secure the operation of power plants and refineries. Minister of Transport Wissing emphasized: “This is not an easy decision, because in case of doubt it means that other trains have to wait in these cases.”