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Germany gets tough on climate: 40% reduction by 2020 |
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Germany has issued the world's most ambitious climate target: a 40% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2020. The plan includes key initiatives to phase out HFC refrigerants, and promote energy-efficient Heat Pumps and Mobile Air Conditioning.
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2007-12-10
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Security of supply, cost-effectiveness, and climate protection are the key pillars of Germany's integrated energy and climate programme launched on 5 December. The package, containing 14 separate legislative initiatives, is built around an overall target to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% by 2020. If all measures are implemented in time, the Ministry for the Environment hopes to double Germany's GHG emission reductions by 2020 from currently 18% to 36% compared to 1990 levels. This would be the world’s most ambitious national environment package so far with which Germany hopes to reinforce its environmental leadership, reduce its dependency on energy imports, as well as foster productivity and innovation.
The climate package, to save up to €5 billion, is focusing on sustainable heating, as well as the reduction of high global warming refrigerants and car GHG emissions:
HFC refrigerants: Additional leakage limits to F-Gases Regulation
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Laid down in the Chemical Climate Directive ("Chemikalienklimaschutzverordnung"), Germany will introduce strict limits on the leakage of HFC refrigerants from transport and stationary refrigeration. In addition to the EU F-Gases Regulation, the German law sets the following maximum limits for the leakage of hydrofluorocarbons from systems installed after 30 June 2008: 1% per year for systems containing more than 100 kg of refrigerant and 3% for systems with less than 10 kg of HFCs. Requirements for older systems will be slightly less stringent. The German initiative will impede the use of HFC refrigerants substantially, making natural alternatives, such as CO2, a preferred option.
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Heat Pumps: A preferred option for sustainable heating
The law on heating through renewable energy ("Erneuerbare-Energien-Wärmegesetz") specifies that by 2020 14% of all heating have to come from renewable energies. Besides the obligation to use renewables in new buildings, the law will support new heating solutions, such as heat pumps, with up to €500 million from 2009 on. Despite higher initial investments, the Environment Ministry estimates that the use of heat pump will save the consumer up to 189 euro of annual energy costs. However, the law requires a minimum COP of 3.3 for electrically-driven air-water heat pumps, and a COP of 4.0 for water-water heat pumps.
Vehicle emissions: CO2-based tax & fuel consumption labeling
By May 2008, the government will issue a 2nd climate and energy package with seven additional initiatives. A key element will be a CO2 tax that will replace the current vehicle tax based on engine capacity. Tax breaks for vehicles emitting less than 100 g CO2 /km are considered.
To accelerate the sales of fuel-efficient vehicles, the German cabinet will also introduce mandatory emissions and fuel consumption labeling on all new cars. A national directive will enter into force in August 2008, aligned with the EU Labeling Directive that is currently under revision. Both amendments will spotlight the use of energy-efficient Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC), which can consume over 20% of extra fuel.
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More information:
 Background Paper Climate & Energy Programme (DE - 173 KB)
F-Gases Regulation - Chemikalien-Klimaschutzverordnung (DE - 179 KB)
F-Gases Regulation - Chemikalien-Klimaschutzverordnung - Rationale (DE 188 KB)
Renewable Heating - Erneuerbare-Energien-Wärmegesetz (DE - 114 KB)
› More about the F-Gases Regulation in our Policies Section
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