The EU has made a decision to make gas furnaces a mandatory replacement.

• The European Union does not impose an obligation to dismantle gas furnaces, and until 2029 their installation will be possible under the current rules.
• From 2030, in new or thoroughly thermally modernized buildings, gas furnaces will only be able to operate in conjunction with renewable energy sources.
• Boilers powered by renewable fuels, such as biomethane or hydrogen, will not be subject to any restrictions.

The European Union has no plans to introduce mandatory gas boiler removal. Those with boilers need not fear sudden changes. Importantly, until 2029, installation of standalone gas boilers will be possible under the current rules, with modifications only affecting the subsidy system.

A key change will come into effect in 2030. What exactly will it involve?

• In new buildings and in buildings after full thermal modernisation, gas furnaces can still be installed, but in combination with renewable energy sources (e.g. with a heat pump, solar collectors, PV, etc.);
• in existing buildings after 2030, the replacement and repair of equipment will take place without restrictions and as before - unless the building has undergone deep thermal modernisation.

What is very important - gas boilers powered by renewable energy sources, such as biomethane or hydrogen, will not be subject to any restrictions, even after 2030.

We know what will happen with the ban on gas stoves

Regulations have recently been introduced that will shape the future of gas boilers. As reported by the Polish LPG Association, on June 30, the European Commission published long-awaited guidelines for member states, clarifying the meaning of the terms "fossil fuel boilers" and "zero emission buildings" (ZEB) in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).

According to the Commission's guidelines:

• it is the fuel used in the boiler that determines whether the boiler will be considered a fossil fuel fired furnace or not - not the heating technology itself,
• the phase-out of fossil fuels can be achieved by replacing the device (boiler) with another one - such as a heat pump or solar collector - or by replacing the fossil fuel with a renewable one (such as biomethane or biopropane) or by a combination of these solutions,
• The European Commission indicates that fossil fuels should be phased out from heating by 2040 and this is the assumption that Member States should follow, although the EPBD does not provide for sanctions in this matter.

According to the Commission's guidelines on zero-emission buildings:

• boilers powered by bioenergy (biogas, biomass and bioliquids) will be considered powered by renewable energy sources when the combustion of renewable fuels takes place on-site, i.e. they will be able to be installed in zero-emission buildings after 2030,
• Bioenergy produced outside the building boundary will be considered as "remote energy" and not directly considered as renewable energy from on-site or nearby sources for the purposes of zero-emission building calculations.
• A zero-emission building will therefore be able to use gas boilers powered by renewable gases, although this will reduce its energy performance.

The Polish LPG Organisation emphasises that "remote energy" is not a concept defined in EU law, "hence it will raise understandable controversy during the transposition of the EPBD directive".