In light of the European Union’s ‘Green Deal’ climate targets, ISH digital has announced it will host leading manufacturers of heating technologies, solutions and systems that can make a major contribution to the achievement of these climate targets. In parallel to this, the ISH Technology and Energy Forum will provide comprehensive information on the current political framework and conditions for the heating market.
The EU wants, by 2030, to have reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent compared with 1990 levels. Before the introduction of the Green Deal, the target was a 40 percent reduction. This tightening of targets also has far-reaching consequences for the largest energy consumer in both Germany and Europe – the heating sector. So, in Germany alone, annual savings of 72 million tonnes of CO2 will need to be achieved by 2030.
The President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced the Green Deal on 11 December 2019. At the heart of the programme lie two main targets. Firstly, the EU is to become climate neutral by 2050. Secondly: the EU is to bring its greenhouse gas emissions down to 60 percent less than the 1990 levels. For these ambitious targets to be achievable, all sectors of the economy will have to make an active contribution. “We welcome the fact that the EU is driving forward with climate protection so consistently,” says Uwe Glock, President of the Federation of the German Heating Industry (BDH). “The heating industry is ‘green deal ready’ and can make a significant contribution to the reduction of CO2 in the building and real-estate sectors.”
Green Deal in buildings: different energy mix required
The BDH has calculated that it is, indeed, technically possible to implement the Green Deal in the building and real-estate sectors. The strategy for reaching the goals is based on three cornerstones. The use of modern heating technology has a central role to play. In Germany alone, more than one in two heating systems is technically out of date and uses more energy than is necessary. The same is true for existing installations throughout Europe. What is needed here, then, is to significantly increase the rate of modernisation, to the point where it doubles in speed.
The heating industry offers an extensive portfolio of products for this. Alongside condensing boiler technology, which, in the case of gas-fired versions, can already handle an admixture of hydrogen (‘H2 ready’), there are heat pumps, CHP units and fuel-cell heating, wood-burning boilers and hybrid systems, available for use in both new and existing buildings.
As well as modernising the heating installations themselves, further CO2 savings can be achieved through upgrades to the building envelope, such as improving the insulation.
A third key element involves a change in the heating market’s energy mix, which will be needed to further reduce CO2 levels. And there are, indeed, green perspectives for the two main fuels – natural gas and heating oil – in particular. Large amounts of CO2 can be saved by using ‘green gases’ – biomethane or hydrogen, for instance. Using a ‘power-to-gas’ process, excess green electricity can be used to generate natural gas. By using progressive forms of organic or synthetic fuels based on the principle of ‘power-to-X’, oil heating systems, too, can look forward to a climate-neutral future. Added to this is the use of CO2-neutral energy from wood, and electricity from renewable sources.
Attractive supplementary programme including Technology and Energy Forum
In the supplementary programme at ISH digital 2021, the BDH will, with its partner associations, again be organising the Technology and Energy Forum. This is all about current political framework conditions in the heating market and ways in which the ambitious climate targets can be turned into a reality in the building and real-estate sectors. Under the heading ‘Green Deal Ready’, participants will be able to learn all about the current state of the art in modern heating technology. In addition, the future of the different fuels on the heating market will have a major part to play on the journey to climate neutrality. The multimedia special show will be accompanied by live events with distinguished representatives from the worlds of politics and industry and the professional associations, together with extensive background information on the partner associations.
ISH Digital will be held from 22 to 26 March 2021. Detailed information about the event can be found at: www.ish.messefrankfurt.com.
