2023-05-28 16:05:53
Nearly 12 million French households equipped with gas will they eventually have to change their installation? This is what professionals fear following the presentation on May 22, by the government, of the plan to reduce CO2 emissions, aimed at doubling efforts by 2030.
The plan provides for the gradual disappearance of gas boilers, as is already planned for fuel oil. Clearly, those that break down and cannot be repaired could no longer be replaced, with some exceptions. Since January 2022, it is forbidden to install a gas heater in a new detached house.
Between 300,000 and 400,000 new boilers are installed each year in France. In total, gas is present in one out of two apartments and one out of three houses.
The measure could apply from 2026
For now, nothing is clear. But during her meeting with business leaders on May 23 as part of the social agenda, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne mentioned the date of 2026 in an extremely vague way as “possible and potentially desirable deadline”.
This objective immediately provoked the anger of the entire sector, which denounced both a ” fake good idea ” and one “ lack of consultation “, according to Coénove, the association representing manufacturers and installers of boilers. Its president, Jean-Charles Colas-Roy, explains that he was flabbergasted at the announcement of the government measures and says to himself today ” surprised, disappointed and worried ».
LREM deputy under the previous legislature, he knows the mysteries of political communication well. ” A few days before, Olivier Klein, the Minister of Housing explained to the National Assembly that there would be no ban on gas boilers. And all the answers that were given to the written questions of the parliamentarians went in this direction “, he assures.
Uncertainties about the capacity of the electricity network to support new customers
The government has thus requested an impact study from RTE, the manager of the electricity network, on the effects of a reduction in gas in the residential sector, but the conclusions of the latter are slow. ” For the moment, the first analyzes show that it is very complicated to implement quickly, except to import even more electricity at the peak, which would lead to the desired opposite effect. “says one of the actors in the case.
Professionals highlight the absence of real alternative solutions, particularly in rural areas. ” In 15,000 municipalities, which are not connected to the natural gas network, there are twice as many homes heated with fossil fuels, fuel oil, butane and propane, than with electricity”, recalls Audrey Galland, the general delegate of France liquid gases, which brings together butane and propane specialists. Around 3 million households have an oil boiler. For butane and propane, 650,000 households heat themselves with it, but 10 million use it for cooking.
« Gradually banning gas boilers amounts to accentuating social and territorial inequalities, because not everyone will be able to afford a heat pump which costs on average €10,000 more than a new high-performance gas boiler, which emits 30% less CO compared to the old ones. As a result, the most modest will turn to poor quality electric heaters and see their bills explode.prognosticates the president of Coénove.
Last year, sales of gas and oil-fired boilers fell by 30%, while the heat pump fleet rose by 30%, boosted by public subsidies.
Many exemptions already exist
The gas sector is not lacking in arguments, in particular emphasizing the efforts made to develop biomethane. It also recalls that their boilers are mainly manufactured in Europe, while a large majority of heat pump components come from Asia.
« In many rural municipalities, the electricity network cannot support the development of heat pumps. This is the reason why, behind the announcements that had been made of the disappearance of fuel oil, the public authorities have provided for exemptions to maintain it in certain places. “, underlines Frédéric Plan, the general delegate of the French Federation of fuels, fuels and heating (FF3C).
Craftsmen are also stepping up. “We cannot say that in 2026, we will eliminate the gas boiler and train 200,000 heating engineers in the heat pump. This schedule is unsustainable., says Jean-Christophe Repon, the president of the Confederation of crafts and small building companies (Capeb). Meetings between professionals and the government are scheduled for June to move forward on this thorny issue.
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