In 82 cities, new gas heating systems will be phased out starting mid-2026.
Starting from mid-2026, the installation of new gas heating systems will not be allowed in 82 major German cities with populations over 100,000. According to the new rules, any new heating systems must rely on at least 65 percent renewable energy sources. This measure is part of Germany's energy transition, in response to European Union requirements to phase out fossil fuel-based heating systems.
Since January 2025, the state has stopped providing financial support for heating systems that operate entirely on fossil fuels. German Environment Minister Karsten Schneider confirmed that future heating systems must comply with strict renewable energy standards, aiming to reduce emissions and promote the transition to climate-friendly energy sources in the electricity and heating sectors.
These rules fall under the Building Energy Act (Gebäudeenergiegesetz – GEG), which has sparked widespread political controversy in the country. Although the ruling coalition has announced its intention to introduce reforms to the law by February, the details of these amendments remain unclear. However, it is certain that the new rules will be applied to major cities earlier than to smaller towns.
Since 2024, the installation of heating systems that rely entirely on fossil fuels in new residential buildings within urban development areas is prohibited. Existing buildings or undeveloped land benefit from longer transitional periods extending until mid-2028. In contrast, cities with populations over 100,000 must comply with the 65 percent renewable energy rule by June 30, 2026, immediately after completing municipal heating plans.
The affected cities include major urban centers such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen, Leipzig, Bremen, Hannover, Nuremberg, Duisburg, Bochum, Bonn, Münster, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Wiesbaden, Augsburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Aachen, Kiel, Lübeck, Potsdam, Saarbrücken, Regensburg, Ulm, Würzburg, Wolfsburg, Wuppertal, along with dozens of other cities, bringing the total number to 82 cities across Germany.
Municipal thermal planning (kommunale Wärmeplanung) is a key element of this reform. Cities with populations over 100,000 are required to submit their plans by mid-2026, while smaller towns and cities have until 2028. These plans aim to clarify how to make local heating supplies climate-neutral and identify suitable renewable energy sources for each area.
Proposed solutions include central heating networks (Fernwärme), hydrogen lines, biogas infrastructure, as well as large heat pumps serving entire residential buildings or neighborhoods. After these plans are completed, property owners, investors, and builders will receive clear maps showing the available heating options at their locations.
According to the German Energy Agency, 4,824 municipalities out of 10,754 had already begun preparing heating plans by the end of October 2025. However, only 743 municipalities have finalized their plans, reflecting the scale of the remaining challenge before the full implementation of the new heating regulations.