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Boilers will no longer be able to be incentivized if at least 51% of renewable fuels, such as biogas, do not arrive through the network. A rule that will come into effect from January 1st 2025. This is the very harsh indication contained in the first draft guideline, prepared by the technicians of the European Commission in implementation of the Green Homes Directive, which in recent days has been presented, in some meetings, to the operators of the sector and which «Il Sole 24 Ore» is able to anticipate. A very harsh text, because it gives the most restrictive interpretation possible to the EPBD rules.
The directive, approved last March by the European Parliament and then approved by the member countries, establishes that from January 1, 2025, financial incentives will no longer be permitted for the installation of boilers powered by fossil fuels. However, this is a definition open to interpretation. So the technicians of the European Commission are developing guidelines that explain the meaning of those words. These are – it must be underlined – indications that do not bind the member countries like a directive but which, certainly, give a precise direction on the direction of Brussels’ policies.
The two significant passages
A draft guideline was presented to operators in recent days. And it contains at least two very significant passages for Italy. The first explains what financial incentives are, specifying that these must be understood broadly as any form of economic support provided by a public entity: therefore, contributions for those who purchase, but also for installers, and, obviously, tax breaks. Whatever form these bonuses take, in short, they will be hit by the ax of the directive.
The boiler powered by fossil fuels
Next to this, the Commission’s guideline explains what a boiler powered by fossil fuels is. Specifying, above all, that “the fact that a gas boiler is considered to be powered by fossil fuels depends on the mix of fuels present in the network at the time of installation”. We therefore do not look to the future. On this it must be underlined that the world of producers had proposed that the incentives remain alive for appliances authorized to operate with green gases, regardless of the fuel actually used.
For the Commission, however, this is not enough: «Where – the guidelines still say – the local network mainly transports natural gas, the installation of boilers will not be encouraged. Where, however, the local network mainly transports renewable fuels, the installation of boilers can receive financial incentives.” That is, at least 51% renewable fuel, such as biomethane, must physically arrive in the apartment where the boiler is installed to obtain the tax bonuses.
Such a requirement, in our country, would mean canceling discounts for boilers. At the moment, in fact, looking at the volume of gas transported by the Italian network, biomethane is a truly minimal share. The long-term goal is to reach a share of 10%, however very far from the 51% requested by Brussels. Not to mention that biomethane, in the future, will be used for industrial uses, rather than in the residential sector. In short, the goals set by Brussels are difficult to reach, today and in the near future.
These indications, if confirmed by the final version of the guidelines (discussions will continue in the coming weeks), represent an important mortgage for the work that the Italian Government will have to do on the reform of housing bonuses. In fact, at the end of 2024, a large part of the incentives dedicated to construction will expire, starting with the ecobonus for boilers.
