Is the end of gas heating already decided? Homeowners need to know these dates

For many years, replacing old coal furnaces with gas boilers was one of the most frequently chosen methods of heating modernization. Natural gas was considered a more convenient and less burdensome solution than coal, and at the same time it was perceived as more environmentally friendly. Today, however, the direction of changes set by the European Union puts the future of this fuel in doubt.

The EU’s climate policy assumes a gradual reduction in the use of fossil fuels in buildings. This also applies to natural gas. The goal is to further reduce carbon dioxide emissions and achieve climate neutrality in the coming decades.

End of gas heating. Gas loses its status as a transition fuel

Although gas boilers emit less pollutants than coal furnaces, they are still responsible for CO₂ emissions. It is this argument that is at the heart of EU activities related to climate policy. The Fit for 55 package assumes reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union by at least 55%. by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

The next stage is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. To this end, a revised Directive on the energy performance of buildings was adopted, which sets the course for changes for property owners across Europe.

The end of gas heating means new restrictions

From 2025, there is a ban on public support for individual installations based solely on fossil fuels. In practice, this means ending public subsidies for self-contained gas boilers.

Until recently, replacing a coal furnace with a gas one was a popular solution in the “Clean Air” program. Currently, support may mainly cover hybrid systems in which renewable energy sources perform the basic function and gas is only a supplementary source.

What will replace gas heating?

According to the assumptions of the Building Directive, from 2030 all new buildings in the European Union are to meet the zero-emission standard. This means moving away from fossil fuels as the primary source of heating and hot water preparation.

Heat pumps are most often considered to be the solutions of the future, especially in combination with photovoltaic installations. The European Union assumes the installation of approximately 20 million heat pumps by 2026 and nearly 60 million by 2030. However, in Poland, the development of such technologies is still limited by high investment costs.

Subsidies and discounts under new rules

The Clean Air program, operating since 2018, remains one of the largest projects supporting the energy modernization of buildings. After the program was resumed in 2025, additional security measures and a mandatory energy audit were introduced.

From 2025, gas and oil boilers are no longer the preferred direction of support. Greater emphasis was placed on, among others, for energy storage and solutions using renewable energy sources. There is also still a thermal modernization relief, the limit of which is PLN 53,000. PLN per person and 106 thousand PLN for married couples.