Better Without Boilers, a new data hub for fossil-free homes

Today, a group of civil society organisations launched a new website - packed with fresh data and policy information - to highlight the urgent need for a shift from oil and gas boilers in homes to renewable heating such as heat pumps.

6 December 2022

Heating in buildings accounts for more than one-third of the EU’s gas use because most homes are heated with boilers. A switch to heat pumps, powered by local, renewable energy, would benefit households’ budgets, the climate, air quality and Europe’s energy security.

The “Better Without Boilers” website shows new data and tracks progress at the EU level and in EU countries on the transition away from fossil fuel boilers. Specifically, the website:

Ranks EU countries based on stock and sales of boilers and heat pumps.
Show the impact of boilers phase out on gas demand and imports.
Tracks national bans on fossil fuel heating and countries providing public subsidies for boilers.
Highlights the key EU climate and energy laws, currently under negotiations, that can accelerate the transition to fossil-free homes.
Explains the benefits of boiler-free homes.

Marco Grippa, Programme Manager, Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS) said: “Switching to climate-friendly and renewable-powered heating would help citizens afford to stay warm, slash carbon emissions and break our ties with volatile gas imports. The EU must step up to make this happen by setting a ban on new fossil fuel boilers from 2025 to allow the uptake of heat pumps, and other efficient and renewable heating technologies. At the same time, EU regulation for buildings should incentivise replacing end-of-life gas boilers with renewable systems”

Davide Sabbadin, Deputy Policy Manager for Climate, European Environmental Bureau (EEB) said: “It is time to leave polluting, expensive fossil fuel boilers behind. We have the technology to move away from boilers, only held back by political and financial barriers. The EU now has the opportunity to step-in and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuel boilers. Instead of using taxpayers’ money to finance polluting oil and gas boilers, politicians must reallocate financial resources to ensure that renewable heating systems are affordable for all – a win-win-win measure for climate, society, and EU’s energy independence.”