The Energy Committee of the Flemish Parliament approved a proposal for a decree last June. Wanting to accelerate the gradual abandonment of natural gas, it is a question of establishing a ban on natural gas connections from 2025. It is in this context that the deputy Christine Mauel, from the German-speaking community, questioned the Minister of Philippe Henry Energy (Eco).
The minister does not beat around the bush. “If this measure can be duplicated in Wallonia, the question deserves to be asked. The climate emergency and the urgency linked to the energy crisis require us to lay sounder foundations for the heating of the future. The question has already arisen in the disaster areas when it came to rebuilding the natural gas network devastated by the floods. Even if there, urgency and pragmatism prevailed. But, in the medium term, it is necessary to be able to act on issues related to heating and their dependence on fossil fuels. »
Credible alternatives
He adds: “In my opinion, we must indeed consider a timetable for the gradual banning of installations, but taking great care to develop credible alternatives for our fellow citizens. »
The reality on the ground remains. MP Christine Mauel says she is worried. “Yes, we have to prepare for this smooth transition. But the “credible alternatives” for our fellow citizens are currently financially inaccessible. For example, for a pellet stove, the entry-level models are 1000 euros. And not to mention the price of pellets! I am aware that we are in a puzzle, however, if we do not offer more substantial bonuses now, for the installation of heating solutions that do not use fossil fuels in private homes, this ban cannot take place. »
The Minister is well aware of this. “Not everyone has the ability to physically install heat pumps in their homes or store pellets. And the integration of district heating networks into urban planning has only recently regained interest. Interest that it will be necessary to concretize, ”he asks.