The supply will not be enough for the demand
From the beginning of September 2024, the ban on the operation of old solid fuel boilers of the 1st and 2nd emission classes will come into force. Even though the ban is practically over, the old equipment is still used by one hundred and fifty thousand households in the Czech Republic. However, the lack of activity of owners of old boilers is not the only problem. At the same time, there is a risk that the supply of new boilers will not be enough to meet the demand, which will probably increase sharply even shortly before the ban itself.
Although there is not much time left, recently there has been no major interest in buying new heating equipment. On the contrary, sales of boilers and heat pumps are lower than during the pandemic. And this does not only apply to the Czech Republic, but also to, for example, Germany or Austria.
However, manufacturers and heating engineers warn against last-minute installation. It is likely that the replacement may not be done in time for such a large number of households.
People expect another postponement of the ban
Most likely, people are still counting on the fact that the ban will be postponed again, as it happened once before. Originally, the ban was supposed to come into effect on September 1, 2022. However, it was postponed by two years due to the complex situation in the field of energy.
However, the Ministry of the Environment speaks very clearly. The deadline is final and there will be no further shift. It is really not worthwhile for citizens to expect further delays or the fact that the ban will not be enforced in practice.
You can see how much modern boilers that fall into the permitted emission classes cost, for example, here.
Don’t you have a new boiler? A hefty fine awaits you
If you do not surrender the old boiler after the deadline of September 1, 2024, you may be fined 50,000 crowns. In addition, one household can receive this repeatedly, so the strategy is not worth it: I will pay the fine once instead of purchasing a new, more expensive boiler.
In addition, a boiler of the first or second emission class can hardly be hidden. He is convinced by the strong smell and dark smoke rising from the chimney. Therefore, the surrounding neighbors will immediately know if you have already replaced the old boiler with a newer device.
Do you want to pay for half of the boiler or the whole?
In addition, low-income households can still purchase new equipment through subsidies. The boiler subsidy is aimed at low-income households that have a problem with any participation in costs. It thus provides up to 95% of the acquisition costs not only for new heating equipment, but also for rebuilding the boiler room or, for example, project documentation. For boiler replacements of the 1st and 2nd emission class, the Nová zelená program also contributes to savings, with which it is possible to replace older heaters with a new biomass boiler (ie wood, briquettes or pellets), or a heat pump.
You can compare the prices of heat pumps on the Czech market here.
Wood boilers and wood fuels are a possible replacement for the old coal boilers, which will soon be banned. These are the cheapest fuels used to heat over a million people in the Czech Republic. The advantage is mainly their availability and price. The price of pellets is also stably low, at around 8 CZK/kg.
You can see the current prices of pellet boilers here.
However, despite subsidies, many households cannot afford a new boiler. In addition, the costs must first be paid from your own resources and you will only receive the money later.
It’s not like school. Five is the best
In total, we distinguish five emission classes of boilers. The evaluation of boilers is based on the valid standard ČSN EN 3035:2012, which determines the inclusion of the boiler in the relevant class. Boilers of the fifth class show the highest efficiency and the least pollution. For boilers of the 1st emission class, it is exactly the opposite. Therefore, boilers of the 1st and 2nd emission classes are considered to be extremely non-ecological, and they will be banned from September 1, 2024.
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