three questions about the possible ban on new gas boilers

The government announced on Monday June 5 to launch a consultation until July 28 with elected officials and professionals. He plans to ban the installation of new gas boilers, without giving further details. The executive wants to save more than eight million tonnes of CO2 per year with the decline of gas or oil boilers.

>> Towards a ban on new gas boilers: “Stigmatizing gas is not positive for France”, reacts the president of the craftsmen of Capeb

1Which heating method pollutes the most?

Oil heating is the most polluting. It emits nearly 400 grams of CO2 equivalent for 1 kWh of heating. It is forbidden to install new oil-fired boilers, but they still equip three million homes. Gas boilers are in second position with the emission of 240 grams of CO2 for 1 kWh of heating. The flame burns gas and this combustion emits CO2, which exits through the exhaust duct from which water vapor also escapes.

Gas heating is the most popular in France. More than 12 million homes are equipped with it and this represents 10% of the greenhouse gas emitted on our territory according to the Ministry of Ecological Transition.

2Should all homes with gas boilers switch to heat pumps, deemed to be more environmentally friendly?

The answer is not so obvious in view of the benefit for the climate. Heat pumps use outside air to heat the interior and they work with a little electricity. In France, this electricity is rather decarbonated for the moment. Despite everything, if these millions of households all switch to heat pumps, it will be necessary to increase electricity production and this involves a risk, that of using gas power plants according to Ademe, the ecological transition agency .

3 Do gas power plants pollute a lot?

According to Ademe, it is better to burn gas at home in your boiler because it pollutes less than to operate thermal power stations to produce electricity. In a home, almost all the gas burned is used for heating, there is little loss of energy. When electricity is produced with gas-fired power stations, a large quantity of this energy is lost to nature between the various operations, in particular during the transport of electricity.

>> Energy: France has never consumed so much gas to produce its electricity

Ademe therefore remains cautious about the massive use of heat pumps because of this problem of electricity production. There is another point of vigilance: heat pumps contain liquid refrigerant gases which are very bad for the climate if they escape, so you have to be very careful when servicing them. Rather than changing its gas heating, Ademe recommends above all to insulate and renovate buildings.