Recent changes to the MaPrimeRénov’ aid program will significantly reduce financial support for wood heating systems by around 30%, affecting all equipment types from January 1, 2025. This follows a previous cut in April 2024, leading to a 50% overall reduction in just one year. While lower-income households face the brunt of these cuts, enhanced energy savings certificates may offer some compensation. The government aims to balance budget constraints while supporting affordable, eco-friendly energy sources.
Significant Changes to MaPrimeRénov’ Aid for Wood Heating Systems
On December 4, prior to being censored by the National Assembly, the government led by Michel Barnier released a decree outlining the new MaPrimeRénov’ rates for 2025. Households looking to install wood heating systems will see a notable reduction in public aid for energy renovations. This decrease will affect all types of equipment, including inserts, stoves, and boilers, whether they utilize logs or wood pellets, with an approximate reduction of 30%. The new regulations will apply to applications submitted from January 1, 2025, while those submitted by December 31, 2024, will still benefit from the more generous current aid structure.
Impact of Budgetary Cuts on Households
This isn’t the first time financial support for wood heating has been reduced. Earlier, on April 1, 2024, the then Minister of Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, initiated a similar 30% cut. Consequently, by January 1, 2025, the total aid for wood heating under MaPrimeRénov’ will have decreased by half within a single year. Audrey Zermati, a spokesperson for Effy, an energy renovation company, explains that this trend is largely due to budget constraints, as wood systems are seen as the initial step in the renovation process, preceding heat pumps.
According to the latest data from the National Agency for Housing (Anah), approximately 78,000 wood stoves were financed in the third quarter of 2024, compared to 51,000 heat pumps. Notably, biomass systems account for 27% of heating system upgrades, contributing significantly to the aid categorized as “gesture” renovations. Zermati emphasizes the rationale: “Wood, being the most affordable heating source, has been recognized as a cost-effective solution for reducing electricity expenses.”
In a bid to optimize state expenditures, the government has targeted the most costly subsidies. As illustrated in relevant data, lower-income households aiming to purchase a pellet boiler are among the first affected by this reduction, with the MaPrimeRénov’ grant dropping from 7,000 euros to 5,000 euros (-28.6%). Given that such equipment can range between 15,000 and 20,000 euros, this reduction is significant, as noted by Zermati.
Fortunately, the energy renovation sector compensates for this subsidy cut through enhanced energy savings certificates (CEE) offered via the “heating boost” initiative. For the same boiler, Effy provides CEEs amounting to 4,450 euros, leading to a total aid of 9,450 euros. Interestingly, wealthier households are less impacted by these cuts, as evidenced by the modest reduction in the subsidy for fireplace insert installation, which will decrease from 600 to 500 euros on January 1, representing a mere 100 euro loss.
Despite these budgetary adjustments, Valérie Létard, the resigning Minister of Housing, describes the changes as “balanced.” She notes, “While a 50% cut was initially planned, we took the wood sector’s input into account. It’s not an ideal solution, but it represents the state’s commitment to promoting an affordable, non-CO2 emitting energy source that helps improve household purchasing power.”
Households aiming for comprehensive support, particularly for wood heating systems, can still explore “accompanied” renovations. This generous coverage will primarily be reduced for higher-income households, allowing lower-income families in less efficient homes to potentially receive up to 90% coverage for their renovation costs before taxes. “We advocated for this stability,” says Effy. “In the third quarter, we recorded as many significant renovations as in the previous two quarters. We are optimistic that upcoming budgetary decisions at the start of next year will maintain this positive trend.”