#BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 348Law on Accelerating the Expansion of Geothermal Plants, Heat Pumps and Thermal Storage Facilities and Amending Further Legal Frameworks for the Climate-Neutral Expansion of Heat Supply, as well as Amending the Building Code and the Federal Immission Control Act
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This German federal law, enacted on 22 December 2025 and published as BGBl. I Nr. 348, aims to significantly accelerate the deployment of geothermal energy systems, heat pumps, and thermal energy storage as part of Germany's transition to climate-neutral heating. It introduces amendments to multiple statutes including the Building Code (BauGB) and the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and speed up permitting procedures. The legislation is led by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and modifies several legal areas such as energy supply, water management, environmental protection, and mining law. Key goals include simplifying approval processes for shallow and deep geothermal projects, facilitating the installation of heat pumps in existing and new buildings, and promoting the expansion of district heating networks with renewable sources.
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Key Changes
- Simplification and acceleration of permitting procedures for geothermal plants (shallow and deep)
- Amendments to the Building Code (BauGB) to facilitate installation of heat pumps and related infrastructure
- Changes to the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) to reduce regulatory barriers for renewable heating systems
+ 3 more changes with Pro
Obligations
What this law requires
Accelerate and simplify approval processes for shallow geothermal projects through expedited permitting procedures under amended Building Code (BauGB)
Streamline permitting for deep geothermal energy installations by reducing bureaucratic requirements under amended legal frameworks
Facilitate heat pump installation in existing and new buildings by reducing regulatory barriers and approval timelines
Enable expansion of district heating networks with renewable energy sources by amending relevant permitting and approval procedures
Modify Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) procedures to reduce environmental assessment requirements for eligible geothermal and heat pump projects