Old boiler ban now in force in Czechia –can people still get subsidies?
September 1st saw the culmination of a 10-year-long government program aimed at helping households to replace old heating appliances with more modern ones. As of Sept 1, there is a ban on using first and second-class emission boilers, with heavy fines for non-compliance.
In the course of the past 10 years, the government has handed out generous subsidies for the replacement of thousands of old boilers, which massively contributed to air pollution in towns and cities.
The aim was to facilitate the replacement of first and second-class emissions boilers ahead of a ban on their use from September 1, 2024.
Low-income households could file for a CZK 180,000 subsidy to help cover the cost of a new low-emissions boiler or a CZK 130,000 subsidy for a biomass boiler.
Over 130,000 families made use of the offer, drawing on subsidies which in total cost the state more than 15 billion crowns. Another 62 thousand families filed for subsidies for the purchase of heat pumps.
According to the latest estimates, there are still around 150,000 old boilers in the first and second-class emissions category or even older ones in Czech households. According to the environment ministry, many of them may no longer be in use. In any case, from Sunday people are no longer allowed to use them. Director of the State Environmental Fund Petr Valdman says breaking the ban could result in a stiff fine:
“Anyone operating a high-emissions boiler from September will be breaking the law. That could result in a fine of up to CZK 50 000, which can be imposed repeatedly. However, initial enforcement will focus on encouraging compliance rather than issuing fines. People who haven’t met the deadline will still get some state support and we believe that the vast majority of households will eventually take advantage of it.”
The state subsidies available after September 1, will be somewhat less generous. For low-income households, the subsidy for the purchase of a heat pump, for example, will be reduced to CZK 150 000, down from CZK 180,000 pre-September. The subsidy for a biomass boiler will be reduced to CZK 110 000, down from the previous CZK 130 000.
For regular income households state support will be reduced to CZK 130,000 for a heat pump and CZK 90,000 for a biomass boiler.
According to Mr. Valdman, adherence to the ban can be checked by officials from the municipalities with extended powers. Since 2016, every boiler is use has to undergo an inspection every three years and the given emissions category will be listed in the inspection report.
According to environmental experts the ban on old boilers is a big step in addressing the problem of air-pollution which has plagued the country for decades and they expect to see a positive impact on the environment very soon.
