Oil heating is making an unexpected comeback in the Swiss canton of Basel-Landschaft, reported SRF.
Under a revised cantonal energy law that came into force in October 2024, new buildings must be equipped with low-emission heating systems. From January 2026, the same rule will apply to replacements in existing buildings, provided the system is more than 15 years old.
Cantonal legislators are making oil heating, one of the most polluting heating systems, illegal. But ahead of the legal deadline, home owners are rushing to install such systems.
Installers in the region report a flood of last-minute orders. We receive around 100 inquiries a month, but can only fulfil 20, said one local heating firm.
Some home owners are are driven by economics. Replacing an old oil heater is cheaper than installing an electric heat pump. Others are driven by a desire to have energy autonomy. A large tank full of heating oil protects against power outages. It also allows home owners to stock up with several years of oil when prices are low and to avoid being exposed to the vagaries of annual shifts in the price of electricity.
However, these new oil heaters will not last forever. And when they stop working it will not be possible to replace them.
More on this:
SRF article (in German)
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