Germany published a fossil fuel roadmap on September 23, 2026. The roadmap sets out how Germany will stop using fossil fuels by 2045.
The fossil fuel roadmap covers coal power, home heating, and electric vehicles. Homeowners face the clearest new rules from 2029.
Germany’s Fossil Fuel Roadmap Aims to Cut a €76 Billion Import Bill
Environment Minister Carsten Schneider unveiled the fossil fuel roadmap at the UN General Assembly in New York. He framed it as economic as much as environmental.
Germany spent roughly €76 billion importing fossil fuels in 2024. Two-thirds of that went toward oil and petroleum products.
Cutting Germany’s fossil fuel import bill was central to the announcement. So was reducing dependence on unstable supply chains.
Climate campaigners welcomed the fossil fuel roadmap but pushed back on its pace. They want faster timelines and stricter limits on new fossil fuel financing.
Germany Keeps Its 2038 Coal Exit and Targets 80% Renewable Electricity by 2030
Germany’s coal exit is still set for 2038 by law. The fossil fuel roadmap doesn’t change the 2038 deadline, but the government is now exploring whether to move the coal exit up to 2035.
Find Out How Much Coal Germany Consumes ->
Renewables supplied about 55% of Germany’s electricity in 2025. The fossil fuel roadmap targets at least 80% renewable electricity by 2030.
Reaching 80% renewable electricity means installing around 2,000 more wind turbines. Germany’s battery storage capacity will also expand.
New Gas and Oil Heating Systems Need Climate-Neutral Fuel From 2029
Starting in 2029, new gas or oil heating systems must use a rising share of climate-neutral fuel. The climate-neutral fuel share reaches 60% by 2040.
Fuel suppliers must switch entirely to climate-neutral heating fuels by 2045.
The 2029 blending rule builds on Germany’s existing Buildings Energy Act (Gebäudeenergiegesetz, or GEG). Heat pumps are meant to replace gas and oil boilers over time.
Government subsidies support the switch to heat pumps.
Germany Sets €2.8 Billion for EV Subsidies but No Binding Deadline for Industry
The German government is putting €2.8 billion toward electric vehicle (EV) subsidies. The EV subsidies target lower- and middle-income households.
The fossil fuel roadmap projects that every new car sold in Germany will be electric by 2035. Freight, shipping, and aviation move more slowly toward electric power, biofuels, and hydrogen.
Manufacturers face four types of required changes under the fossil fuel roadmap:
- Electrification
- Hydrogen adoption
- Efficiency upgrades
- Carbon capture for hard-to-cut emissions
No binding industry-wide deadline exists yet beyond the 2045 target.
NOTE: Germany’s fossil fuel roadmap is a strategy document, not a law. The exact 2029 blending rule still needs separate legislation.
