Germany published its fossil fuel roadmap on September 23, 2026. The roadmap lays out how Germany plans to stop using fossil fuels by 2045.
The fossil fuel roadmap covers coal power, home heating, and electric vehicles. If you own a home in Germany, pay the most attention to the new heating rules starting in 2029.
Germany’s Fossil Fuel Roadmap Aims to Cut a €76 Billion Import Bill
Environment Minister Carsten Schneider presented the fossil fuel roadmap at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York. Schneider described the roadmap as an economic plan as much as an environmental one.
Germany spent roughly €76 billion importing fossil fuels in 2024. Two-thirds of that import bill went to oil and petroleum products.
Cutting Germany’s fossil fuel import bill was central to the announcement. So was relying less on unstable supply chains.
Climate campaigners welcomed the fossil fuel roadmap but think it moves too slowly. 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 fossil fuel roadmap targets a 60% climate-neutral fuel share from 2040.
The fossil fuel roadmap also aims for fuel suppliers to 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. The German government is also supporting the switch to heat pumps with subsidies.
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 are aimed at lower- and middle-income households.
If you’re planning to buy an electric car, check whether your household qualifies for the EV subsidies.
The fossil fuel roadmap expects every new car sold in Germany to be electric by 2035. Freight, shipping, and aviation will take longer to switch to electric power, biofuels, and hydrogen.
German manufacturers have four main ways to cut emissions under the fossil fuel roadmap:
- Switching machines and processes to electricity
- Using hydrogen
- Upgrading energy efficiency
- Capturing carbon for emissions that are hard to cut any other way
German industry has no legally binding deadline yet other than 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.
