The European Commission’s proposed stricter emission and technical standards for biomass boilers and stoves have sparked strong opposition from Czech manufacturers, who warn that the regulations could eliminate up to 90 percent of existing products from the market and significantly increase prices.
In response, Czech officials, including Minister of Industry and Trade Lukáš Vlček, have vowed to push for revisions during negotiations in Brussels next week.
The new rules are part of the Commission’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation which replaces the 2009 Ecodesign Directive. It tightens limits on emissions, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides from boilers with thermal outputs of up to 1000 kW and local heaters up to 50 kW. However, critics argue that the proposed limits are unrealistic and would devastate the market for solid fuel heating appliances.
Vlček has strongly opposed the proposal, emphasizing that environmental policies must align with technological advancements and economic realities. “Our goal is for European green policy to correspond to technological development and have no disproportionate effects on Czech household wallets and companies,” he said, as cited by Echo24.
The Czech Republic will formally present its objections at the Brussels meeting, calling for adjustments to the proposal.
A similar stance has been taken by the environment ministry, which defends biomass as an essential renewable energy source that preserves energy independence. Minister Petr Hladík pointed out that the government actively encourages the transition from coal to biomass heating through various programs and financial incentives.
Industry representatives have expressed serious concerns about the feasibility of the new regulations. Vladimír Stupavský, chairman of the Czech Pellet Association, called the Commission’s proposed standards “unrealistic” and said they contradict basic physical laws.
“The Commission proposes emission limits that cannot be met even with the latest technologies. The cost of redesigning boilers to comply would be astronomical, and the burden would ultimately fall on households,” Stupavský explained.
He also criticized the mandatory introduction of automatic combustion management for all solid fuel heaters, which would effectively ban traditional wood stoves and fireplaces.
Manufacturers argue that the Czech Republic and the wider EU already have strict regulations in place, which have led to significant reductions in emissions over the past decade.
Instead of imposing even harsher restrictions, critics suggest that better enforcement of existing regulations and public education on proper fuel combustion would be more effective solutions.
