Heating incentives enter a new phase. With the implementation of the RED III Directive, published in the Official Journal, the rules change for those who have to replace the home system: stop bonuses for switching from gas boilers to biomass stoves and much stricter environmental criteria for access to benefits. The new provisions do not only concern new installations, but also the simple replacement of existing systems.
The regulatory framework aims at a precise objective: to reach a 40.1% share of renewable energy in buildings by 2030, while reducing the environmental impact of home heating, today among the main sources of air pollution in Italian cities.
New obligations on incentives for those who change systems
The new provisions do not only concern newly constructed buildings, but also apply in the case of simple replacement of the existing heating system. This is where the first significant turning point comes: public incentives are no longer recognized if you decide to replace a gas boiler with stoves or fireplaces powered by biomass, therefore wood or pellets.
The regulatory choice arises from a precise environmental assessment. Biomass, although included among renewable sources, must be used as a priority for durable products, while combustion is considered a residual solution, permitted only when there are no alternative uses. Added to this is a new environmental certification obligation, without which no incentive can be recognized, regardless of the technology installed.
Why heating incentives are changing course
The topic of biomass has been at the center of a heated debate for years, especially due to its contribution to particulate emissions. The data from the regional agencies speak clearly. In Lombardy, domestic heating is responsible for 43% of total PM10, while in Turin the share rises to 44%. In Emilia-Romagna, wood burning produces 39% of particulate matter and 45% of carbon monoxide, compared to 24% and 39% attributable to vehicular traffic.
A key aspect concerns the age of the systems: approximately 90% of particulate matter comes from obsolete equipment. Modern five-star stoves reduce emissions by up to 70% compared to two-star models, going from over 500 grams of particulate matter per gigajoule to just a few grams. Despite this, the share of old systems still exceeds 70% of the total, making a more rigid line on incentives necessary to avoid energy improvements obtained at the expense of air quality.
Stop the stoves to replace the gas boiler: what remains eligible for incentives
Within the new framework on heating incentives, not everything is cancelled. Tax deductions and local bonuses remain accessible, but with well-defined limits. It is still possible to obtain contributions for the replacement of a biomass system with another of the same category, provided that they are new generation thermo stoves or fireplaces and that the old appliance is scrapped.
In these cases, a hearth efficiency of at least 87% and the exclusive use of certified wood or pellets are required. What is explicitly excluded is the transition from a gas boiler to a biomass stove, a choice which no longer gives the right to any concession. The direction is clear: encourage the transition from gas to heat pumps, considered the priority solution in the decarbonisation strategy.
For those who cannot install a heat pump, for example due to technical constraints of the building, there remains a window of access to heating incentives for biomass boilers, but under much stricter conditions than in the past. In addition to the five-star certification, primary particulate emissions must be less than 1 mg/Nm³, an extremely stringent limit.
The boilers must also be equipped with a hot water storage system of at least 20 liters for each kW of power. This means that a 15 kW boiler requires a minimum 300 liter tank. The pellet used must comply with UNI EN ISO 17225-2 certification and the quality class and identification code of the certification body must appear on the invoices, otherwise the benefit will be lost. There is also mandatory maintenance every two years for the duration of the incentive.
An exemption is provided for agricultural and forestry companies located in areas not served by the gas network. In these cases it is possible to obtain incentives to replace LPG boilers with biomass systems, but only if the new equipment reduces particulate emissions by at least 50% compared to the 5 star class.
The new rules on heating incentives will apply to all interventions started starting from August 3rd, marking a turning point in public support policies for home heating.
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