Vorarlberg residents can again apply for heating replacement grants

People in Vorarlberg can once again apply for federal and state grants to replace oil or gas heating with a lower-carbon system, ORF reported. Federal support ranges from €4,000 to €6,000, while the state grant can add €1,500 to €3,000.

About €20 million has become available in the federal programme after funds from earlier grants went unclaimed. Registration reopened on November 2 for owners of detached and semi-detached homes and terraced houses replacing oil, gas or direct electric heating. Eligible alternatives include connections to local heating networks, heat pumps and central wood heating systems.

Applications and registrations will be accepted until the 2026 funding allocation is used up, or no later than December 31, 2026. Once registered, applicants have nine months to complete the work. Funding for households moving away from oil and gas will also be available next year.

Applicants for federal support must obtain an energy consultation report from the state of Vorarlberg, available through the Energy Institute of Vorarlberg. Consultations can be booked by phone at 05572/31202 112 or through the institute’s online registration platform. The state grant can be combined with the federal programme and does not require advance registration.

The final cost of replacing a heating system depends on the work needed, said Michael Braun of the Energy Institute of Vorarlberg. The cost of running the old system should also be considered. The change may not always make financial sense, he said, but “ecologically, it pays off immediately”.

The number of oil heating systems in Vorarlberg fell from 24,452 in 2022 to 21,390 last year. Gas heating systems declined from 37,926 to 34,378 over the same period. Last year, the state supported around 600 wood heating systems and 1,400 heat pumps.