Germany approves energy saving plan

It includes lowering heating temperature and switching off outdoor advertising at night

The German government has approved a package of measures aimed at reducing gas consumption during the upcoming heating season, Economy Minister Robert Habeck told reporters after a cabinet meeting in Berlin on Wednesday.

The measures include reducing the heating temperature in offices and public institutions – with the exception of social institutions like hospitals – from 20 to 19 degrees Celsius (68 to 66 degrees Fahrenheit). Also, outdoor advertising and the lighting of storefronts and monuments will be turned off from 10pm to 6am local time. Moreover, store owners will be urged to refrain from keeping the doors to their premises open for too long at a time to preserve heat.

The measures are expected to be put into effect gradually from September 1 through October 1. There are also plans to turn off the heat in the corridors, foyers, and technical rooms of public buildings, and ban private home pools from being heated with gas.

“The measures will help reduce energy consumption, but not to the extent that we can sit back and say, that's it … Gas consumption will be reduced by about 2-2.5%. That means we have a long way to go,” the minister said.

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According to him, these measures could save private households and companies around €10.8 billion ($10.7 billion) over the next two years.

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