Heat pumps in Lübeck
Heat pumps in Lübeck at a glance
Lübeck has presented its heat plan (report of 27 January 2025), setting out routes to greenhouse gas neutrality 2040. Stadtwerke Lübeck supplies the city with electricity, gas and district heating. IB.SH supports with low-interest loans.
See also: Nationwide guidance. KfW 458, GEG and technical minimum requirements apply in full in Lübeck.
RECOMMENDED PROVIDERS
Funding in Lübeck
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| KfW 458 (federal funding) | active |
| IB.SH Modernisierung Wohnraum | reduced-interest loans from 1,1 % p.a., including heat pump installation, combinable with KfW |
| Stadtwerke tariffs | special heat pump electricity tariffs |
Details of KfW 458 are available in the nationwide guidance. IB.SH provides low-interest modernisation loans.
Application process and responsible bodies
Lower water authority of the Stadt Lübeck
Based in the Umweltamt. Approves ground-source probes and groundwater heat pumps; conventional, deeper-drilled probes still require a water-law permit, while small systems up to 4 m deep outside water protection areas have required only notification since the Geothermie-Beschleunigungsgesetz (December 2025).
Stadtwerke Lübeck
Supplier of electricity, gas and district heating. Offers advice and special tariffs.
IB.SH (Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein)
Provides low-interest loans for modernisation.
PROVIDERS
Status of municipal heat planning
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Heat plan report presented | 27 January 2025 |
| Target: greenhouse gas neutrality | 2040 |
| Federal deadline | 30 June 2026 (exceeded well in advance) |
Lübeck’s heat plan sets out concrete routes to decarbonisation with district and local heating network options. In Schleswig-Holstein, the Energiewende- und Klimaschutzgesetz (EWKG) requires 78 municipalities to prepare heat plans, more than just the large cities with over 100.000 residents under federal law.
Local features
Lübeck has a district heating network and is working to decarbonise it. The heat plan shows that heat pumps are a sensible option in many areas without network connections. Since the LBO reform (in force since July 2024), outdoor units of air-source heat pumps up to 2 m high and 3 m long may stand directly on the property boundary without their own separation area. This concerns the above-ground outdoor unit, not water-law approval for ground-source probes.
Frequently asked questions
Which funding applies to my heat pump in Lübeck?
Primarily the federal KfW 458 funding and IB.SH loans for modernisation.
Who approves a ground-source probe in Lübeck?
The lower water authority approves probes through a water-law permit; for small systems up to 4 m deep outside water protection areas, notification has been sufficient since the end of 2025.
Does Lübeck have a heat plan?
Yes, Lübeck has presented its heat plan (report of 27 January 2025), setting out the route to greenhouse gas neutrality 2040.