Ministry of Climate and Environment on Payment of the LPG Heating Allowance

At the turn of October and November the Polish Liquefied Gas Organization (POGP) received worrying signals that applications for payment of the allowance for the use of certain heat sources, filed under the Act on special measures relating to certain heat sources in connection with the situation on the fuel market, were in some cases being questioned. The applications had been submitted by liquefied gas users whose main source of heating is a gas boiler fueled by LPG, in line with the declaration made to the Central Register of Building Emissions. The applications for payment of the allowance were questioned because the users buy propane for heating purposes rather than a mixture of gases: propane and butane, as indicated in the provisions governing payment of the allowance, which contributed to some local authorities misinterpreting the intentions of the Ministry of Climate and Environment.

The Polish Liquefied Gas Organization immediately approached the Ministry of Climate and Environment with a request for an interpretation of the provisions on payment of the allowance to households using propane for heating purposes as their primary source of heat.

On 9 November the website of the Ministry of Climate and Environment carried a statement confirming that propane is liquefied gas (LPG) within the meaning of Polish law and that its use as a primary source of heat therefore entitles the user to payment of the allowance. The Ministry writes in its statement:

• "(...) in line with the intention of the legislator, the allowance covers all households using liquefied gas from a liquefied gas (LPG) tank for heating purposes in a gas boiler fueled by that gas. It should be stressed that the liquefied gas offered for heating purposes (in particular the product sold under the trade names “propan” (propane) and “gaz płynny propan” (liquefied gas propane), covered by CN codes 2711 12 94 or CN 2711 12 97) – is always a mixture of propane and butane gases, since it does not consist solely of propane but also contains other substances, including butane. It therefore constitutes grounds for payment of the allowance for the use of certain heat sources.
• gas supplies described on the supporting invoices as: “propan” (propane) or “gaz płynny propan” (liquefied gas propane) should therefore constitute grounds for payment of the allowance under the Act on special measures relating to certain heat sources in connection with the situation on the fuel market."

We are very grateful to the team at the Ministry of Climate and Environment for the swift settlement of an issue that is important for the 100,000 households using liquefied gas as their primary source of heat.

Photo: Piotr Łaskawski