diff --git a/dune/tectonic/ellipticenergy.hh b/dune/tectonic/ellipticenergy.hh
index 8278ca83620c6f32e119b30140a18bbd09a8a5d8..6ac8fef6cfb6147e5f0d8a0a981bc4c8e1bf8676 100644
--- a/dune/tectonic/ellipticenergy.hh
+++ b/dune/tectonic/ellipticenergy.hh
@@ -49,26 +49,6 @@ template <int dim> class EllipticEnergy {
     }
   }
 
-  // returns false if the direction is tangential
-  void descentDirectionNew(SmallVector const &x, SmallVector &ret) const {
-    SmallVector pg;
-    gradient(x, pg);
-    SmallVector mg;
-    gradient(x, mg);
-    double const pgx = pg * x;
-    double const mgx = mg * x;
-    if (pgx >= 0 && mgx >= 0) {
-      ret = pg;
-      ret *= -1;
-    } else if (pgx <= 0 && mgx <= 0) {
-      ret = mg;
-      ret *= -1;
-    } else {
-      // We know that no descent can be expected in the tangential direction
-      ret = SmallVector(0);
-    }
-  }
-
   bool descentDirection(SmallVector const &x, SmallVector &ret) const {
     // Check the squared norm rather than each component because
     // complementaryProjection() divides by it