Heating costs in Germany have fallen again in 2023 following the sharp rise during the energy crisis. This is shown by the current heating index for Germany (www.heizspiegel.de), published by the non-profit consultancy co2online.
An average household in an apartment building (70 m² apartment) had to pay EUR 1,330 for heating with gas in 2023. This corresponds to a decrease of ten percent (145 euros) compared to the previous year. Heating costs for heat pumps (down 28 percent), wood pellets (down 20 percent) and heating oil (down 19 percent) have also fallen significantly. Only district heating saw an increase of eight percent.
Even if heating costs are still significantly higher in some cases than before the 2022 energy crisis, heating with heat pumps is already much cheaper than with fossil alternatives. The fall in heating costs is mainly due to lower energy prices and the government price brake. The price brake came into force in 2023 and limited the prices for gas, district heating and electricity. This meant noticeable relief for many households. The easing of the situation on the energy markets after the crisis in 2022 also helped to reduce costs. By contrast, the one percent drop in energy consumption only had a minor impact on heating costs in 2023.
For the year 2024, Heizspiegel predicts a further reduction in heating costs for gas (minus 25 percent), heat pumps (minus 18 percent), wood pellets (minus 6 percent) and heating oil (minus 4 percent). District heating is an exception: here costs are expected to rise by 21 percent. The removal of price brakes and higher energy prices are driving up the cost of district heating significantly. Inadequate regulation and non-transparent pricing are further possible reasons for the sharp rise.
Despite lower energy prices, the potential for savings on heating remains high. 90 percent of all households can save heating costs by changing their behavior and modernizing their homes: up to 1,095 euros a year for an average household.
Photo: © Frank Wassmann, Pixabay
