Heidelberg. Despite the mild temperatures, a warm home in the past heating period cost more than ever before. The state price brake and the December aid did not change that. Heating with gas has become more expensive by an average of 16 percent. The cost increase for heating oil was 12 percent. This is the result of an analysis by the comparison portal Verivox, taking into account the weather data from the German Weather Service.
Heating requirement slightly reduced compared to the previous year
According to the German Weather Service, the winter of 2022/2023 was far too warm. Compared to the same period last year, which was already very mild, the heating requirement for a model household in a single-family house fell by a further 1.2 percent.
Heating with gas is becoming more expensive by 16 percent
However, the mild weather has not resulted in lower heating costs. On the contrary: A family with gas heating paid an average of 2,436 euros for the current heating season (September to April). That is 16 percent more than in the already very expensive period of the previous year. Without the elimination of the December discount and the gas price brake that has been in effect since January, gas costs would have totaled EUR 3,027. That would correspond to an increase of around 44 percent.
“Even the government relief measures could not prevent this winter from being more expensive than ever,” says Thorsten Storck, energy expert at Verivox. “But the situation on the procurement markets has eased significantly, so that more and more suppliers are currently lowering their gas prices. Consumers can now secure cheap gas for the coming winter,” Storck continued.
Stock exchange prices have fallen significantly in recent months. A megawatt hour of gas currently costs around 40 euros. This is significantly cheaper than last summer, when gas sometimes cost 350 euros per megawatt hour.
Oil customers pay an average of 12 percent more
Oil customers also had to accept high price increases in the past heating season. The average costs amounted to 2,042 euros. Compared to the last heating season, expenditure increased by 12 percent.
While light heating oil cost an average of around EUR 100 gross per hectolitre in the 2021/2022 heating period, it was around EUR 119 at the end of the season. This corresponds to an increase of 19 percent.
All in all, consumers with oil heating had to spend around 16 percent less for a warm home than gas customers. In 2018/2019, oil was around 20 percent more expensive than gas for the same heat output.
methodology
The degree day figures from the German Weather Service were used to calculate the heating requirement. The number of degree days is calculated for all days on which the average daily outside temperature is below the heating limit temperature of 15 degrees.
The gas prices correspond to the Verivox consumer price index for gas. The heating oil prices were taken over by the Federal Statistical Office and by esyoil. The model household corresponds to a family of three to four in a detached house with an annual consumption of 20,000 kWh (base year 2011). The heating months September to April were considered.