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Cold Snap Lifts German Heating Bills as Advice Shifts to Smart Savings

Techem estimates households will pay about 8.6% more this winter because increased heating demand outweighed lower energy prices.

Overview

  • District heating costs are projected to rise 13.2%, with gas up 9.7% and electricity 9.2%, according to Techem.
  • Increases vary widely by location, from about +14.2% in Baden-Württemberg and roughly +13% in Saxony to low single digits in Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Lower Saxony.
  • City-level differences are stark, with Karlsruhe near +21% and Halle (Saale) and Dresden around +15%, while Kiel, Oberhausen and Solingen see minimal changes.
  • Techem CEO Matthias Hartmann says continuous consumption monitoring and optimized control can cut energy use by roughly 15%.
  • Consumer advisers recommend smart radiator thermostats and temporary temperature setbacks, such as lowering from 20°C to 16°C when away, with tenants required to keep and reinstall original devices when moving out.