Energy Costs for Private Households Rise Sharply Since the Outbreak of the Ukraine War, According to a Recent Analysis by the Energy Services Provider Ista. The company analyzed heating cost bills from approximately three million homes between 2021 and 2023 and compared the data with the German Federal Statistical Office’s projections for 2024.
According to the analysis, a 70-square-meter model apartment with a gas heating system would have seen an increase of around €220 in heating costs for 2024, a rise of 36 percent from three years prior. The costs for a flat with a district heating system increased by nearly €330, a 42 percent surge, while those with an oil heating system saw an additional €288 in costs, a 47 percent increase.
Ista’s CEO, Hagen Lessin, warned that reports of a supposed easing of the energy market could mislead some renters into a false sense of security. Energy costs in rental properties often come with a delay, as deductions and consumption are only accounted for once a year and it takes time for price changes in the wholesale market to be reflected in end-customer prices.
The new CO2 price, which has been in effect since January, is adding to the increased costs of oil and gas, as well as the increased gas storage fees and network charges in many supply areas. The reduced value-added tax for gas and district heating, which expired in April 2024, also played a significant role. However, the prices of the energy sources themselves have the greatest impact.