900 million euros more than 2019: electricity costs in Germany are exploding

900 million euros more than in 2019
Electricity costs explode in Germany

Electricity costs in Germany have reached record levels. Consumers will pay around 37.8 billion euros in 2020 – more than ever before. This is not only due to increased use of the home office. According to forecasts, costs could rise even further.

Last year, households in Germany paid more for their electricity than ever before. In total, according to calculations by the comparison portal Check24, it was around 37.8 billion euros, a good 900 million euros more than in 2019. Compared to 2016, when private consumption of around 127 billion kilowatt hours was almost the same as in 2020, the electricity costs would have been increased by a total of three billion euros. The average price per kilowatt hour rose from 27 cents to around 30 cents during this period, according to the analysis.

The increase in electricity costs is not only due to more frequent use of the home office during the Corona crisis. The levies and taxes included in the electricity price have risen particularly sharply in recent years. According to figures from the Federal Network Agency in 2020, they accounted for more than three quarters of the electricity bills of private households. According to data from the EU statistical office Eurostat, Germany, along with Denmark and Belgium, has the highest electricity prices for household customers.

System change is supposed to relieve the burden

Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier from the CDU wants to relieve consumers and the economy of electricity prices with a system change in promoting green electricity. The promotion of renewable energies from systems that will be commissioned from 2022 could therefore be financed through taxpayers' money. In the medium term, Altmaier believes it is necessary to completely abolish the levy that consumers have to pay. "By abolishing the EEG surcharge, the federal government could relieve German households by around 9.7 billion euros," says Lasse Schmid, Managing Director Energy at Check24.

In terms of electricity costs, things could continue to rise after the peak in 2020. "If electricity consumption remains more or less constant in 2021, this record will be exceeded again in 2021," assumes electricity expert Schmid. According to preliminary figures, the average megawatt hour of electricity on the electricity exchange in February cost just under 50 euros. In April of last year, when the wholesale price had dropped to its lowest level since 2006, the megawatt hour cost just under 16 euros. However, higher wholesale prices usually do not have a direct impact on the price for household customers.

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