The gas price shock drove the Germans to the bone. Some now see their salvation in a new oil heating system, which can be installed until 2024. The heating industry sees a clear trend here, but it doesn’t necessarily pay off.
Oil heating is currently experiencing a small comeback in Germany. “From the beginning of January to the end of July, twelve percent more oil heaters were delivered by the manufacturers compared to the previous year,” said a spokesman for the Federal Association of the German Heating Industry (BDH) to the editorial network Germany.
Although the plus is based on a relatively low base, the trend is clear. In absolute figures, 29,000 systems were put on the market between January and July, according to the BDH. According to the information, there were 45,500 oil heaters in the entire previous year. The overall market for heat generators is around 930,000 delivered units per year.
Although heating oil has also become significantly more expensive as a result of the energy crisis, the price increases are not nearly as high as for gas. According to calculations by the comparison portal Verivox, gas has become around 235 percent more expensive within a year, while heating oil has become 114 percent more expensive. Currently, an average family saves around 1000 euros per year with an oil heating system compared to a gas heating system – with comparable years of construction of the system.
However, oil heaters are considered to be a discontinued model. From 2024, the federal government only wants to allow the installation of pure oil heating systems in very few exceptional cases. However, hybrid systems, which cover 65 percent of the heat requirement with renewable technologies by combining a fossil burner with solar energy or heat pumps, remain permitted. The BDH assumes that there will still be 1.36 million “oil and bio-oil heating systems” installed in Germany in 2045.
However, according to the current heating index from the non-profit consulting company Co2online, the price difference between oil and gas is not always so advantageous for the discontinued model. According to the calculations, additional costs of 135 euros can be expected for an average 70 square meter apartment with gas heating in 2021 (plus 20 percent compared to the previous year). For the current year, the consulting company is assuming further additional costs of 550 euros (plus 67 percent). If you use oil heating, you have to pay 130 percent more: 320 euros (plus 51 percent) additionally for the past year and probably 495 euros (plus 53 percent) more for 2022.