It is clear that choosing the right electricity tariff and provider has a major influence on the amount of additional costs. What many people don’t know: A distinction is made between normal household electricity and cheaper heating electricity. With this knowledge you can save a lot of money.
Anyone who heats with electricity and has to pay for the operation of a heat pump or underfloor heating has high electricity bills. However, electricity costs can be reduced if, in addition to the normal household electricity for refrigerators, washing machines, etc., so-called heating electricity (also: heat electricity) is used for heating.
Why is heating electricity cheaper than household electricity?
This is technically the same electricity as household electricity – but heating electricity is cheaper. This is because the network operators have to keep the power grid stable. The website of the comparison portal Verivox explains: “To do this, it is necessary to use or store the electricity generated by the power plants around the clock. However, consumption falls, particularly in the night-time hours. Electric heaters can meet the falling night-time demand Cushion electricity as they are based on the storage principle […] The electricity suppliers offer the energy produced during times of low demand as heating electricity at a cheaper price. If the electricity providers pass on the lower prices to consumers, a lot of money can be saved.
Heating electricity is almost 10 cents/kWh cheaper than household electricity
Strictly speaking, according to a survey by Finanztest, consumers with heating electricity were able to save a full 15 percent per kilowatt hour (kWh) in the summer of 2023 compared to the cheapest available household electricity offer on the comparison portal Check24, as web.de reports. The local public utilities in particular offer advantageous conditions. For example, the heating electricity prices at the Trostberg municipal utility are 24 ct/kWh, while the kWh of household electricity from the same provider costs a whopping 33.7 ct. And: At the beginning of April, the electricity price cap for heating electricity in Germany was reduced from 40 cents to just 28 cents/kWh. Consumers can therefore probably expect prices to remain low for the time being.
If there are two electricity meters, you’re good to go
The prerequisite for purchasing heating electricity is that there are two separate meters for household and heating electricity. Consumers can then either book a combined tariff with a single electricity provider or easily purchase household and heating electricity from two different providers.
Editorial team finanzen.net