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Gas, Oil and Coal Still Lead in Heating

A recent survey reveals which fuels Germans use for heating
A recent survey reveals which fuels Germans use for heating Photo: Getty Images
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December 21, 2022, 4:54 am | Read time: 2 minutes

A household survey by the Federal Statistical Office provides insight into how most people in Germany heat their homes. Fossil fuels remain the most common.

A recent survey by the Federal Statistical Office offers interesting insights into the fuels Germans use for heating. About 71 percent of private households in Germany still use fossil fuels for heating. Gas heating is the most widespread, according to preliminary data from the microcensus evaluated in advance by the Federal Statistical Office.

Many Heat with Fossil Fuels

Half (51 percent) of the households reported in the survey that they heat with gas. One-fifth (20 percent) lived in homes with oil heating, and less than 0.5 percent used coal.

More on the topic

What About Renewable Energies?

Only 3 percent of households used renewable energies such as biomass, solar energy, or geothermal energy for heating. The rest reported using district heating (18 percent), electricity (4 percent), and wood or wood pellets (around 4 percent) as heating fuels.

Further Findings of the Study

Another result regarding living situations: People in large cities have to pay significantly more rent on average than in medium-sized towns or rural areas. In the first half of the current year, the average net rent in cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants was 8.30 euros per square meter.

Also interesting: How to Heat Economically Without Freezing

This was 30 percent more than in small towns and rural communities, where it was about 6.40 euros. In medium-sized cities with 20,000 to 100,000 inhabitants, private households reported an average of 6.90 euros per square meter.

with material from dpa

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@myhomebook.de.

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