Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

ELECTRICITY

German electricity prices ‘among the highest in the world’

In Germany, electricity is now more expensive than most other countries in the world, new research has found.

Published: 18 September 2020 12:27 CEST
Updated: 18 September 2020 15:24 CEST
German electricity prices 'among the highest in the world'
The cost of electricity is expensive in Germany. Photo: DPA

German consumers have to spend an enormous amount of money on electricity compared to other countries. This is shown by an analysis of 126 countries carried out by the comparison portal Verivox using purchasing power-adjusted data from the energy service Global Petrol Prices.

Overall, Germany ranks 16th in the international ranking – although most of the countries with even higher electricity prices are crisis-ridden developing countries in which some people cannot afford electricity at all, reported Spiegel on Friday.

The top 10 includes countries such as Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso. The only first-world country in which electricity prices are even higher than in Germany, according to Verivox, is Portugal (ranked 13th).

Among the G20 countries, Germany is the country with the most expensive electricity – and by far. Even in Turkey and Italy, which follow in second and third place, electricity prices are around 10 cents cheaper when adjusted for purchasing power.

As a result, German consumers have to spend a larger proportion of their disposable income on electricity than customers in other prosperous EU countries.

READ ALSO: German electricity prices could rise by 20 percent due to coal withdrawal

According to Verivox, the annual consumption of a one-person household (1500 kilowatt hours) costs around 1.2 percent of the average per capita economic output – more than twice as much as in Sweden or the Netherlands. The per capita rate for electricity is higher than in Germany only in comparatively poorer EU countries such as Romania or Bulgaria.

Overall, electricity prices in Germany have more than doubled since the turn of the millennium. At present the kilowatt-hour in the basic supply costs on average about 32.10 cent. 

The reasons for the price increases are numerous taxes and charges such as the EEG levy or network fees. They now account for around two thirds of the electricity price.

READ ALSO: Calls to prevent power cuts in Germany's poorest households

Vocabulary

Electricity prices (die) Strompreise

More expensive – teurer

Comparatively – vergleichsweise

Annual consumption – (der) Jahresverbrauch

We're aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

LIVING IN GERMANY

Living in Germany: Battles over Bürgergeld, rolling the ‘die’ and carnival lingo

From the push to reform long-term unemployment benefits to the lingo you need to know as Carnival season kicks off, we look at the highlights of life in Germany.

Published: 14 November 2022 09:54 CET
Living in Germany: Battles over Bürgergeld, rolling the 'die' and carnival lingo

Deadlock looms as debates over Bürgergeld heat up 

Following a vote in the Bundestag on Thursday, the government’s planned reforms to long-term unemployment benefits are one step closer to becoming reality. Replacing the controversial Hartz IV system, Bürgergeld (or Citizens’ Allowance) is intended to be a fair bit easier on claimants.

Not only will the monthly payment be raised from €449 to €502, but jobseekers will also be given a grace period of two years before checks are carried out on the size of their apartment or savings of up to €60,000. The system will also move away from sanctions with a so-called “trust period” of six months, during which benefits won’t be docked at all – except in very extreme circumstances. 

Speaking in parliament, Labour Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) said the spirit of the new system was “solidarity, trust and encouragement” and praised the fact that Bürgergeld would help people get back into the job market with funding for training and education. But not everyone is happy about the changes. In particular, politicians from the opposition CDU/CSU parties have responded with outrage at the move away from sanctions.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz has even branded the system a step towards “unconditional Basic Income” and argued that nobody will be incentivised to return to work. 

The CDU and CSU are now threatening to block the Bürgergeld legislation when it’s put to a vote in the Bundesrat on Monday. With the conservatives controlling most of the federal states – and thus most of the seats in the upper house – things could get interesting. Be sure to keep an eye out for our coverage in the coming weeks to see how the saga unfolds. 

Tweet of the week

When you first start learning German, picking the right article to use can truly be a roll of the “die” – so we’re entirely on board with this slightly unconventional way to decide whether you’re in a “der”, “die”, or “das” situation. (Warning: this may not improve your German.) 

Where is this?

Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Boris Roessler

Residents of Frankfurt am Main and the surrounding area will no doubt recognise this as the charming town of Kronberg, which is nestled at the foot of the Taunus mountains.

This atmospheric scene was snapped on Friday morning, when a drop in temperatures saw Kronberg and surrounding forests shrouded in autumnal fog.

After a decidedly warm start to November, the mercury is expected to drop into single digits over the weekend. 

Did you know?

November 11th marked the start of carnival season in Germany. But did you know that there’s a whole set of lingo to go along with the tradition? And it all depends on where you are. First of all, the celebration isn’t called the same thing everywhere. In the Rhineland, it’s usually called Karneval, while people in Bavaria or Saxony tend to call it Fasching. Those in Hesse and Saarland usually call it Fastnacht. 

And depending on where you are, there are different things to shout. The ‘fools call’ you’ll hear in Cologne is “Alaaf!” If you move away from Cologne, you’ll hear “Helau!” This is the traditional cry in the carnival strongholds of Düsseldorf and Mainz, as well as in some other German cities.

In the Swabian-Alemannic language region in the southwest of the country, people yell “Narri-Narro”, which means “I’m a fool, you’re a fool”. In Saarland at the French border, they shout “Alleh hopp!”, which is said to originate from the French language. 

Lastly, if someone offers you a Fastnachtskrapfe, say yes because it’s a jelly-filled carnival donut. And if you’re offered a Bützchen? It’s your call, but know that it’s a little kiss given to strangers!

SHOW COMMENTS