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MONEY

Where German drivers are going to find cheaper fuel prices

Rising petrol and diesel costs are leading some drivers in Germany across the country - and even into neighbouring countries - to search for lower prices.

Published: 19 October 2021 16:24 CEST
A driver fills up a car at a petrol station in Munich.
A driver fills up a car at a petrol station in Munich. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe

High fuel prices in Germany are resulting in more people driving across the border to fill up their tanks, the Central Association of the Petrol Station Industry (Zentralverband des Tankstellengewerbes), ZTG, said on Tuesday. 

As of Sunday, drivers of diesel cars and vans in Germany have been asked shell out an average of €1.555 per litre to refill their vehicles. The previous record price, set on August 26th, was €1.554 per litre.

Regular petrol prices are also going up, with prices per litre hitting €1.667 per litre on Sunday – 4.2 cents short of its previous record price of €1.709. 

The ZTG said that due to the spike, so-called ‘petrol tourism’ is on the rise again as drivers are desperate to save some cash. 

READ ALSO: Could Germany cut more taxes to stem fuel prices?

The association calls this a “petrol price paradox”, because the rising price of oil, which is making filling up tanks more expensive, is noticeable on both sides of the border. However, there may be differences due to taxes and duties.

People are also travelling to different parts of Germany to try and find cheaper fuel. 

The willingness to take detours or drive for a few euros in savings has increased, said Florian Hördegen from ADAC Südbayern. Since last week, the topic has gained momentum. It means queues at petrol stations – in Germany and beyond – are becoming more common.

Where are fuel prices cheaper – and more expensive?

For those looking for reasonable fuel prices in their area in Germany, this handy search tool helps you find gas stations and view the prices. 

The app Clever Taken also has a “Magic Map” that tells you where to find the petrol station with the best price. Users can also activate push notifications in the fuel app that alert you as soon as a petrol station in your vicinity offers fuel at the low price you set.

The ADAC Spritpreise app also allows people to compare prices between petrol stations in Germany and select the cheapest providers. 

In Austria and the Czech Republic, taxes on fuel are much lower. Depending on the petrol station, region and time of day, the difference can be around 20 to 30 cents.

READ ALSO: Drivers in Germany face record fuel costs

On average, diesel costs €1.23 per litre in the Czech Republic, Super petrol costs €1.32. The savings could be 33 cents for a litre of diesel and an impressive 34 cents for a litre of Super, according to German news site Focus Online. Filling up with 60 litres could result of a price difference of around €20.

In Austria, a litre of diesel costs an average of €1.34 per litre. Super is available for €1.33 and Super Plus for €1.61. The savings are 21 cents for diesel, 34 cents for Super and an impressive 33 cents for Super Plus. If you fill up with the most expensive type of fuel, drivers could save about €15 on 45 litres.

Poland is also an option. On Tuesday, a litre of diesel cost an average of €1.32 in Poland and €1.28 for super. A full tank of 60 litres of diesel would cost an average of €73.20 in Poland and €93 in Germany. That’s a saving of about €20 per fill-up.

In contrast, petrol is more expensive in the Netherlands than in Germany. However, according to ZTG, there is currently no sign of increasing fuel tourism from there.

A trip across the border is not always worthwhile, experts say. Drivers have to think about the costs depending on the car and the distance, said ADAC fuel price expert Jürgen Albrecht.

“Driving across the border just to refuel is particularly worthwhile if the price differences are high and the distances are very short,” said Albrecht.

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For members

CLIMATE CRISIS

How installing solar panels at home is set to become easier in Germany

As part of its drive to roll out renewable energy, Germany has passed a new law that will make it easier to install solar panels on your balcony. Here's what homeowners and renters need to know.

Published: 30 April 2024 09:22 CEST
How installing solar panels at home is set to become easier in Germany

With rising prices affecting almost every area of life, many people are looking for ways to cut costs wherever they can. 

When it comes to electricity, this could include looking at renewable options like installing solar panels on your balcony.

According to data from the Federal Network Agency’s Market Data Register, this is an increasingly popular choice. As of April 2nd this year, there were around 400,000 balcony solar units in operation in Germany, compared to just 230,000 in the summer of last year.

These little photovoltaic systems can be a great way to become more self-sufficient by producing your own energy for the home – but despite the benefits, you may have been put off by fears of mountains of paperwork and an uncertainty around the rules.

READ ALSO: How to install a solar panel on your balcony in Germany (even if you rent)

The government’s new Solar Energy Package, passed on Friday, aims to solve this issue by making it simpler for people in apartments or single-family homes to install solar panels and use their own energy.

It’s part of a major drive to roll out renewable energy in Germany, pushing up photovoltaic capacity from 7.5 gigawatts in 2022 to 22 gigawatts in 2026 and ultimately 215 gigawatts by 2030. 

But what exactly is changing for homeowners and renters? Here’s what we know so far.

Streamlined registration process

Rather than having to register with your local network operator when installing solar panels on your balcony, in future simply registering with the Federal Network Agency’s Market Data Register will suffice. This streamlined process has been in place since April 1st, 2024. 

Increased capacity allowance

Solar devices installed in the home are allowed to be more powerful in future. If your future device has an installed output of up to 2 kilowatts and an inverter output of up to 800 volt-amperes in total, you can register it quickly in a simple and unbureaucratic registration process.

Previously, devices were only allowed an inverter output of up to 600 volt-amperes. 

No barriers on meters

In a transitional measure designed to encourage more people to switch to solar energy, balcony installations can be run through any type of meter on the market.

Solar panels on a German balcony

Solar panels on a balcony in Germany. The government is making it easier for people to produce – and use – their own solar energy. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/iStock.comMaryanaSerdynska | Maryana Serdynska

This includes meters without a backstop, which run backwards when more energy is produced than is used. These, alongside normal one-way meters with a backdrop, will be permitted for a limited time until modern digital meters can be installed. 

Under previous rules, both older types of meter were prohibited. 

Simpler energy storage

In future, balcony solar systems will be able to store energy with a conventional shockproof plug. This will make installation way easier than it was before.

READ ALSO: German government to subsidise up to €30,000 of heating revamp costs

Easier operation of multi-unit buildings

To enable tenants in apartment blocks to use cheaper solar power from roofs, garages or battery storage systems directly, the new instrument of “communal building supply” is being introduced. This eliminates the complicated requirement to feed energy into the general electricity grid and permits residents to use the energy generated themselves.

In future, tenants will also be able to take out an affordable supplementary tariff themselves for electricity that is not covered by their solar installation. Some rules on this still need to be clarified though, so watch this space. 

Tenant subsidies in commercial buildings

In future, tenant electricity will also be subsidised for commercial buildings and ancillary facilities such as garages if the electricity generated there is consumed immediately, i.e. without being fed through the grid.

This allows several energy systems to be combined and should avoid the overwhelming technical barriers that were previously a problem in residential neighbourhoods. 

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