2024-03-28

Electricity price Germany: What households pay for power

Since the turn of the millennium the average electricity price for German household consumers has risen from 13.94 to 31.47 cents per kilowatt hour. That translates to a total power price increase of 126% or 6% per year on average. Included in the 31.47 cents are the costs of electricity generation, transportation and taxes.

Taxes and levies have tripled since 2000 [from 5.19 to 16.49 cents]. Today, the state’s burdens account for more than half of the electricity price [53%]. Grid charges account for almost 25%, and only the remaining 22% are used to actually generate the electricity.

53% of the power price for household consumers and small businesses in Germany consist of components determined by the government. These are different kinds of small fees [approx 3%], a renewable energy surcharge [EEG levy 23.6 %] and other kinds of taxes [eg. GST and electricity tax]. The renewable energy surcharge that pays producers the state-guaranteed price for renewable energy and has been set to 6.76 cents per kWh for 2020.

Commercial and industry consumers are exempt from some components of the power price [EEG levy, grid charge] to a varying degree. In 2019 they only paid 15 cents per kWh on average. These subsidies increase the price for the remaining customers [household and small businesses].

Because of an increase in grid charges and the EEG levy by the end of 2019 more than half of the electricity suppliers [629] increased their prices by Ø 7% in the first 6 months of 2020, which affects around 7 million households. Further price adjustments are expected so that the upward trend will continue.

Electricity Price Germany
Year
Price
Taxes, levies, surcharges
Grid fee
Power generation
202031.4753 %25 %22 %
201930.4353 %24 %23 %
201829.4254 %25 %21 %
201729.1655 %26 %19 %
201628.6954 %24 %22 %
201528.6852 %23 %25 %
201429.1452 %23 %25 %
201328.8450 %23 %27 %
201225.8945 %24 %31 %
201125.2345 %23 %32 %
201023.6941 %25 %34 %
200923.2138 %25 %37 %
200821.6539 %27 %34 %

Cost of electricity per kwh in €-Cent

Components of Electricity Price Germany

Compare: electricity prices Europe or electricity prices US

Average household electricity use [consumption] in Germany

Components of Electricity Price Germany

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