Berlin - Saba:
Heating costs for gas consumers in Germany have surged by nearly a quarter this season compared to the previous heating season, according to an analysis by the comparison website "Verivox."
The analysis, published on Monday, revealed that gas heating expenses rose by approximately 23% due to weather-related factors and price increases. Meanwhile, heating oil costs saw a 1% rise.
A separate analysis by the energy services company "Techem" showed that the average consumption of oil, natural gas, and district heating systems across Germany increased by 23.6% compared to the previous year.
Matthias Hartmann, CEO of Techem, noted that efforts to reduce energy consumption in recent years have weakened.
"If energy prices remain high, many consumers will face an additional burden in their upcoming heating bills," he added.
According to a study by the German Energy and Water Association (BDEW), three-quarters of home heating systems in Germany rely on gas and oil as energy sources.
Efforts to phase out Russian gas have contributed to rising fuel prices in Germany, impacting the competitiveness of the German economy, which has long depended on competitively priced Russian gas.
Last week, a Reuters report, based on interviews with senior officials at European companies and experts, indicated that some European firms expressed readiness to resume cooperation with the Russian gas company Gazprom.
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