These days, friendly letters are fluttering into the house, which you should study carefully. It’s not just the usual annual bills for electricity and gas. Most providers also send announcements for a price increase.
At first glance, the whole thing looks quite harmless. Here a cent more and there suddenly a basic amount where there was none before. If you then extrapolate the kilowatt hour prices to the total consumption, you may have to sit down first, because at least in a larger house you suddenly get 1000 euros more per year.
This applies above all to heating, because that is where most of the energy is consumed. And that’s why it’s absolutely right that the government wants to pay a heating subsidy to beneficiaries first. The amount may be debatable, but the real problem is bigger. Because it affects everyone, and even low earners and many families with children have no money left.
There is no avoiding these rising costs. Changing providers is not worthwhile because increases are everywhere. People are already tinkering and thinking privately everywhere. But buying a heat pump even though it hardly has any effect on the old, energy-intensive house? Or connect a wood stove in the rented apartment? That’s fine with old buildings. Not all of these ideas will ultimately work. Of course it is creative and at least the citizens are now dealing with their energy consumption – if only out of necessity.
And yet, above all, it shows helplessness. Because it’s kind of like not eating meat anymore for the sake of the climate and animal welfare. You can do it, but it doesn’t change anything.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck sees the situation as a challenge and also an opportunity to switch more quickly to less climate-damaging forms of energy. In doing so, however, citizens will need help and, above all, guidance. Otherwise the mood will soon change.