German households and industry pay highest power prices in Europe
https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/german-households-and-industry-pay-highest-power-prices-europe10 Jan 2019
- - - - - - - - -
What German households pay for power
https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/what-german-households-pay-power01 Apr 2019
Power prices in Germany are among the highest in Europe, not least due to the costs arising from the launch of renewable energy sources – but many customers continue to support the country's energy transition regardless. While wholesale electricity prices on average have been in decline in recent years, surcharges, taxes, and grid fees raise the bill for Germany's private households and small businesses. However, market observers say that the costs are often not even high enough for customers to look for alternatives.
Politically determined components of the power price have slightly fallen in 2018 but still account for more than half of what Germany’s households and small businesses pay with their power bill. Taxes, levies, and surcharges accounted for nearly 53 percent of a total household power price of 30.22 eurocents per kilowatt hour (ct/kWh), figures by utility and energy industry association BDEW show. Almost a quarter of the 2019 price (24.4 percent) results from regulated grid fees, which include metering and associated services. Over a fifth (22.8 percent) is set by the market, meaning the costs accruing from power supply and distribution that make up the wholesale power price and include the supplier’s margin.