As winter approaches, the demand for electric bodies soars. Despite the assurances of the authorities, fears of interruptions in the supply of energy are widespread.
Fears of gas shortages, or even power outages, have skyrocketed in Germany the demand for electric heaters. Like the rest of Europe, the Germans are facing an unprecedented spike in energy costs following the termination of the Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 1.
Since the beginning of 2022 they have been sold 958,000 electric heaters in Germany, according to data provided to DW by the German market research company GfK. In other words, the volume of sales in the domestic market increased by 76% the January-August period compared to the same period in 2021. It should be noted that sales of radiators in five major European countries (Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy) decreased compared to last year by 5.1%. Which means that while in four European countries the demand for heaters is decreasing in Germany it is skyrocketing.
A representative of the Bauhaus store chain confirmed in communication with DW that in recent months there has been an “unusual for the time increase in demand for radiators due to the uncertainty at the global level, but also due to the jump in the cost of electricity and natural gas”.
Fears of overloading the electrical grid
An electric fireplace costs around 199 euros in stores. Customers are asked to choose whether they prefer the more expensive electric fireplace or a cheap air heater for €25? There are many other radiators on the market with prices between 25 and 200 euros. Some expensive models use less energy than others, at least their manufacturers claim. However, it is more or less known that most electric heaters consume a lot of electricity.
In a written response to a question from DW, the German Federal Association for Energy and Water Management (BDEW) notes that the heaters “may overload the electricity grid when several households in an area turn on the electrics at the same time on a cold winter afternoon.” According to the Federal Union in the event of energy shortages despite preventive measures, then households always have priority in the supply of natural gas. Only hospitals, police and fire departments have the same statutory privilege. “We are experiencing critical situations, but panic does not benefit anyone. Let’s remember that providing energy to households is always a priority,” concludes BDEW’s response.
“Households have priority in energy supply”
The representative of the Public Energy and Transport Company of Bonn (SWB) also appears reassuring, saying that “critical infrastructure and households are the last to experience restrictions on energy supply”. The representative of the public utility company emphasizes that the best alternative to electric heaters are electric blankets, since they consume significantly less energy than an air heater. In his estimation, in the long term, only the intensification of the use of alternative energy sources (solar, wind, etc.) will contribute to Germany’s “dedependence” from natural gas.
DW – Sushmita Ramakrishnan/ Stefanos Georgakopoulos
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