Energy: Help and tips

As of January 1, 2024, Erlanger Stadtwerke (ESTW) was recently able to significantly reduce its electricity, natural gas and heating prices. For the majority of ESTW's electricity customers, households and small businesses in Erlangen, electricity prices will remain stable at this low level until further notice. The recently discussed increases in grid fees will not change this for the time being. Erlangen's municipal utilities are making some advance payments here. They hope to be able to keep the electricity prices for this customer group stable for as long as possible. However, due to the generally uncertain political situation, it is unfortunately not possible to make any long-term statements or guarantees.

For a long time, it was also unclear what would happen to VAT for natural gas, district and local heating. The application of the reduced tax rate of 7% expired on March 31, 2024. This means that the gross prices for all natural gas, district and local heating customers will increase on April 1. The net prices remain unchanged. However, from April 1, 2024, they will again be calculated using the regular VAT rate of 19%. This will increase the gross prices for end customers accordingly. All prices will be adjusted in good time in the relevant price sheets and on the Erlanger Stadtwerke website.

Further information and important energy-saving tips can also be found at www.estw.de

Tenants

It is particularly worthwhile for those whose income is not sufficient to pay the costs of housing to submit an application. These include above all

• pensioners
• Residents of retirement or nursing homes
• families
• single parents.

You may also be eligible for housing benefit:

• Students
• Trainees
• People receiving short-time working allowance

Homeowners

Housing benefit as a subsidy for owner-occupied housing can be applied for under certain conditions:

• Owners of their own home
• Owners of a condominium
• Owners with an agricultural sideline

Here: Housing benefit calculator of the Federal Building Ministry

Both the city and Erlanger Stadtwerke offer energy advice. For low-income households, Erlanger Stadtwerke also offers energy-saving helpers. During an on-site appointment, they check which appliances are "power guzzlers" and how electricity and water can be saved.

Here: ESTW - Energy saving helpers

Here: City of Erlangen - Energy advice

The Social Education Service of the Housing Department will support you if you are at risk of losing your rented home. A housing emergency can occur quickly if, for example, rent or energy debts arise. Please do not wait too long, but contact us in good time.

Here: Contact and more information

If you have become homeless and there is no accommodation available for you, you can be temporarily housed in emergency accommodation by the Housing Department.

Here: Contact and more information

If you are threatened with losing your home, legal advice on tenancy law cannot be provided by the City of Erlangen. If necessary, you must contact a lawyer or the consumer advice service. However, people on low incomes are generally unable to afford advice from a lawyer. They can receive support from the Erlangen district court.

Since January 1, 2023, the Social Welfare Office has been providing "emergency energy advice". It supports and advises citizens when

• energy procurement costs cannot be paid
• additional energy payments from annual bills cannot be settled or
• there are high electricity debts and an electricity cut-off is imminent.

The energy emergency advice service can be contacted on 09131 86-3441 or by email at: energienotfallberatung@stadt.erlangen.de.

Erlanger Stadtwerke also offers help before gas or electricity is cut off. It is important that those affected get in touch in good time. For example, if they have received a reminder. An installment payment can then be agreed or applied for. Stadtwerke's receivables management can be contacted on 09131/823 4111 or by email at: forderungen@estw.de.

Measures taken by the city administration

It is living up to its exemplary role and has taken a series of measures to provide information and advice and to save energy in 2022. These include, among other things

• an expanded range of information and advice on energy issues from the city and municipal utilities
• intensified tenant communication by the municipal housing association GEWOBAU
• switching off the lighting in the Old Town area at night at various facilities such as the Trinity Church in the Old Town, the City Museum and Palais Stutterheim.

Also before the 2022 summer break, the municipal utilities stopped heating the outdoor pools and lowered the water temperature in the indoor pools.

The Building Energy Act is the starting signal for the switch to heating with renewable energies. It initiates a comprehensive modernization of the heating supply in Germany: With more district heating and more efficient, economical and climate-friendly heating technology, heating policy in Germany is now on a sustainable course after years of stagnation. The new regulations provide consumers, the housing industry, the heating industry and the skilled trades with a clear guideline for their investment decisions. Renewable energies can thus become the standard in the building sector and gradually replace climate-damaging heating systems based on natural gas or oil. Climate protection and energy security will make reliable progress year after year with this law.

Our Office for Environmental Protection and Energy has compiled all the important information on the Building Energy Act and the replacement of heating systems for you here.

Drawing up an energy utilization plan is the central instrument of municipal heating planning. Our main aim is to develop and implement a greenhouse gas-neutral heat supply at local level. This not only ensures an affordable, sustainable energy supply, but also contributes to the city's climate protection goals. At the same time, we also take into account important issues such as economic efficiency, security of supply and environmental protection when planning.

The heating plan is intended to inform citizens, businesses and institutions about the existing and future options for supplying heat in the district. The municipal heating plan is intended to help them with their individual decisions regarding the type of heating they should choose.

Here: Information on the municipal heating plan of the city of Erlangen

The Nuremberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Middle Franconia provides information on the subject of energy on its own website. Here: Link to the IHK