Energy: Help and tips

From January 1, 2025, Erlangen's municipal utilities will have to raise electricity and natural gas prices for their customers. A year ago, there was still some very positive news: the energy prices in most electricity tariffs were reduced by around 25 percent. And there was also a noticeable reduction in gas prices. Now the overall costs (procurement, grid fees, charges, levies and taxes) are rising. This leads to higher energy prices per kilowatt hour (kWh). The basic prices remain unchanged.

For a family of three with an electricity consumption of 3,000 kWh, the increase will result in additional annual costs of around 100 euros. The savings as of January 1, 2024 were around 330 euros. The costs for natural gas will increase by around 170 euros for an annual consumption of 15,000 kWh.

All customers have been or will be informed by post with individual letters. All prices have also been adjusted accordingly in the relevant price sheets and on the Erlanger Stadtwerke website.

Further information on energy prices and valuable energy-saving tips can be found at

• www.estw.de/energiepreise and
• www.estw.de/energiespartipps.

The contact details for Erlanger Stadtwerke's energy advisors can be found online at www.estw.de/ebz.

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 Erlangen 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 e-mail at: forderungen@estw.de.

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 important issues such as economic efficiency, security of supply and environmental protection into account 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