Sales of heating systems and equipment have fallen significantly. According to experts, consumers are unsure about which heating systems are the best choice.
The market for new heating systems continues to weaken. According to the Federal Association of the German Heating Industry (BDH), manufacturers sold a total of 39 percent fewer heat generators by May 2024 than in the same period last year.
BDH General Manager Markus Staudt believes the main reason lies in the uncertainty caused by last year's debate about the Building Energy Act. Many people are also unsure about which technical solutions the law allows and what the new government funding looks like, explains Staudt.
Heat pumps are particularly badly affected. Sales here fell by 52 percent to 74,000 units. This is a major setback for manufacturers, who, together with the federal government, had set themselves the goal of selling 500,000 heat pumps annually from 2024. Manufacturers now expect to install only up to 200,000 heat pumps this year. However, this heating method recorded a slight increase again towards the end of the quarter.
According to the BDH, other heating methods that are considered environmentally friendly alternatives to oil and gas heating are also currently experiencing a decline in demand. Overall, sales of biomass heating systems fell by 79 percent. Demand for pellet heating systems even shrank by up to 81 percent. This means that only 4,000 of these heating systems were sold.
This negative development also affects other heating system components. For example, 58 percent fewer solar thermal systems were sold and sales of ventilation systems with heat recovery fell by 50 percent. Radiators and underfloor heating systems also recorded declining sales figures.
Manufacturers are also seeing a significant drop in demand for gas heating systems. Only for oil heating systems does the level remain relatively stable.
