The energy crisis and the debate about the new building energy law have given heating manufacturers record sales. In the second half of the year, oil and gas heating systems were particularly in demand.
The heating industry sold more heaters in Germany last year than ever before. The number of heat generators sold increased by 34 percent to more than 1.3 million in 2023 compared to the previous year, reported the Federal Association of the German Heating Industry (BDH) in Cologne. The medium “Welt” had previously reported. The association did not provide any information about the sales achieved.
The record result was characterized by advance and special effects, according to the BDH. Manufacturers recorded a boom in demand for heat pumps in the first half of the year. The association sees the reason for this as, among other things, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and consumers' concerns about a possible gas shortage.
In the second half of the year, the debate about the amendment to the Building Energy Act (GEG) and future funding led to increased demand for the modernization of oil and gas heating systems. Meanwhile, sales of heat pumps have declined.
Heating technology components such as radiators, underfloor heating or ventilation systems would not have benefited from the boom. The association sees the collapse in new construction activity as the main reason for this.
Decline in heat pump sales expected
The majority of systems sold were gas heaters (60 percent). The share of heat pumps was 27 percent. Another almost 9 percent were oil heating systems. Biomass heating systems accounted for almost 4 percent. There was a slump in sales compared to the previous year – especially for pellet heating systems (minus 57 percent).
While 356,000 heat pumps were sold nationwide in 2023, the association expects a decline in sales this year. “We expect sales this year to be at the level of 2022,” said BDH managing director Markus Staudt to the medium. According to BDH, 236,000 systems were sold in Germany at that time.
“With the GEG and the new funding guidelines coming into force, there is now finally planning security for all market participants and, above all, for consumers,” said Staudt, according to the announcement.
