Gas providers

Does anyone know if there are other providers for gas the way there is for electricity? I haven't even done a simple search yet, feeling a bit cross-eyed from doing some other online research. I figured someone here might know the answer already.

So, I'll take the lack of response for a no.

I don't think so showem, I've never heard tell of any and a quick search didn't turn up anything. Stuck with SWM I'm afraid.

There are alternatives...but..

We tried to use Best Energy i think just for electric. However first of all they were not that efficient in the admin department. But worse of all, this applied to us because we just moved into a new flat. You have to continue with SWM for 12 months before you can decide to change to a different supplier, don't ask me why, thems the rules. German competion again..ain't it great!

Hope that helps

Pardon my utter utter ignorance of anything atall that goes on in this country, but you can get gas in Germany???

I was not aware of this. Mains gas? Can I get out my sledgehammer, destroy the crappy electric 'oven' we have, and get a proper gas cooker??
Or is it just those little canisters that you have to change every 2 days?

No Don, it's real gas mate - I have a gas oven and gas hob at home myself. Can't use the bugger as I can't cook, but I have the appliances required.

You can get gas, but we have an electric oven and gas heating the water.

The first alternative gas provider has appeared in Munich - E WIE EINFACH Strom & Gas GmbH They guarantee to be 0.24cents per kWh less than your main local provider, have a price fix for 2 years and have no minimum contract terms. Cancel with one months notice. They also offer electricity under similar terms (1cent/kWh less) than the local provider). The downside? They are a subsidiary of E.ON who for many IS the local provider, and at the end of the day you'll be saving only around €20 a year on gas (based on an average family house consuming 8000kWh for heating of house and water).

This does at least signal the opening up of the gas market in Bavaria, so might promote other suppliers to join the game.

That's interesting, especially since gas isn't measured in kW/h but either BTU or m³. Measuring gas in kW/h is like weighing yourself in ^(V/sec)/_parsec.

woof.

Nobody is measuring gas consumption - only power consumption. As per "DVGW Arbeitsblatt G 685 Gasabrechnung" (no link I am afraid as you need to buy it, but you can read more about it here) gas is invoiced in kWh in Germany, predominantly to provide the consumer with a comparison for other fuels.

Q = Vb * z * Ho,n

Q = Energy delivered (kWh)
Vb = Volume in m3
z = Normalised multiplicator factor.
Ho,n (Declared) Calorific value under normalised conditions (Temp 2273,25K =0°C pressure 1.013,25 mbar).

Weird, because my gas invoice is based on volume. I also don't buy the "normalised multiplication factor".

woof.

If you download the E-ON price lists (example here) there is no mention of cubic capacity as a basis for charging

Not weird at all. Gas is normally sold in terms of its energy potential i.e. ( MJ, BTUs etc). Volume (m3 etc) is not normally used as the calorific value of the gas varies depending on its composition and people are paying for the energy potential and not the volume, Additionally there are significant volume changes with varying temperature and pressure. This is where the normalised multiplication factor comes in. ( I'd like to see what delivery pressure and temperature they use is as I'm sure they bias it towards the supplier and not the consumer)

To be honest I've never seen it sold in terms of kWh either. However, the kWh is an essentially contrived unit anyhow. 1kWh = 3.600 MJ

I guess they use it to "help" consumers compare energy prices as it's what they would see on their electricity bills.