The Spanish Biomass Association, AVEBIOM, publishes a price comparison between the main energy sources available on the current market for domestic heating, with data from the first half of 2024 to help consumers make informed decisions.
With energy prices experiencing significant fluctuations in recent years, European and Spanish consumers are faced with the need to choose the most suitable energy source to heat their homes. This choice should not be based solely on the current cost, but also on the stability of prices over time and the environmental impact of each option.
Data from EUROSTAT, IDAE, MINETUR and MIBGAS, and the biomass price indices (IPB) prepared by AVEBIOM have been used. quarterly since 2012 for wood pellet, splinter and olive pit.
Solid biofuels: renewable and economical heating
Solid biofuels such as wood pellets, olive bone and the wood chip They remain the most economical and sustainable options for heating in 2024: they offer a significantly lower cost than electricity and fossil fuels, and their price demonstrates greater stability over time.
Thus, in June 2024, the prices of bulk wood pellets and olive stones were below 7 c€/kWh, while wood chips remain the clearly cheaper option, with prices around 3 c€/kWh.
Solid biofuels were the most competitive option for heating in 2022 even at times when pellet and bone prices reached their lowest levels. maxima historical, contrary to the perception of some users. In fact, heating with natural gas in 2022 was 44% more expensive than heating with pellets, and heating with electric radiators, for example, cost three times as much as heating with pellets.
The Prices of solid biofuels to the final consumer began to decline already in December of 2022 and have continued to decline during 2023 and 2024, as reflected in the price index (IPB) prepared by AVEBIOM quarterly for pellets, chips and bones, and the ex Works index for ENplus® pellets in the factory, calculated monthly.
Electricity, the most expensive option
La electricity It remains one of the most expensive options for heating a home. Although prices fell slightly in 2023 and 2024 following the energy crisis of 2022, in June 2024 it stood at around 14 c€/kWh. Even considering its use with a bomba de calor, considering a realistic SCOP of 2,5 (seasonal coefficient of performance), heating with electricity marked the maximum of all technologies with 9,74 c€/kWh in June this year, as reflected in the graph.
Intermittent wind and solar generation and limited interconnection with other European markets are keeping prices high. Although electricity prices are likely to remain lower than their 2022 peaks in the coming months, volatility remains a risk, especially if demand grows faster than renewable generation capacity.
Natural gas and diesel C
As to gas natural, is the third most expensive option for heating in Spain. In June 2024, TUR2 (for contracts >5.000 kWh/year) is around 8,2 c€/kWh.
Although its price has experienced a notable drop in 2023 and 2024, after the historic peaks of 2022, due to the stabilization of the international energy market, the diversification of supply sources and the reduction in demand, it could rise again in the coming months if global demand recovers or if new geopolitical tensions arise. Thus, although at times it is positioned as a competitive option, consumers must be alert to possible fluctuations such as those that have already occurred in previous years.
At 9,18 c€/kWh in June 2024, the diesel C It is the most expensive energy source after the electric heat pump.
Although it is one of the most common options for heating in rural areas and in homes that do not have access to natural gas, its use continues to decline due to the growing adoption of more sustainable alternatives and volatility in fossil fuel market prices.
IPB download:
https://www.avebiom.org/proyectos/indice-precios-biomasa-al-consumidor
https://www.avebiom.org/proyectos/indice-precios-biomasa-ex-works
Download comparative graphs
https://observatoriobiomasa.es
https://es.statista.com/estadisticas/1034934/consumo-de-gasoleo-para-calefaccion-espana/