By Checkalle Energy Team · Last updated:
CO2 Price Germany 2026
Corridor €55–65 per tonne, auctions at €65
Germany's CO2 price for 2026 sits by law between €55 and €65 per tonne. Since 1 July the government has been auctioning the certificates at the EEX in Leipzig, and every auction so far has cleared at the top of the range: €65. Petrol, diesel, heating oil and natural gas got more expensive as a result. Here is what that means for you and where you can push back.
Key Takeaways
- Legal corridor for 2026: €55 to €65 per tonne of CO₂. Every auction so far cleared at the €65 cap (as of 5 September 2026).
- Auctions have run every Wednesday at the EEX since 1 July. Because the €65 rule doubles the daily volume, the industry association MEW expects the annual volume to be sold out by 9 September. Post-auction sale: 3 November to 3 December at €68.
- At €65/t: petrol +18.5 ct/L, diesel +20.7 ct/L, heating oil +20.7 ct/L, natural gas +1.4 ct/kWh (all including VAT).
- There is no Klimageld in 2026. Relief comes through lower grid fees (federal subsidy €6.5 billion) and the abolished gas storage levy.
- 2027 keeps the €55 to €65 corridor (cabinet decision of 12 August 2026, parliament still to vote). From 2028 the EU-wide ETS 2 takes over, without a legal floor price.
CO2 Price Germany 2026 Table: Surcharges for All Fuels
The €65 auction price is what fuel suppliers actually pay in 2026. The €68 column applies to certificates from the post-auction sale. The €55 minimum never came into play. All figures include VAT (sources: Finanztip, updated 28 August 2026; DEHSt).
| Fuel | Auction price €65/t | Post-auction €68/t | Example household | Extra cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Petrol | +18.5 ct/L | +19.4 ct/L | 15,000 km, 7 L/100 km | about €195 |
Diesel | +20.7 ct/L | +21.6 ct/L | 15,000 km, 6 L/100 km | about €185 |
Heating oil | +20.7 ct/L | +21.6 ct/L | 2,000 L a year | about €414 |
Natural gas | +1.4 ct/kWh | +1.5 ct/kWh | 15,000 kWh a year | about €210 |
Yearly figures are surcharge times consumption at €65/t, rounded. The €68 post-auction price applies from 3 November to 3 December 2026 (source: DEHSt).
CO2 Price Trajectory 2021–2028
From a fixed price (until 2025) to corridor auctions (2026 and 2027) to the EU market ETS 2 (from 2028).
EEX Auction 2026: How the Price Forms
Germany's CO2 price in 2026 is set in weekly auctions: the federal government auctions the emission certificates (nEZ) every Wednesday at the EEX energy exchange in Leipzig, bounded by the legal corridor of €55 to €65 per tonne. Until 2025 the CO₂ price was still written into the law: €25 at the start in 2021, €55 most recently. Since 2026 there is only this frame. The government auctions the certificates (nEZ) at the EEX in Leipzig, and the law sets a minimum of €55 and a maximum of €65 (BEHG section 10). The 2026 calendar holds 192,085,240 certificates in total, 10,671,000 per auction, every Wednesday between 1 and 3 pm (DEHSt).
Who bids? The companies that put petrol, diesel, heating oil or natural gas on the market: oil majors, gas importers, heating oil dealers. They must surrender one certificate for every tonne of CO₂ their fuels cause. They pass the cost on, which is why the auction price shows up at the pump and on your gas bill.
The decisive special rule is the €65 rule: if the clearing price hits the cap, the DEHSt may allocate up to twice the planned volume at that auction. That is exactly what happened at the first auction and at every one since. That is why the annual volume runs out much earlier than the schedule, which originally stretched to the end of October.
Anyone who still needs certificates after the auction phase buys them in the post-auction sale: from 3 November to (provisionally) 3 December 2026, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at a fixed €68 (DEHSt). That price is the ceiling for 2026.
CO2 Price Germany 2026 at Auction: Every Clearing Price at €65 So Far
The first auction on 1 July 2026 set the tone. According to the DEHSt, 101 participants bid for almost 292 million certificates, about 21.3 million were allocated, and revenue came to almost €1.4 billion. By the sixth auction on 5 August, demand had grown to about 535 million certificates according to the industry association MEW, and the allocation ratio dropped to just under 4 percent.
| Date | Clearing price | Allocated volume | Bid volume | Allocation ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2026 (auction 1) | €65.00 | 21.34 million nEZ | 291.71 million nEZ | 7.32 % |
| 8 July to 5 August (auctions 2 to 6) | €65.00 | doubled (€65 rule) | up to about 535 million nEZ | just under 4 % |
As of 5 September 2026. Sources: DEHSt, news of 2 July 2026; EEX press release on the first nEHS auction (21,341,599 nEZ, 291.71 million nEZ in bids, allocation ratio 7.32 %); MEW press release of 5 August 2026 (auctions 2 to 6). The EEX publishes the individual results of every auction in its market data.
What does that mean for you? For 2026 you can count on €65 per tonne. The table above shows the surcharges for exactly that price. The auction window originally planned until 28 October will not be used up, according to MEW's calculation: eleven auctions instead of 18, the last one expected on 9 September. A supplier who has to buy after that pays €68, which is about 0.9 cents per litre more on heating oil.
CO2 Price 2027: The Corridor Stays at €55 to €65
The CO2 price for 2027 stays in the €55 to €65 corridor under the cabinet decision of 12 August 2026, exactly as in 2026. For a long time it was unclear whether the 2027 auctions would run without any price frame. On 12 August 2026 the federal cabinet adopted the draft of a third amendment to the BEHG. Under it, 2027 also gets a corridor of €55 to €65 per tonne, with the same auction mechanics as in 2026 (BMUKN, draft law). The prices for surplus volumes and for post-auction purchases are to rise by €5 each.
It is not law yet. The draft has to pass the Bundestag and the Bundesrat, and the debates are scheduled for autumn. Until then the statute contains no corridor for 2027. We will update this page once the law is published in the Federal Law Gazette.
In practice: if the 2027 auctions run like 2026, the price stays at €65 and so do the surcharges in the table above. Heating costs in 2027 should therefore change little on the CO₂ side, which helps when you pick a gas tariff; the CO₂ share you see in our gas prices 2026 overview carries over to next year.
Klimageld 2026: What Happened to the Promise?
In short: no Klimageld will be paid in 2026.
In 2021 the previous coalition promised to return part of the CO₂ revenue to everyone as a flat payment. It never happened. The current coalition agreement does not mention the term at all (Finanztip, updated 28 May 2026).
The auction revenue, almost €1.4 billion from the first auction alone, goes into the Climate and Transformation Fund (KTF). It pays for the heating subsidy and building renovation programmes, among other things. None of it lands in your bank account.
There is relief in 2026, just somewhere else. The federal government subsidises transmission grid fees with €6.5 billion; a household using 3,500 kilowatt hours of electricity saves roughly €100 a year as a result. The gas storage levy was abolished on 1 January 2026. For 2027 to 2029, €5.525 billion a year is planned (German government, 3 September 2026).
Bottom line: if you heat with gas or oil and drive a lot, you pay more in 2026 than the grid fee relief gives back. The rest is on you: check your electricity and gas tariff, cut consumption, or replace the heating system (source: Finanztip, updated 28 August 2026).
ETS 2 from 2028: What Comes After the German CO2 Price?
From 2028 the EU-wide ETS 2 replaces the German CO2 price for buildings and road transport; there is no legal minimum price there as in Germany. The national system is therefore a transitional arrangement. In 2028 the EU-wide ETS 2 takes over trading for buildings and road transport; according to the European Commission the system will then be fully operational (European Commission, 2 September 2026). The German corridor ends after 2027.
ETS 2 has no legal minimum price like Germany's. The EU relies on a market stability reserve to dampen spikes: if the price exceeds €45 (in 2020 prices, so adjusted for inflation) during the first two years, additional allowances are released to the market. There is no brake on the way down.
For you this means the price of heating oil, gas, petrol and diesel from 2028 depends on the European market, not on a German law. Whether it ends up above or below today's €65 cannot be predicted seriously. Anyone who has moved to a heat pump or district heating by then is not affected; our heat pump vs gas comparison shows how the switch adds up.
Tenant or Landlord: Who Pays the CO2 Price on Heating?
If you rent and heat with gas, heating oil or LPG, you have not paid the CO₂ price alone since 2023. The CO₂ Cost Allocation Act (CO2KostAufG) splits the cost by the building's energy performance: the more CO₂ per square metre of living space, the larger the landlord's share. The landlord works out the figure in the annual heating bill and shows your share there (CO2KostAufG section 5 and annex).
| CO₂ emissions in kg per m² and year | Tenant share | Landlord share |
|---|---|---|
| below 12 | 100 % | 0 % |
| 12 to below 17 | 90 % | 10 % |
| 17 to below 22 | 80 % | 20 % |
| 22 to below 27 | 70 % | 30 % |
| 27 to below 32 | 60 % | 40 % |
| 32 to below 37 | 50 % | 50 % |
| 37 to below 42 | 40 % | 60 % |
| 42 to below 47 | 30 % | 70 % |
| 47 to below 52 | 20 % | 80 % |
| 52 and above | 5 % | 95 % |
An example from the table: if the building comes in at 45 kilograms of CO₂ per square metre and year, the landlord carries 70 percent of the CO₂ cost. Below 12 kilograms everything stays with the tenant. Check your next heating bill for the split; if it is missing, the law lets you cut your share of the heating costs by 3 percent (CO2KostAufG section 7 paragraph 4). The table does not apply to flats with district heating or a heat pump, because no BEHG fuel is burned there.
How to Offset CO2 Costs in 2026
At €65/t and 15,000 kWh of gas you pay about €210 more a year. You cannot change the CO₂ share itself, it is the same with every supplier. The rest of the bill you can.
Compare gas
The CO₂ price hits every gas supplier equally. Standing charge, unit price and new customer bonus differ a lot. What suppliers currently charge is in our gas prices 2026 overview.
Long term: replace the heating system
Heat pumps, pellet boilers and district heating from renewables sidestep the CO₂ price completely. Since 21 July 2026 the KfW funds heating replacement under programme 458 with a 30 percent base grant, a 16 percent speed bonus and an income bonus of 10 to 40 percent; the total is capped at 70 percent, or 80 percent for households with taxable income up to €30,000 (KfW 458). Our heat pump vs gas comparison shows whether it pays off for your house; smaller steps without investment are in our guide to what changes in Germany in 2026.
FAQ: CO2 Price Germany 2026
What is the CO2 price in Germany in 2026?
By law, 2026 has a price corridor of €55 to €65 per tonne of CO2 (BEHG section 10). In the auctions at the EEX in Leipzig, every clearing price so far has been the €65 cap (as of 5 September 2026, per DEHSt and EEX). Anyone buying after the auction phase pays a fixed €68 per certificate.
When do the EEX auctions for CO2 certificates run in 2026?
The first auction was on 1 July 2026, then every Wednesday from 1 to 3 pm. Auctions were scheduled until 28 October. Because a clearing price of €65 doubles the daily volume, the annual volume of about 192 million certificates sells out faster: according to the industry association MEW, the auction phase is expected to end as early as 9 September. A post-auction sale at €68 runs from 3 November to 3 December.
How much more does petrol cost because of the 2026 CO2 price?
At €65 per tonne, the price of every auction so far, it is about 18.5 cents per litre of petrol including VAT. At the legal minimum of €55 it would be 15.4 cents. Driving 15,000 km a year at 7 litres per 100 km adds roughly €190 a year.
What is the CO2 surcharge on heating oil in 2026?
Heating oil costs 20.7 cents per litre more because of the CO2 price (at €65 per tonne, including VAT). At the €55 minimum it would be 17.3 cents. A household burning 2,000 litres a year pays about €414 extra in 2026.
Will the Klimageld be paid out in 2026?
No. The Klimageld (a per-head climate dividend) was never introduced, and the current coalition agreement does not mention it (Finanztip, updated 28 August 2026). CO2 revenue goes into the Climate and Transformation Fund. Relief in 2026 comes another way: the federal government subsidises transmission grid fees with €6.5 billion, which cuts the bill of a household using 3,500 kWh of electricity by roughly €100, and the gas storage levy was abolished on 1 January 2026 (German government, 3 September 2026).
What is the difference between the nEHS and ETS 2?
The nEHS (Germany's national emissions trading system) covers buildings and transport and runs until the end of 2027. From 2028 the EU-wide ETS 2 takes over the same sectors with one European price. There is no legal minimum price in ETS 2. Instead, a market stability reserve kicks in: if the price exceeds €45 (in 2020 prices, so adjusted for inflation) during the first two years, extra allowances are released (European Commission, 2 September 2026).
How can I reduce my CO2 costs in 2026?
Four levers work right away: pick a cheaper electricity or gas provider, switch to green electricity (electricity is outside the national CO2 price anyway), cut consumption, and replace the heating system with KfW funding. How much a provider switch saves depends on your current tariff; the comparison shows the difference for your usage.
Does the CO2 price hit pellet heaters and heat pumps too?
No. Wood pellets are not on the BEHG fuel list, and heat pumps run on electricity, which is not part of the national emissions trading system. If you switch in 2026, you no longer pay the CO2 price on fuel.
What will the CO2 price be in 2027?
Under the draft law the federal cabinet adopted on 12 August 2026, the corridor stays at €55 to €65 per tonne in 2027. The prices for surplus volumes and post-auction purchases are to rise by €5 each. The Bundestag and Bundesrat still have to approve it (as of September 2026).
Who pays the CO2 price in a rented flat, tenant or landlord?
Since 2023 tenants and landlords split the CO2 cost under the CO2 Cost Allocation Act (CO2KostAufG). The worse the building's energy performance, the larger the landlord's share: from 0 percent below 12 kg of CO2 per square metre and year to 95 percent from 52 kg. The landlord settles it through the annual heating bill.
Sources
- Fuel Emissions Trading Act (BEHG) section 10, price corridor 2026
- DEHSt, nEHS sale and auction (dates, volumes, post-auction sale at €68)
- DEHSt, first nEHS auction completed successfully (2 July 2026)
- EEX, German nEHS: auction calendar and results
- MEW Mittelständische Energiewirtschaft, press release of 5 August 2026 (auctions 2 to 6, end on 9 September)
- BMUKN, third amendment to the BEHG (cabinet decision of 12 August 2026)
- German government, lower grid fees (3 September 2026)
- Finanztip, CO₂ tax / CO₂ price 2026 for heating and driving (updated 28 August 2026)
- KfW, heating subsidy for private individuals (458), conditions from 21 July 2026
- European Commission, ETS2: buildings, road transport and additional sectors (2 September 2026)
- CO₂ Cost Allocation Act (CO2KostAufG), sections 5 and 7 and annex
- German Environment Agency (UBA), first auctions in the national emissions trading system