High energy prices have boosted the trade in coal briquettes in Saxony. Now there is hardly any replenishment here either and the prices have risen enormously.
Leipzig (dpa/sn) - Since the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the demand for solid fuels such as wood and coal briquettes has increased significantly in Saxony. "The traders have already sold significantly more quantities than in recent years and now have no more stocks," said Raimond Senzel, chairman of the Saxon fuel and mineral oil trade association. In terms of availability and price development, the situation is very tense.
Senzel estimates that the trade delivered around 40 percent more briquettes than in the previous year. Those who previously only lit their fireplace at Christmas now switch to continuous operation and now use two tons instead of 300 kilograms per year.
On the website of coal dealer Jürgen Enze in Leipzig, almost all products say "currently not available". There has been an acceptance freeze for some products since August. "I've ordered a lot, but only get a fraction and have to put off my customers again and again. Some people will freeze in winter because they can't get any more coal." He himself fears for his existence. "It's almost a professional ban." The prices have also increased significantly. Last year, a hundredweight of Lausitzer Rekord briquettes cost 12.50 euros, this year it is 22 euros.
The raw coal is used for the power supply and hardly ever for the production of briquettes, emphasized Tom Adametz from the fuel trade Kohlen Sparen in Grimma. "Right now, in the energy crisis and with the extremely high cost of gas, we need significantly more coal for the stoves in the apartments." It hits the many people with a low income particularly hard, who often live in apartments that have not been renovated to a particularly high standard and who have no alternative to the coal stove.
"I have customers queuing up, but I already had to ration the delivery amount to 500 kilograms per person," emphasized Adametz. You can get by with the amount for a while, but it is by no means enough for the whole winter. In addition, the prices have doubled compared to the previous year.
According to the association, there are two basic reasons for the bottleneck in lignite briquettes. With the cessation of production in the Rhenish mining area at the end of last year, around 50 percent of the market share is no longer covered. In addition, since the war in Ukraine and the resulting dramatic increase in the cost of gas and heating oil, many consumers have switched to solid fuel systems.
According to the head of the association, Senzel, things are not looking any better for wood fuel either. About 30 percent of the imports with a focus on wood briquettes have therefore failed this year due to the consequences of the war. For example, Bosnia, also a major exporter of wood fuel, has had an export ban on all types of fuel for months.
