Published: 26. 1. 2024

The 2023 heating season was the third warmest since 2010, with an average temperature of 6.94 °C from January to May and 6.94 °C from September to December. The heating season temperature in 2023 was 1 degree higher than the long-term average from 2010 to 2022. According to preliminary data, heat supply has fallen by 6% year-on-year, similar to the fall in the number of day-days that determines the climatic intensity of the heating season.

In 2023, the heating conditions were met in 220 days compared to 234 days in 2022 with a decade average of 236 days. This is a 6% year-on-year decrease, which corresponds to a 6.7% reduction in heating demand measured in terms of the number of daylight hours. Last year, February and May were the coldest months year-on-year, while April and November were comparable. On the other hand, September and October were significantly warmer year-on-year, with only 17 days of heating compared to 44 days in 2022 (the long-term average is 40 days), and January was the third warmest since 1961 with an average temperature of 2.2 °C. According to preliminary data, heat supply also fell by 6% year-on-year nationwide. This means that the reduction in heat supply in 2023 is almost entirely due to warmer weather. Compared to the long-term average of 2010 to 2022, 2023 was 10% less heating intensive (warmer).

“The year 2023 was 6.7% less heating intensive than 2022 and heat supply fell by 6% year-on-year according to preliminary data. Compared to the long-term average, heating demand last year was 10% lower. With correctly set deposits, households can expect mostly modest overpayments in the final heat supply bill for 2023,” said Martin Hájek, Director of the Heating Association of the Czech Republic.

It is interesting to compare the heating consumption of households for November 2022 and 2023, which were almost identical climatically. In November 2023, heat consumption was 6% higher than in 2022, corresponding to a 1°C increase in apartment temperature.

“A comparison of heat consumption in November 2023 with the same month in 2022 shows a 6% increase in heat consumption, even though the two months were almost identical in temperature. This indicates that people are gradually returning to normal, and have slightly increased the temperature in the apartments. We will see whether the next months of the current heating season will confirm this trend,” adds Martin Hájek.

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