CO2 Price Calculator 2026
Calculate CO2 costs for heating oil, gas, petrol & diesel – €55/tonne CO2 price 2026, with forecast to 2028
As of September 2026Basis: BEHG (national emissions trading)Calculated in your browser – your inputs are not transmitted and are kept on this device only if you choose
Adjust consumption7.5 L/100 km
Default for Petrol compact: 7.5 L/100 km
CO₂ price 2026 and assumption from 20272026: €55/t · from 2027 assumed: €55/t
Statutory corridor €55–65/t (Section 10(2) BEHG); the price is set at auction
From 2027 there is no statutory price (market price, EU ETS 2) – this figure is an assumption, not a forecast
Your CO₂ costs 2026
€23.60 per month
€283.14
€283.14You cause 5.15 t of CO₂ per year. At €55 per tonne you pay €165.83 for heating and €117.32 for driving.
- Heating€165.8359%
- Car€117.3241%
CO₂ compared with the average±0 kg
Your household: 5.15 t · German average: 5.15 t
Tips to cut CO₂
Optimize heating
Lowering the room temperature by 1°C saves about 6% of heating energy. Hydraulic balancing can save up to 15%.
Save fuel
Anticipatory driving can save 10-20% fuel. Check tire pressure and remove roof boxes.
Use alternatives
Bicycles, public transport or carpooling for shorter distances reduce CO2 and costs.
RZ-26 · headon.pro
Forecast 2025–2028
CO₂ costs per year at the same consumption.
2025€55/t
2026 (current)€55/t
2027 (assumption)€55/t
2028 (assumption)€55/t
How this was calculated
- Heating (Natural gas)15,000 kWh
- 3.02 t · €165.83
- Car (12,000 km/year)7.5 L/100 km
- 2.13 t · €117.32
- Total
- 5.15 t · €283.14
Calculation: emissions (t) × CO₂ price (€55 per tonne)
- The CO2 price in 2026 is EUR 55/tonne (price corridor EUR 55-65)
- The costs are passed on to heating oil, natural gas and fuels
- From 2027, national trading will be transitioned into EU ETS 2
The CO2 Price 2026: What You Need to Know
The CO2 price is a levy on the emission of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels. Since 2021, it has been charged in Germany under the Fuel Emissions Trading Act (BEHG). The costs are passed on to heating oil, natural gas, petrol and diesel.
In 2026 the CO2 price is 55 euros per tonne of CO2 (price corridor 55-65 EUR). That is the same level as 2025. Every household that heats with fossil fuels or drives a combustion-engine car is directly affected.
CO2 Price Development in Germany
- 2024: EUR 45/t
- Jump from EUR 30
- 2025: EUR 55/t
- Further increase
- 2026: EUR 55/t
- Current price (corridor)
- 2027+: EU ETS 2
- European trading system
Calculating CO2 costs for heating
- Annual gas consumption
- 15,000 kWh
- CO2 emission factor gas
- 0.201 kg/kWh
- CO2 emissions per year
- 3,015 kg = 3.015 t
- CO2 price 2026
- EUR 55/t
- Annual CO2 costs for heating
- EUR 165.83
The CO2 emission factors determine how much CO2 is released per unit consumed. Natural gas produces around 0.201 kg of CO2 per kWh, heating oil around 2.65 kg of CO2 per liter (approx. 0.266 kg/kWh).
Heat pumps produce no direct CO2 and are therefore exempt from the CO2 levy. The electricity for the heat pump is priced separately, but is significantly cheaper than the CO2 costs of fossil heating systems.
Calculating CO2 costs for cars
- Annual mileage
- 12,000 km
- Consumption
- 7.5 L/100km
- Annual petrol consumption
- 900 liters
- CO2 emission factor petrol
- 2.37 kg/L
- CO2 emissions per year
- 2,133 kg = 2.13 t
- CO2 price 2026
- EUR 55/t
- Annual CO2 costs for car
- EUR 117.32
Petrol produces around 2.37 kg of CO2 per liter, diesel around 2.65 kg of CO2 per liter. The higher value for diesel is partly offset by the lower consumption of diesel vehicles.
Electric cars produce no direct CO2 costs through fuel. While electricity production does have a CO2 footprint, electric cars are exempt from fossil CO2 pricing.
What influences your CO2 costs?
Factors influencing CO2 costs
- 1Heating typeHeating oil produces more CO2 than natural gas. Heat pumps are CO2-free.
- 2Building conditionPoorly insulated buildings have higher heating energy consumption.
- 3Annual mileageThe more kilometers driven per year, the higher the car CO2 costs.
- 4Vehicle typeSUVs consume more than compact cars. Electric cars avoid fossil CO2 costs.
- 5Driving styleAnticipatory driving can save 10-20% fuel.
- 6CO2 price developmentThe price rises every year. From 2026, a price corridor of EUR 55-65 applies.
How to reduce your CO2 costs
Optimize heating: Lowering the room temperature by 1 degree saves around 6% of heating energy. Hydraulic balancing of the heating system can save up to 15%. Insulation and modern windows permanently reduce demand.
Replace heating system: Heat pumps are the most effective solution. They produce no direct CO2 and are subsidized by the state with up to 70% of the costs. In the long run, you save not only on the CO2 levy but also on fuel costs.
Switch mobility: Electric cars avoid fossil CO2 costs entirely and, since 2026, are subsidized with up to EUR 6,000 through the income-tiered German EV purchase subsidy (BAFA). For shorter distances, bicycles, e-bikes or public transport are the cheapest alternatives.
Savings potential through measures
- Lower heating by 1 degree
- About 6% less consumption and CO2
- Hydraulic balancing
- Up to 15% savings possible
- Heat pump instead of oil
- 100% of fossil CO2 costs eliminated
- Electric car instead of combustion engine
- 100% of fuel CO2 costs eliminated
Frequently asked questions about the CO2 price
Everything important about the CO2 levy at a glance
How high is the CO2 price in 2026?
The CO2 price in Germany is 55 euros per tonne of CO2 in 2026. A price corridor of 55–65 EUR applies; the actual price is determined by the national emissions trading scheme (BEHG). The costs are passed on to fossil fuels such as heating oil, natural gas, petrol and diesel.
How much does the CO2 levy cost for heating?
Natural gas produces about 0.201 kg of CO2 per kWh. At EUR 55/tonne, that amounts to around 1.1 cents in extra costs per kWh of gas. A typical household consuming 15,000 kWh of gas therefore pays around EUR 166 in CO2 levy per year. For heating oil (2.65 kg CO2/liter), it is around 14.6 cents extra per liter.
What does the CO2 price cost for petrol and diesel?
Petrol produces about 2.37 kg of CO2 per liter, diesel about 2.65 kg of CO2 per liter. At EUR 55/tonne CO2, that means around 13 cents more per liter of petrol and about 14.6 cents more per liter of diesel. At 12,000 km of annual mileage and 7 L/100km consumption, that adds up to around EUR 110 in extra costs per year.
How do I calculate CO2 costs for heating?
Formula: annual consumption (kWh or liters) × CO2 emission factor (kg/kWh or kg/liter) ÷ 1,000 × CO2 price (EUR 55/tonne). Our calculator performs this calculation automatically for gas, heating oil, petrol and diesel.
How will the CO2 price develop until 2028?
In 2026 and 2027, a price corridor of 55–65 EUR per tonne of CO2 applies under the national BEHG. From 2027, the national emissions trading scheme will gradually be merged into the European EU ETS 2, which may lead to further price increases from 2028 onward, as the price will then depend more strongly on the European market.
Who pays the CO2 price for rented apartments?
Since 2023, the CO2 price has been split between tenants and landlords using a tiered model (CO2KostAufG). What matters is the building's CO2 output per square meter of living space per year: the higher it is, the higher the landlord's share. For very low-emission buildings, the tenant pays up to 100%, while for very emission-intensive buildings, the landlord covers up to 95% of the CO2 costs.
How can I save on CO2 costs?
The most effective measures: upgrading your heating system to a heat pump (up to 70% federal subsidy), building insulation, switching to an electric car or public transport, and more fuel-efficient driving. Every tonne of CO2 saved saves EUR 55 – and rising. In the long run, investments in climate-friendly alternatives therefore pay off twice over.