In 2025 the German heating industry recorded the lowest sales figures since 2010, with 627,000 heating devices sold nationwide. The decline was steep: sales of all device categories fell 12%, a double‑digit loss according to the annual report of the German Heating Association (BDH), as reported by “Welt am Sonntag”.
The sector’s flagship product, the gas condensing boiler, saw a 36 % drop, with only 229,000 units sold. Oil‑fired heaters, which had surged during the 2022 war‑related energy crisis, collapsed further, with sales falling 74 % to just 22,500 units last year.
Sales of biomass systems, however, experienced a 23 % rise from a low starting point. Wood‑pellet stoves grew particularly strongly, up 38 %. Yet the overall market share of 29,000 biomass burners remains under 5 %.
Heat pumps enjoyed a pronounced rebound. They were installed around 299,000 times in 2025, marking a 55 % increase year‑on‑year. This growth allowed them to surpass the gas condensing boiler as the most popular heating choice in Germany, although conventional gas heating still dominates the existing building stock.
Markus Staudt, the BDH’s chief executive, called the situation “difficult” and warned that the industry faces significant economic challenges. He urged the government to establish stable legal regulations and incentive schemes, or else the industry will likely resort to staff reductions and short‑time work measures.
