Energy market 2026: what developments companies can expect
2026 will bring noticeable relief for companies in terms of electricity and gas costs, but many of these measures are temporary. Learn which energy policy changes are ahead, why price volatility will continue to increase and why companies need to make their energy supply more flexible in the long term.
The year 2026 will be shaped by several energy policy developments that affect companies. Regulations on grid charges, taxes and levies will be adjusted or redefined, changing the cost structure and regulatory framework of energy supply.
At the same time, the structural transformation of the energy system continues. The expansion of renewable energy, rising CO₂ prices and increasing volatility in the electricity market mean that companies must design their energy supply to be flexible and resilient in the long term.
Grid charges: federal subsidy reduces electricity costs – temporarily
Grid charges, meaning the fees for transporting electricity via transmission and distribution networks, make up a significant share of electricity bills. In recent years, they have risen sharply due to grid expansion and growing system requirements.
For 2026, the four major transmission system operators will receive a federal subsidy of €6.5 billion from the Climate and Transformation Fund. The corresponding law came into force on 12 December 2025. This subsidy has a price-dampening effect and reduces transmission grid charges, which also benefits companies.
In the long term, however, the subsidy does not change the underlying trend. As renewable energy continues to expand, electricity demand grows and electrification increases, pressure on the grids will keep rising. Grid charges therefore remain a structural cost factor that cannot be permanently offset through subsidies.
Reduced electricity tax for industry and commerce
The electricity tax is a government levy on electricity consumption. In 2026, companies in the manufacturing and commercial sectors will benefit from a significantly reduced tax rate.
An amendment to the Energy and Electricity Tax Act makes the tax reduction permanent at the EU minimum rate of 0.05 cents per kilowatt-hour. The requirement is an annual minimum consumption of 12.5 megawatt-hours. The German Bundestag passed the law on 13 November 2025, and around 600,000 businesses are expected to benefit.
Industrial electricity price: temporary relief for selected companies
In addition, a temporary industrial electricity price will be introduced from 1 January 2026. It is intended to provide relief for particularly electricity-intensive companies. For eligible businesses, electricity prices will be capped at around five cents per kilowatt-hour through government subsidies.
Eligibility is limited to companies in sectors such as steel, paper or chemicals. The measure is restricted to a maximum of three years and is linked to the requirement that at least half of the savings must be invested in decarbonisation and flexibility measures.
Abolition of the gas storage levy relieves industry
The gas storage levy was introduced to finance the costs of securing gas supply. It was charged based on consumption via gas bills and passed on to end customers by suppliers, appearing as a separate levy item and increasing the gas price per kilowatt-hour. From 1 January 2026, the levy is to be abolished entirely.
Overall, consumers and companies will be relieved by more than €3 billion, as the consumption-based surcharge on gas prices will be completely removed. Energy-intensive large customers benefit in particular, as they consume the largest volumes of gas and have therefore paid the highest levy amounts.
This also affects the electricity market. Lower gas prices reduce the operating costs of gas-fired power plants, which are often price-setting due to the merit order effect. In the short term, this could lead to lower electricity prices in 2026.
ETS 2: postponement creates time, but not a pause in transformation
ETS 2, the second European emissions trading system, is intended to price emissions from heating and transport. Its introduction has been postponed to avoid additional burdens and to give companies more time to prepare.
For 2026, this means no additional CO₂ costs from ETS 2. However, the overall direction of climate policy remains unchanged. CO₂ pricing will increasingly influence energy prices and, as a result, business decisions. Measures to reduce CO₂ emissions are therefore becoming more important, such as aligning electricity consumption more closely with the availability of renewable energies by using smart energy management systems.
Overall picture for 2026: relief today, pressure to adapt tomorrow
Taken together, these measures will relieve consumers and companies by around €10 billion in 2026. This relief is important and provides breathing space.
At the same time, most of these measures are temporary. Subsidies, grants and tax reductions cannot permanently offset structural change. As renewable energy expands further, electrification increases and CO₂ costs rise, energy prices will become more volatile and more system-driven.
What does this mean for companies?
For companies, the outlook for 2026 has two sides: short-term relief and long-term need for action. Those who rely solely on government measures risk being unprepared for rising prices and new market requirements.
This is precisely why flexibility in electricity consumption is becoming increasingly important. Companies that automatically control their energy use, shift loads, integrate their own generation and use storage intelligently can reduce CO₂ emissions, lower energy costs in the long term and position themselves for the future, independent of short-term political interventions.
Such solutions make companies more resilient to price fluctuations, strengthen competitiveness and prepare them for the next phase of the energy transition.
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