Energy Statistics

The energy statistics activities by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) comprise:

• collection and dissemination of international energy statistics, including basic data as well as aggregated tables, energy balances and electricity profiles;
• methodological work
• technical co-operation and coordination

UNSD collects energy statistics from more than 190 countries and updates and maintains the Energy Statistics Database which contains energy statistics for the period 1950-2008 for more than 250 countries and regions. The statistics cover production, trade, transformation and final consumption (end-use) for a range of primary and secondary energy products derived from conventional and non-conventional or renewable energy sources.

The UNSD Annual Questionnaire on Energy Statistics is sent every year to national statistical offices, ministries of energy or other authorities responsible for energy statistics in the country.

The Energy Statistics Database covering the period 1990-2008 is also available in non-aggregated format on-line through the UNSD data service 'UNdata' (http://data.un.org).

The UN Energy Statistics flagship publications:

The annual publication Energy Statistics Yearbook is a collection of international comparable energy statistics on the supply of primary and secondary forms of energy.
The annual publication Energy Balances and Electricity Profiles presents energy data for selected countries in a format showing the total picture of energy production, transformation and consumption of energy products within the country.

Statistics on the production of hard coal, lignite, crude petroleum, natural gas and electricity are collected on a monthly basis and are available from the Monthly Bulletin of Statistics Online. Aggregated data on annual production, trade and apparent consumption of primary energy products are also published in the UNSD Statistical Yearbook.

UNSD is involved in the Joint Oil Data Initiative (JODI) with the Asia Pacific Energy Research Center (APEC), EUROSTAT, the International Energy Agency (IEA/OECD), the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the International Energy Forum Secretariat (IEFS). The JODI world database can be accessed at http://www.jodidata.org/db.shtm.

UNSD is also involved in developing concepts and methods in the domain of energy statistics to ensure international comparability of energy data and organizes regional seminars, workshops to enhance national statistical capacity building in energy statistics.

The key publications on methodology of the section are:

• Studies in Methods - Series F No. 29: Concepts and Methods in Energy Statistics, with Special Reference to Energy Accounts and Balances - A Technical Report (1982) (Sales no: E.82.XVII.13)
• Studies in Methods - Series F No. 44:Energy Statistics: Definitions, Units of Measure and Conversion Factors (1987) (Sales no. E.86.XVII.21)
• Studies in Methods - Series F No. 56: Energy Statistics: A Manual for Developing Countries (1991) (Sales No. E.91.XVII.10)