Energy Statistics

The United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) is engaged in the following activities in the area of energy statistics: collection and dissemination of energy data and production of energy balances and electricity profiles.

UNSD collects energy statistics from more than 190 countries and updates and maintains the Energy Statistics Database which contains comprehensive energy statistics on more than 215 countries, regions and areas for production, trade and intermediate and final consumption (end-use) for primary and secondary conventional, non-conventional and new and renewable sources of energy. The questionnaire is sent to national statistical offices, ministries of energy or other authorities responsible for energy statistics in a country for completion.

The UN Energy Statistics flagship publications:

The annual publication 'Energy Statistics Yearbook' is a comprehensive collection of international energy statistics that provides a global framework of comparable data on long-term trends in the supply of mainly commercial primary and secondary forms of energy.
The biennial publication 'Energy Balances and Electricity Profiles' presents energy data for selected countries in a format showing an overall picture of energy production, conversion and consumption for fuels utilized in the country.

Coal, crude petroleum and electricity data are collected on a monthly basis and published in the 'Monthly Bulletin of Statistics' and the yearly production, trade and consumption of commercial energy data are published in the 'Statistical Yearbook'.

UNSD actively participates in a pilot project on monthly oil statistics, JODI, in close collaboration with five international organizations involved in oil statistics (Asia Pacific Energy Research Center [APEC], EUROSTAT, International Energy Agency [IEA/OECD], Latin American Energy Organization [OLADE], Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries [OPEC] and the International Energy Forum Secretariat [IEFS]) and has an active role in the development of the project. The project aims to investigate the differences in definitions, unit of measurement used and methodologies.

The JODI world database can be accessed at www.jodidb.org.

UNSD is also involved in developing concepts and methods in the domain of energy statistics to ensure international comparability of energy data and organize 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)

UNSD plays an active role in international cooperation in the area of energy statistics with the following agencies IEA/OECD, EUROSTAT, OPEC, World Energy Council, APEC, International Sugar Organization, other inter-governmental organizations (IGOs) and NGOs, the United Nations regional commissions, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and other specialized agencies.