Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union

Unit E.2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development

L-2920 Luxembourg, LUXEMBOURG

The dataset presents estimates of EU domestic energy use 'embodied' in goods and services delivered to final use (domestic energy footprints). The estimates are the result of environmental input-output modelling for the aggregated European Union (EU) economy. This type of modelling is also referred to as consumption-based accounting. The model reallocates energy use by EU production activities (domestic energy use) to the final products produced. The resulting estimates capture the amount of energy used along the EU production chain of a product produced for EU final consumption or investment, irrespective of the industry where the energy use occurred.

Consumption-based energy accounts offer a complementary perspective to energy statistics and physical energy flow accounts. The latter two record energy use on the production side, at the origin of the energy use. In contrast, consumption-based energy accounts are estimated from the perspective of the final product.

The model estimations are based on two main source datasets (see 18.1 for more detail):

• Physical energy flow accounts (PEFA) 
• ESA supply, use and input–output tables (the domestic tables)

The dataset reports on domestic energy use 'embodied' in goods and services for final use and has the following coverage:

• European Union
• 2014 to three years before the current year (t - 3)
• using the CPA classification
• within the framework of European system of national and regional accounts

The dataset has seven dimensions:

1) Energy indicators [INDIC_PEFA]: This dimension refers to the indicator (type of energy use) fed into the modelling. The indicator chosen is ‘net domestic energy use’ that reflects the end use of energy by 64 NACE production activities and households. This indicator is derived from physical energy flow accounts (PEFA). It can be further broken down into use for energy purposes and use for non-energy purposes (e.g. feedstock for plastics):

• Energy use (NETDOM_EUSE)

• Energy use for energy purposes (NETDOM_EUSE_EP)

• Energy use for non-energy purposes (NETDOM_EUSE_NEP) 

2) Statistical Classification of Products by Activity in the European Economic Community, 2008 version [CPA08]: The products for final use, for which the 'embodied' domestic energy use is estimated and presented, are classified according to the CPA classification. The product disaggregation level is mainly 2-digit level; all together 64 product groups. In addition, direct energy use by private households is reported. The underlying statistical system is ESA 2010. 

3) Geopolitical entity (reporting) [GEO]: European Union

4) Place of origin [ORIGIN]: where the energy use actually occured that is re-attributed to the final use of products. This dataset only has one reference place of origin:

• DOM = 'Domestic economy', i.e. the energy use by domestic (EU) economic activities to produce goods and services for final demand in the EU.

5) Period of time [TIME]: data are annual.

6) Industries and accounting items [IND_ACCT]: This dimension accommodates the various national accounts categories of 'final use', a specific column classification applied in Symmetric Input-Output Tables and Use Tables. On a first disaggregation level, the total 'final use' includes:

• Final consumption expenditures (by households, government etc.) - P3;
• Gross capital formation (mainly investment goods used for capital formation such as e.g. buildings, machinery equipment etc.) - P5;
• Exports (i.e. goods and services sold to other economies in the rest of the world) - P6.

Note that the concept of 'environmental footprint' at macro-economic level generally captures the environmental pressure indirectly caused by domestic final demand in the reference economy; in other words caused by final consumption expenditure and gross capital formation (IND_ACCT code P3_P5). The environmental pressure 'embodied' in EU exports counts towards the footprint of other countries and is thus excluded from the EU domestic energy footprint.

 7) Unit [UNIT]: see point 4 below.

EU domestic energy use; i.e. energy use by EU production activities and energy use by EU household activities.

The model estimations are based on two datasets:

1) Physical energy flow accounts (PEFA): A specific physical accounting framework, which presents energy flows by emitting industries (NACE classified) and private households, following the concepts and definitions of national accounts. See also the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) and the metadata of the physical energy flow accounts.

2) ESA supply, use and input-output tables: A specific accounting framework in national accounts portraying the production and consumption activities of a given economy in a comprehensive way (e.g. which products are produced by which industry, and who uses it?). See also the metadata of the supply, use and input-output tables ESA 2010.

These two data sets are integrated and estimates are produced using so-called Leontief or input-output modelling techniques. The energy 'embodied' in products for final use include energy use along the EU production chain of the respective product.

Data refer to activities of resident economic units in the sense of SEEA CF 2012 and national accounts (ESA), including households.

Not applicable, because the data are modelling estimates.

This dataset presents data for the aggregated EU economy.

The time coverage is 2014 to three years before the current year. 

Not applicable.

The domestic energy use 'embodied' in products for final use (the energy footprints) are presented in:

• terajoule
• kilotonne of oil equivalent
• megajoule per person
• kilogramme of oil equivalent per person

The conversion coefficient between terajoule (TJ) and kilotonne of oil equivalent (ktoe) is 0.041868; for more information see Eurostat’s energy balance guide.

The reference period is the calendar year.

Not applicable with respect to the modelling results.

Note that source data - i.e. the modelling inputs - are under legal coverage:

• Physical energy flow accounts are legally covered by Regulation (EC) No. 691/2011 as amended by Regulation (EU) No. 538/2014 on European environmental economic accounts (EEEA).
• ESA 2010 supply, use and input–output tables are legally covered by Regulation (EU) No. 549/2013.

Not applicable.

Regulation (EC) No. 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

Confidential data are flagged "confidential" and not published. For aggregates of confidential data, Eurostat confidentiality rules are respected.

The data is modelled and updated about 1 month after updated data is available for the physical energy flow accounts.

The input dataset are released as follows:

• Physical energy flow accounts (published around 24 months after the end of the reference year);
• The consolidated EU supply, use and input-output tables (published around 20 months after the end of the reference year).

Not applicable.

In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.

Data are disseminated annually.

There are no online news releases.

• SE article: Energy use by businesses and households - statistics

Please consult the dataset online via the physical energy flow accounts page:

• Energy footprints (domestic technology assumption) (env_ac_pefafp)

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

The methodology is documented in a report available on the methodology website of Eurostat's environmental accounts.

The consumption-based accounting tool used to estimate the footprints is also published on this website.

There is no quality documentation on the modelling results.

For quality reports on the physical energy flow accounts, see the physical energy flow accounts metadata.

The model that is used to derive the results has been developed by researchers with experience in the field of environmentally-extended input–output analysis.

For quality assurance of the input data see the physical energy flow accounts metadata and the metadata of the supply, use and input-output tables ESA 2010.

The Working group on environmental accounts, encompassing representatives of all natioal statistical institutes of the European statistical system, Eurostat and other stakeholders, discusses quality improvements.

Energy use in the provision of products for final use (domestic energy footprints) provides a complementary view of energy use compared to the physical energy flow accounts and energy statistics. The footprints provide information on the proximate causes of energy use, by linking energy flows to final use of products.

The users include policy makers in environmental ministries, environmental organisations, journalists, students, and interested citizens.

There are no systematic studies of user satisfaction. Eurostat has regular hearings with European policymakers and contacts with the research community and other stakeholders to monitor the relevance of the statistics produced and to identify new priorities.

Data are complete, meaning they encompass all the sectors of the economy in the EU.

The data is modelled and the underlying assumptions and modelling techniques are transparent (see above item 10.6). However, the various modelling assumptions do result in higher margins of error compared to energy statistics and physical energy flow accounts.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Estimates are produced and published once the necessary input data is available, about 24-27 months after the end of the last reference year.

Not applicable, because there is no release calendar.

Geographical coverage is limited to one area (aggregated EU economy). 

The comparability over time is good because the modelling results are re-estimated for the complete time-series each year. The input data have clear statistical concepts and definitions. The two most recent years published are modelled using an estimated consolidated supply and use table, for which not all underlying country data is available yet.

The data are coherent with principles, definitions and concepts in National Accounts (ESA - European System of Accounts) and Environmental Accounting (SEEA - System of Environmental-Economic Accounting).

Cross-domain consistency with physical energy flow accounts: Total domestic energy use (code TFU, reported with 'origin' equal to 'domestic economy/DOM', which includes energy used to produce exports) is equal to total domestic net energy use (NETDOM_EUSE) as reported in the physical energy flow accounts.

It is important that physical energy flow accounts (PEFA) and air emissions accounts (AEA) employ the same groupings of elementary economic units (NACE Rev. 2 activities) as the ESA supply and use tables. This coherence is important with regards to integrated analyses – e.g. applying Leontief-type input-output analysis.

As an overarching general rule, PEFA and AEA must apply exactly the same demarcation of productive activities (NACE Rev. 2 activities) as employed for the compilation of the monetary supply and use tables delivered to Eurostat under the ESA transmission programme. Compilers of PEFA and AEA are advised to contact and align with compilers of ESA supply and use tables with the aim to ensure highest coherence between PEFA, AEA and ESA supply and use tables.

However, it has to be noted that this coherence is not always fully provided.

The internal coherence is very high, because it is ensured by the accounting frameworks.

The modelling is done by Eurostat using an IT tool at very low costs. The consumption-based accounting tool used for the estimation is published on the methodology website of Eurostat's environmental accounts.

To further specify the general Eurostat revision policy, the established revision policy is to synchronise with revisions of the input data, namely:

• Physical energy flow accounts;
• ESA supply, use and input-outputs tables.

Data are not revised in between annual releases. 

Data are revised once a year when new input data to the model becomes available.

Physical energy flow accounts are updated with backward revisions, so all years in the dataset may change after an update. The early estimates of supply and use tables are also subject to revision.

The input data for the modelling are:

1) Physical energy flow accounts as produced and disseminated by Eurostat.

• Key indicators of physical energy flow accounts by NACE Rev. 2 activity (env_ac_pefa04)
• Energy supply and use by NACE Rev. 2 activity (env_ac_pefasu)

2) Consolidated supply, use and input-output tables for the aggregated EU economy produced and disseminated by Eurostat.

Both data sources are collected annually.

Both sets of input data are collected by Eurostat and are legally covered:

Physical energy flow accounts: Regulation No. 691/2011 on European Environmental Economic Accounts as amended by Regulation (EU) No. 538/2014.

ESA 2010: Regulation (EU) No. 549/2013 on the European system of national and regional accounts

For information on the input data validation see the physical energy flow accounts metadata and the metadata of the supply, use and input-output tables ESA 2010.

The results are obtained with environmentally-extended input–output modelling, see '10.6'.

For information on the input data compilation see the physical energy flow accounts metadata and the metadata of the supply, use and input-output tables ESA 2010.

No adjustments are made.

None.