National Institute of Statistics

Energy Statistics

Bd.Libertatii 16, sector 5, Bucuresti, Romania

Physical energy flow accounts (PEFA) is one module of the European environmental-economic accounts - Regulation (EU) 691/2011 Annex VI. PEFA record the flows of energy (in terajoules) from the environment to the economy (natural inputs), within the economy (products), and from the economy back to the environment (residuals), using the accounting framework of physical supply and use tables.

PEFA provide information on energy flows arranged in a way fully compatible with concepts, principles, and classifications of national accounts – thus enabling integrated analyses of environmental, energy and economic issues e.g. through environmental-economic modelling. PEFA complement the traditional energy statistics, balances and derived indicators which are the main reference data source for EU energy policies.

This national metadata refers to the PEFA questionnaire delivered to Eurostat: data on supply (table A), use (table B), transformation use (table B1), end use (table B2) and emission-relevant use (table C), key indicators of physical energy flow accounts by NACE Rev. 2 activity (table D), and physical energy flow accounts totals bridging to energy balances totals (table E).

The PEFA questionnaire is available on Eurostat's website: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/environment/methodology

Physical energy flow accounts (PEFA) datasets have the following dimensions:

1. Supply and use tables (STK_FLOW): the elements of this dimension are the five tables detailing energy supply (questionnaire table A) and use; the total energy use (table B) is the sum of transformation use (table B1) and end use (table B2), and a certain part of it is emission relevant (table C).
2. Energy product (PROD_NRG): (not relevant for questionnaire table D and E) The flows of energy recorded in PEFA are broadly grouped into natural energy inputs (flows from environment to economy), energy products (flows within economy), and energy residuals (flows from economy to environment mainly). Each of these generic groups is further broken down. In total this dimension distinguishes 31 items which are regulated in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/172.
3. Classification of economic activities - NACE Rev.2 (NACE_R2): (not relevant for questionnaire table E) The supply and use of energy flows is broken down by NACE classification of economic activities. The aggregation level used is A*64 (i.e. 64 branches), fully compatible with ESA supply and use tables. Furthermore, this dimension includes private households, accumulation (e.g. product inventories), the rest of the world economy for imports and exports, and the environment.
4. Indicators (INDIC_PEFA): (only relevant for questionnaire tables D and E): Various key indicators that can be derived from the physical supply and use tables and so-called 'bridging-items' which present the various elements explaining the differences between the national totals as reported by PEFA vis-a-vis the national totals as reported by Eurostat's energy balances.
5. Geopolitical entity (GEO): EU Member States, EFTA countries, candidate countries, and potential candidates. 
6. Period of time (TIME): Energy flow data are annual.
7. Unit (UNIT): Energy flows are reported in Terajoules.

The data set covers the entire national economy as defined in national accounts (ESA 2010, paragraph 2.04), as well as its physical relation to economies in the rest of the world and the environment.

Physical energy flow accounts (PEFA) are conceptually rooted in the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) which is an international statistical standard. The SEEA central framework provides standard concepts, definitions, classifications, accounting rules and tables for the provision of statistics on the environment and its relationship with the economy.
PEFA constitute satellite accounts to the National Accounts (NA). Hence, the statistical concepts and definitions of PEFA are derived from those of NA.
As far as applicable PEFA is also compliant with the statistical concepts and definitions internationally established for energy statistics: the International Recommendations for Energy Statistics (IRES).
Three concepts are essential to PEFA:
1) The concept of three generic types of energy flows as established in SEEA, namely:
a) natural energy inputs: flows from the natural environment into the economy such as fossil energy carriers in solid, liquid and gaseous form, biomass, solar radiation, kinetic energy in form of hydro and wind, geothermal heat etc.;
b) energy products: output flows from production processes as defined in national accounts (ESA); typically products produced by extractive industries, refineries, power plants etc.;
c) energy residuals: mainly energy in form of dissipative heat arising from the end use of energy products, flowing from the economy into the natural environment.
2) The accounting framework of (physical) supply and use tables as established in NA and SEEA;
3) The residence principle as established in NA and SEEA, i.e. PEFA records energy flows related to resident unit's activities, regardless where those occur geographically.

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

The national economy is as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and national accounts (ESA); i.e. all economic activities undertaken by resident units (see ESA 2010, paragraph 2.04). A unit is said to be a resident unit of a country when it has a centre of economic interest in the economic territory of that country, that is, when it engages for an extended period (1 year or more) in economic activities in that territory.

The data refer to the calendar year.

The data refer to the calendar year.

Not applicable.

The unit of measure is terajoule (TJ).

The data refer to the calendar year.

European environmental-economic accounts - Regulation (EU) 691/2011 Annex VI.

PEFA are legally covered by Regulation (EC) No. 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts as amended by Regulation (EU) No. 538/2014. EEEA currently include six modules (air emissions accounts, environmentally related taxes by economic activity, economy-wide material flow accounts, environmental protection expenditure accounts, environmental goods and services sector accounts, and physical energy flow accounts).

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.

No data are confidential.

Dissemination of data is not bound by an advance release calendar.

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 simultaneously to all interested parties through a database update and on Eurostat's website.

Data are disseminated annually.

There are no scheduled news or press releases

A Statistics Explained article on energy use by businesses and households is partially based on PEFA data.

The online database is available free of charge.

There is also a dedicated section explaining PEFA.

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

Not applicable.

not applicable

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

The PEFA manual and other methodological information can be downloaded from Eurostat's website.

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

To ensure quality of the data Eurostat implements the following procedures/guidelines:

- Provision of methodological guidelines to assist countries in compiling PEFA

- Provision of the PEFA-builder, an IT tool that allows the population of PEFA questionnaire based on available national energy statistics (IEA/ESTAT Annual Questionnaires) and additional information from the respondent.

- Extensive validation procedure of the data received in consultation with the reporting country. The validation tools check:

• inappropriate symbols
• consistency
• plausibility (e.g. comparison with Eurostat's energy balances; changes in time series; comparison between air emission accounts and PEFA; comparison with OECD data on air transport)

To ensure quality of the data Eurostat implements the following procedures/guidelines:

- Provision of methodological guidelines to assist countries in compiling PEFA

- Provision of the PEFA-builder, an IT tool that allows the population of PEFA questionnaire based on available national energy statistics (IEA/ESTAT Annual Questionnaires) and additional information from the respondent.

- Extensive validation procedure of the data received in consultation with the reporting country. The validation tools check:

• inappropriate symbols
• consistency
• plausibility (e.g. comparison with Eurostat's energy balances; changes in time series; comparison between air emission accounts and PEFA; comparison with OECD data on air transport)

The overall data quality is considered medium to good at the current stage of PEFA development. However, further improvements of data quality can be expected in the coming years when the production of PEFA will develop more into a routine, both in Member States and in Eurostat.

The users include policy makers in Commission DGs, European Parliament, Council, environmental ministries, environmental NGOs, as well as students and other citizens interested in the the interaction between the economy and the environment as regards the transfer and use of energy in its various forms.

The relevance of PEFA is enhanced by using a conceptual framework consistent with National Accounts, which allows, e.g. to put in relation with estimates of production, value added, employment, GDP, etc.

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 identify new priorities.

The data set in principle is complete for six reference years (2014-2020).

Reported data for a single year are complete, meaning they encompass all the NACE production activities of the national economy and all energy flows (natural inputs, products, residuals). The breakdown into transformation use (questionnaire table B1) and end use (table B2) is not reported (reporting of these tables is not obligatory).

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

The overall accuracy is considered to be good but cannot be quantified.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Not applicable to statistical accounts.

Every year by the 30 September, Member States have to transmit to Eurostat data for the pre-previous reference year, i.e., with a timeliness of T+21 months.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

Data on PEFA are compiled according to international guidelines and  insofar comparable. Application of the PEFA Builder tool ensures comparability to a certain extent.

Not applicable.

Please see the table in 15.2.1.1.

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

Please use below table for explaining b)-flags (breaks in time series):

 There are no breaks in series.

The data are coherent with principles, definitions and concepts in National Accounts (ESA - European System of Accounts), energy statistics (IRES - International Recommendations for Energy Statistics),  and Environmental Accounting (SEEA - System of Environmental-Economic Accounting).

Not applicable; reported PEFA data are only annual.

he data are coherent with principles, definitions and concepts in National Accounts (ESA - European System of Accounts)

They are the beneficiary of our data

 PEFA is compiled by energy statistics department, based on energy statistics primary data.

Foreign trade data is provided by foreign trade statistics.

No.

 PEFA is compiled by energy statistics department, based on energy statistics primary data. 

The aggregated data are checked against energy statistics, as far as the methodology permits it.

no

Eurostat's validation procedures should ensure full internal consistency, at least for the mandatory data points.

2 persons * 2 month just for filling in PEFA (energy statistics compilation is not included)

Every year Eurostat publishes the reference years reported by countries, which may lead to revisions of data previously published. Data are not revised systematically in between annual releases.

During first months after the data release revisions may be possible due to updates/corrections received from countries.

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

Data sources used to produce physical energy flow accounts are described in the following sub-concepts.

Energy statistics data, Romanian Civil Aviation Authority (AACR) , Romanian Naval Authority (ANR), Ministry of Finance,  data provided by companies with filling stations and/or cashless payment services (fuel cards)

Energy statistics data

Energy statistics data

Energy statistics data

No auxiliary data have been used; the consumption data at NACE 2 digits is the result of energy stratistics data at division level.

We use a National PEFA Builder, Not the Eurostat PEFA Builder

We have decided to approach three other sources simultaneously, because we have learned that they complete each other and offer an important tool for data cross-checking: data provided by the Ministry of Finance, based on VAT refunding; data provided by companies with filling stations and/or cashless payment services (fuel cards); dedicated survey for freight and passenger road transport;

 Annual data collection

 Energy statistics data collection

 as requested by PEFA template

See the following points.

Not applicable.

For autoproducers, only the heat sold was assigned to NACE D35; the rest was assigned to the main activity of the respective autoproducer.

Road transport consumptions is allocated according to the main activity of the enterprice. 

the consumption data at NACE 2 digits is the result of energy stratistics data at division level.

The AEA is the benefiaciary of PEFA data. The assignment of energy use to economic activities is done according to energy statistics consumptions.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

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