The production of official energy statistics is essential for tracking clean energy transitions and progress from policy implementation as well as overall action to achieve related targets. Energy statistics cover a broad range of energy data across fuels and throughout the different levels of the energy system. In this context, we use energy statistics to refer to supply and demand data that are needed to produce national energy balances, typically on an annual basis.

National energy balances are essential for understanding the quantities and qualities of the energy flowing in, out and through an economy. They shed light on how energy is produced, transformed and used in a country, and constitute a key component of energy statistics. Energy balances are also a key tool for tracking the broader impacts of energy use, including energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their resulting climate implications, as well as how it affects energy security, energy expenditure and affordability.

Data collection is therefore a cornerstone for analysis and decision making. While most countries can develop energy balances, in many cases there is significant room for improvement, either by capturing missing flows (data gaps), or improving the quality or level of disaggregation of existing data. Instances of such shortcomings in the energy balances can be found in allocating consumption of different energy sources to specific final demand sectors / subsectors, or in terms of capturing a sound disaggregation by fuel type, e.g. non-commercial production and consumption of energy such as fuelwood or solar.

Developing sound energy balances requires planning and a strategic approach, but it also requires an enabling governance framework, resources and infrastructure, skills, effective data management, innovation and dissemination. Because consolidating all these elements – and continuing to improve them – can be challenging, and because doing so is of critical importance, the IEA has developed this guidebook to support countries in the development of national roadmaps to strengthen their energy data capacities.

It is well acknowledged that each country has a unique reality and underlying context, and that the development of such a roadmap must be tailored to existing needs, priorities and resources. The development of national roadmaps to strengthen energy statistics, sends a signal that countries acknowledge the importance of energy data and that they are committed to their energy and climate targets (Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), etc.). The process also enables a preliminary assessment of existing energy information systems, gives long-term visibility on the strategy to improve them, and provides clarity to the respective institutions and national administrations about their responsibilities and the action needed to get there.

This guidebook, with the help of its accompanying tool, offers a comprehensive framework for national institutions to assess their existing energy information systems. This framework is structured around three key pillars (PLAN, SETUP, and TRACK), each of which are broken down into three steps (for a total of nine steps). By applying the framework, it will be possible to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the energy information system, and where to prioritise action. The guidebook also identifies best practices, distinguishing between the “low-hanging fruit” – practices that are relatively quick to adopt at little to now cost – and “medium-term goals” that require more planning. Developed with the national system as reference, the framework could be also adopted with a more specific focus by institutions in charge of energy data, including at the regional or city level, or on a specific data topic (e.g. energy efficiency, renewables, etc.).

The framework has been developed through a consultation and peer-review process with multiple national energy data providers to ensure that it properly encapsulates the key challenges that countries may face when developing their national energy data systems. It offers insights on selected components, both to countries with more advanced energy statistics systems and to those with less consolidated systems.

This document draws on the quality frameworks developed for general statistics, on worldwide best practices for strengthening energy statistics and on the extensive experience of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in facilitating international collaboration. The IEA continues to support countries as they develop their own national energy statistics roadmaps and enhance their energy information systems. The agency also offers training programmes, with a view to strengthening the tracking of clean energy transitions at national level and worldwide.