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Institutional setting for Institutional setting for energy statistics in Norwayenergy statistics in Norway

Olav Ljones

Oslo Group

Canberra, May 2. 2011

Official statisticscharacteristics – a common factual basis

• Independency

• High public confidence – a necessity

• Official statistics may be produced by NSOs or other government bodies.

• Norway: Centralised statistics systems– Statistics Norway is responsible for more than 85 per cent of the official

statistics in Norway

• Norway: Register-based statistics system– But sample surveys are still important

• Statistics and analysis.

• Norway: Statistics Norway has a Research department

The Statistics Act (1989)

• Statistics Norway’s tasks– Collect, compile and disseminate official statistics– Identify, map and prioritise– Analyse and carry out research– Coordinate Norwegian, official statistics– Responsible for international statistics cooperation

• Statistics Norway’s rights– Unrestricted access to administrative registers– Right to impose duty to provide information

and fines– Professional independence

Institutional arrangements energy statistics in Norway

• Norway is an energy rich country – with long traditions both in hydro electric and petroleum/ gas. (More than 100 years with hydro elelctric and 40 years with oil and gas off shore in the North Sea).

• Norwegian system for official statistics is characterised by centralisation

• Statistics act with legal base for Stat Norway to collect data, also from government administrative information systems.

• Confidentiality, A challenge on the field of energy

• Professional independence for NSO by law

More about the institutional setting

• Statistics Norway has strong tradition for National accounts, but also environment statistics. Research department – long tradition for activities on energy economics. National and international energy markets ( European gas market).

• Population registers business registers.

• Re-engeneering the IT and production system

• International orientation

Data collection

• Data collection from private firms – both producers and users. Mandatory surveys with fines for non response. Electronic reporting should available. Legal base is important.

• Data collection from energy ministries. Energy directorates. NVE (Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate) and Oil and Gas (Norwegian Petroleum Directorate)oil and gas).

• Example of a common electronic reporting. NVE has included Stat Norway questions in their administrative report.

• Data collection from municipalities - reduced importance over the years as result of the deregulation of markets. A part of a general program for data collection from municipalities

• Government local and central as users of energy. • Energy saving programs. ( are data representative ?)• Energy in buildings. ( How to make these data to fit into the official

statistics approach , energy use by households and business sector.

More examples

• Prices. Complex situation . One key element both for energy in CPI , produces prices and NA.

• Energy use in households. A part of common consumer expenditure surveys. High non response a challenge.

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Coordination

• Coordination in a decentralised statistical system

• One of the duties given to SN

• The Council for coordination. Invite government bodies that produce official statistics

• No precise label or certificate yet for official statistics

• Common principles are to be followed by all members of the statistical council for coordination