Institutional setting for energy statistics in Norway

1. Institutional setting for energy statistics in Norway Olav Ljones Oslo Group Canberra, May 2. 2011

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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