INOGATE held its final meeting of the Energy Statistics Network (ESN) reflecting the culmination of what has been achieved over the years of cooperation and planning for the future.

INOGATE’s ESN is now well-established and regionally recognised, with its members working towards the common goal of increasing the capacity of national statistical institutes (NSIs) to collect, process and disseminate energy statistics, work towards convergence with EU standards and methodology, increase the use of energy statistics in policy making and to increase the understanding of the importance of statistics in developing energy planning tools.

The two-day meeting brought together representatives of the EU, IEA, ITS experts and delegates from Partner Countries (PC). Participants concentrated on evaluating the statistical cooperation between INOGATE PCs, evaluating the state of play of their energy statistics activities, to what extent they have achieved their Energy Statistics Action Plans (ESAPs) and, importantly, to establish a framework for future statistical activities and cooperation.

Delegates shared the “success stories” of Georgia, Moldova and Belarus:

Georgia saw changes in the Law on Official Statistics, improved and updated its sampling frame, increased the knowledge of staff, improved communication with producers, providers and users of energy statistics, improved software for data collection, launched the production of monthly gas and oil statistics and expanded the use of administrative sources for data production.

Moldova published its main indicators, information and metadata online, reported its monthly gas and oil statistics to the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) and published users and deadlines for submission of statistics. Moldova is also developing an energy prices reporting system to comply with Energy Community obligations.

Belarus, through its Energy Statistics Working Group, has developed draft methodology in compilation of fuel and energy balance, as well as a climate factor calculation and energy efficiency indicators. Belarus is the only PC to adopt climate correction methodology in the development of its energy statistics.

A session was dedicated to the important role that statistical and forecasted energy balances play in energy planning, contributing to the development of sustainable energy supply and demand options, with Croatia presenting its particular experience.

The meeting also focused on the preparation of the final impact assessment of INOGATE on energy statistics in the PCs.  This will be a springboard for future energy statistics activities during the extension period of cooperation between ITS and country NSIs from 2015 to 2016 which will not only continue its energy statistics activities, but also concentrate on monitoring energy efficiency and renewable energy policies and measures and on improving the analytical and planning aspects of energy statistics.

On the photo: participants from INOGATE Partner Countries during the Event