Commodity and energy balances

Energy statistics expressed in natural units, such as metric tons for oil, GWh for electricity, or terajoule or cubic metres for natural gas, can be presented in the form of commodity balances which show the supply and use of energy products. A commodity balance provides a check on the completeness of the data and is a simple means for assembling the main statistics of each energy product so that key data can be easily obtained. However, because fuels are mainly bought for their heat-raising properties and can be converted into different fuel products, it is also helpful to present the supply and use data in common energy units, such as terajoule or ton of oil equivalent (toe). That makes it possible to sum across the various products to obtain a value for total energy and to compare the relative contributions of the energy products against each other. The format adopted is termed the energy balance.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Affordable and Clean Energy

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Responsible Consumption and Production