Accuracy and reliability

Overall accuracy

The overall accuracy can be regarded as good as far as the information on overall supply and use of energy products is concerned. Generally the uncertainty is bigger when it comes to information on the energy use of specific energy products by the individual industries. For some industries observations of the the energy use are available, while for others the information on energy use is based on estimations. In the latter case the accuracy is generally lower.

When compiling the energy accounts it is simultaneously ensured that all parts of the final accounts are completed, so the description is comprehensive for the entire energy balance. It is ensured simultaneously that the different data appears consistent and without conflicts - both across energy products and over time. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to make a number of assumptions. In practice this means that you base a portion of data on calculations, distributions and in some cases on estimates. This implies that some of the information is subject to considerable uncertainty, and that in some cases is best considered as model calculations that indicate the structure, rather than precise figures for that area.

Stock changes includes also some inconsistencies between different sources.

There are no calculations regarding uncertainty.

Sampling error

Not relevant for these statistics.

Non-sampling error

Generally the uncertainty is bigger when it comes to information on the energy use of specific energy products by the individual industries. For some industries observations of the energy use are available, while for others the information on energy use is based on estimations. In the latter case the accuracy is generally lower. This is the case for service industries, where the distribution of energy consumption by industries is based on a combination of information from employment and reimbursement statistics.

Quality management

Statistics Denmark follows the recommendations on organisation and management of quality given in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and the implementation guidelines given in the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF). A Working Group on Quality and a central quality assurance function have been established to continuously carry through control of products and processes.

Quality assurance

Statistics Denmark follows the principles in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and uses the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF) for the implementation of the principles. This involves continuous decentralized and central control of products and processes based on documentation following international standards. The central quality assurance function reports to the Working Group on Quality. Reports include suggestions for improvement that are assessed, decided and subsequently implemented.

Quality assessment

The primary sources used for the compilation of energy accounts have undergone quality control in the respective institutions, where they have been produced. Compilation of energy accounts includes various consistency checks of data. Energy accounts follow the same definitions and classifications as national accounts and are compiled in accordance with international standards. All this ensures the high quality of the resulting energy accounts.

Data revision - policy

Statistics Denmark revises published figures in accordance with the Revision Policy for Statistics Denmark. The common procedures and principles of the Revision Policy are for some statistics supplemented by a specific revision practice.

Data revision practice

After the first publication of figures they are revised the following two years and are then considered final. The first publication of the Energy Accounts is for some parts based on the same distributions of energy consumption as the previous year. For the first revision on the following year most sources for distribution of energy consumption is available which is the cause of revisions. The second revision of the Energy Accounts is balanced with the final National Accounts. When there are main revisions of the national accounts every 5 to 10 years there can also be revisions of the Energy Accounts for longer time series. The latest main revision was in 2014. There has been made an analysis of revisions for the publications in 2019-2021. The revisions calculated as the weighted mean absolute percentage error (WMAPE) is in the range 0,42-9,32