Energy accounts: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Energy accounts
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics on energy accounts describe the supply and use of energy in the national economy and between the economy and the environment. The data are collected from different sources and published once a year.
Sector coverage (SIMS 3.3)
The statistics cover all industries and households. They cover the supply and use of energy in all Finnish economic units in Finland and abroad. The statistics also include imports and exports, changes in inventories as well as flows to and from the environment.
Statistical unit (SIMS 3.5)
Industry/household, at the degree of detail used in the statistics, is the basic unit used in the statistics. The data used in the statistics consist of the data collected for energy statistics and for international reporting on them. National accounts are also used in the calculation of energy use by industry.
Statistical population (SIMS 3.6)
The statistical population comprises all economic units located in Finland.
Reference area (SIMS 3.7)
The statistics cover the whole of Finland and the activities of Finnish economic units in countries outside Finland.
Time coverage (SIMS 3.8)
The statistics cover the time series from year 2011 onwards. The data for the most recent year are published 21 months after the end of the statistical year. The data for earlier years are updated with the publication of the new statistics.
Unit of measure (SIMS 4)
Terajoule is used as the unit of measure in the statistics.
Reference period (SIMS 5)
The reference period used in the statistics is one year.
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Charcoal
Charcoal is a solid fossil fuel with an effective thermal value of more than 24MJ/kg in ashless substance. Coal is mainly graded according to the amount of volatile matter it contains and its thermal value. Metallurgical coal and coke produced from it are not regarded as charcoal.
Derived gases
Manufactured gases excl. biogas
Energy incorporated in products for non-energy use
Energy incorporated in products for non-energy use.
Energy losses
Energy losses all kinds of (during extraction, distribution, storage and transformation, and dissipative heat from end use).
Fossil fuels
Fossil fuels refer to fuels that have been formed of biomass and stored underground millions of years ago. Fossil fuels include coal, lignite, natural gas and fuel oils refined from crude oil. In international classifications peat is often classified as fossil fuel, although it is a clearly younger fuel than them.
Natural energy inputs
Energy inputs originating from nature.
Non-renewable waste
Non-renewable waste.
Peat
Comprises following fuel classification categories: - Milled peat (2110) - Sod peat (2120) - Peat pellets and briquettes (2130).
Renewable waste
Renewable waste.
Resident principle, national territory principle and bridging items
The statistics on emissions into air by industry, which are accordant with the regulation on environmental accounting, also contain Finnish citizens' emissions from land, water and air transport and from Finnish fishing vessels operating abroad. The emissions by foreign citizens from land, water and air transport on Finnish territory are subtracted from the emissions into air by industry. This resident principle approach is different from that used in the greenhouse gas inventory, which only contains the emissions generated in the territory of Finland regardless of the nationality of the individual causing the emission (national territory principle). The difference between the greenhouse gas inventory and the statistics on emissions into air by industry is recorded in the bridging table for each emission component. The bridging table contains data on Finnish citizens' emissions from land, water and air transport and from Finnish fishing vessels operating abroad, and on emissions by foreign citizens from land, water and air transport in Finland.
Wood fuels
Comprises following fuel classification categories: - Firewood (stems and split firewood) (3111) - Chips from roundwood (3112) - Forest residue chips (3113) - Bark (3121) - Sawdust, cutter shavings etc. (3122) - Wood residue chips (3123) - Unspecified industrial wood residue (3128) - Other industrial wood residue (3129) - Black liquor and other concentrated liquors (3130) - Other by-products from wood processing industry (3140) - Recovered wood (3150) - Wood pellets and briquettes (3160).
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Legal acts and other agreements (SIMS 6.1)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Data sharing (SIMS 6.2)
The data are published on the Statistics Finland website approximately 21 months after the end of the statistical year. As required under EU Regulation on European environmental economic accounts (No 691/2011, No 538/2014), the data are transmitted to Eurostat 21 months after the end of the statistical year. Eurostat publishes the data on its own website together with the data on other EU countries a few months after the transmission of the data.
Source data (SIMS 18.1)
The statistics are macro statistics and most of the data contained in them have been collected from other statistics. No data are separately collected for the statistics and no separate sample surveys are produced. The energy statistics produced by Statistics Finland are the most important data source for the statistics. The supply and use tables of the national accounts are also used in the calculation of energy use in individual industries. Statistics of Finnish Customs, and statistics on international trade in services and tourism statistics are used in the calculation of the energy use of economic units operating outside Finland.
Frequency of data collection (SIMS 18.2)
The data used in the statistics are based on figures collected each year.
Data collection (SIMS 18.3)
No separate data collection has been carried out for the purpose of the statistics. The statistics are macro statistics and most of the data contained in them have been collected from other statistics.
Data validation (SIMS 18.4)
The statistics are macro statistics and most of the data contained in them have been collected from other statistics. For this reason, the source data are not separately validated. The data published in the statistics are compared with the data published in the greenhouse gas inventory, energy statistics and the national accounts and their accuracy and comparability are checked.
Data compilation (SIMS 18.5)
The data contained in the statistics comprise the energy statistics. When energy use in individual industries is calculated, the data and more detailed source data are combined with the data contained in the national accounts.
Overall accuracy (SIMS 13.1)
As the statistics are mostly derived from other statistics, the quality of the source statistics is crucial for the reliability of the data. Because there are different types of source statistics, there are also various uncertainty factors. In some cases, the methods to calculate the supply and use of energy products in the source data may be updated or become more accurate. A large amount of data on monetary amounts are used in the industrial classification of energy use, which may not fully correspond to the physical amounts in all situations.
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information: European Statistics Code of Practice | Statistics Finland and Recommendations of the Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland | Statistics Finland
Quality assessment (SIMS 11.2)
Official Statistics of Finland (OSF) are a comprehensive collection of statistics describing the development and state of society. They comprise nearly 300 sets of statistics on 26 different topics. The producers of Official Statistics of Finland have approved a common quality assurance in which they commit to common quality criteria and quality assurance measures. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice. The good practices followed in the statistics are presented in Statistics Finland’s Quality Guidelines for Official Statistics handbook.
Data revision - policy (SIMS 17.1)
Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions.
The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.
Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data.
Timeliness (SIMS 14.1)
The statistical data are published 21 months after the end of the statistical year.
Punctuality (SIMS 14.2)
The data are published 21 months after the end of the statistical year, which is in accordance with the timetable on reporting data to Eurostat specified in the regulation.
Comparability - geographical (SIMS 15.1)
The statistics are based on EU Regulation on European environmental economic accounts (No 691/2011, No 538/2014) and its implementing regulation (No 2174/2015). Thus, in terms of data and structure, the statistics are consistent with the statistics published in other EU countries. The definitions of the regulation are also in accordance with the System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA), the statistical framework for environmental economic accounting specified by the UN. This means that most of the statistics are also comparable with SEEA-compatible energy accounts statistics produced outside the EU.
Comparability - over time (SIMS 15.2)
The statistics are comparable for the whole length of the time series, starting from 2011. The data in older publications may have been revised in more recent releases and for this reason, comparable data for all years can be found in the latest releases.
Coherence – cross domain (SIMS 15.3)
The data contained in the statistics are comparable with other energy statistics and internationally reported data. However, unlike the statistics on energy accounts, energy statistics are based on the principle of territoriality under which all energy used within the Finnish borders is reported. At the same time, the statistics on energy accounts also comprise all energy used by Finnish economic units operating outside Finland but not the energy used by foreign economic units in Finland. As a result, the energy accounts data can also be combined and compared with the national accounts.
In other words, the energy accounts contain the economic units that comprise Finland’s GDP.
Coherence - internal (SIMS 15.4)
The data contained in the statistics are comparable with other energy statistics and internationally reported data. However, unlike the statistics on energy accounts, energy statistics are based on the principle of territoriality under which all energy used within Finnish borders is reported. At the same time, the statistics on energy accounts also comprise all energy used by Finnish economic units operating outside Finland but not the energy used by foreign economic units in Finland.
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
Release calendar access (SIMS 8.2)
Statistics Finland's release calendar: Future publications
Future publications of the statistics can be found on the page of the statistics at: Releases
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data. The terms of use for statistical data.
Frequency of dissemination (SIMS 9)
The statistics are published 21 months after the end of the statistical year at the same time each year. In exceptional cases, Statistics Finland may also correct erroneous information at other times by issuing corrections. Revisions of earlier years take place in connection with regular statistical releases.
News release (SIMS 10.1)
The release is published annually on the home page of the statistics.
Online database (SIMS 10.3)
The database tables of the statistics can be found in the StatFin database.
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Finnish Data Protection Act are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)
Confidentiality - data treatment (SIMS 7.2)
The data materials are protected at all stages of processing with the necessary physical and technical solutions. The unit-specific data of the calculation data must be kept confidential. Data are only handled by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. The statistics are formed by processing a large number of different statistics and other data sources. The aggregation of data in the process, the compilation time evaluation related to data quality, detailed prioritisation of sources and measures related to total level balancing produce an end result that does not enable identification of individual data producers. If, as a result of the required degree of detail, data from which individual operators can be identified is included in the material, the data in question must be marked as confidential and will not be published.