IEF-KAPSARC Workshop on Open and Transparent Energy Data Ecosystems, Policy Scenario Models, and Tools

The International Energy Forum (IEF) and  the King Abdullah Petroleum Study and Research Center (KAPSARC) held a joint virtual meeting to discuss open and transparent energy data ecosystems, policy scenario models and tools on 5 October 2020. The IEF Secretary General, Joseph McMonigle and the KAPSARC President, Adam Sieminski, opened the webinar focused on the collaborative efforts by the IEF and KAPSARC to enhance national and regional energy data transparency and highlighted the compilation of the energy balance of Saudi Arabia as a case study.

The event gathered some 150 registered attendees from 70 institutions globally with participation by panelists from Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) Partners including the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) as well as the United Nation Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (UN ESCWA) to solidify international cooperation on improving energy data availability and comparability.

Secretary General McMonigle underscored the importance of cooperation with national and regional energy knowledge centers such as KAPSARC to validate consistency across various official data sources that inform JODI data sets. President Sieminski welcomed the collaboration with the IEF as the coordinator of the JODI Initiative to improve consistency and comparability of national data reporting methodologies.

The IEA highlighted the agency’s comprehensive data gathering and compilation activities including in the context of JODI to inform market analysis. The UNSD and UNESCWA presented on advances made by international and national stakeholders to harmonise energy data compilation methods and definitions.

Participants stressed that enhanced cooperation among national, regional, and international stakeholders is needed. Dialogue on options to harmonise energy data definitions and compilation methodologies based on JODI, the International Recommendation for Energy Statistics (IRES), and the Energy Statistics Compilers Manual (ESCM) will make energy data more readily available and comparable across energy sectors and national boundaries, leading to better-informed policy and investment decisions that will benefit all energy market stakeholders.