- Methods and Projects
- Standards and Classifications
Standardised Methodological Report
Energy Consumption Survey
- 1Contact
- 1.1Contact organisation
National Statistics Institute of Spain
- 1.5Contact mail address
Avenida de Manoteras 50-52 - 28050 Madrid
- 1.1Contact organisation
- 2Metadata update
- 2.1Metadata last certified
20/05/2025
- 2.2Metadata last posted
26/05/2025
- 2.3Metadata last update
20/05/2025
- 2.1Metadata last certified
- 3Statistical presentation
- 3.1Data description
The Energy Consumption Survey (ECE) is a structural statistical operation, aimed at the extractive and manufacturing industries, whose objective is to obtain information on their consumption of different types of energy products, understanding as such the products purchased to be used as combustion medium (energy products used as raw materials or for resale without transformation are excluded). For the purposes of this statistic, energy consumption is quantified in monetary terms.
Energy products are classified as: Electricity, Gas, Diesel, Fuel Oil, Other Petroleum Products, Coal and Coke, Biofuels, Heat, and Other energy products.
Since its implementation in the reference year 2001, this operation has been carried out and published biennially. Given the growing statistical need in energy matters, starting in 2022 the ECE will have an annual frequency.
- 3.2Classification system
- Clasificaciones utilizadas
This statistical operation uses the National Classification of Economic Activities CNAE-2009 to code the companies' activity and process and disseminate their data.
The data is disseminated at the section, division and group level for the CNAE-2009 activities belonging to the extractive and manufacturing industries.
- Clasificaciones utilizadas
- 3.3Sector coverage
Companies with 20 or more employees and whose main activity is included in sections B (mining and quarrying industries) or C (manufacturing industry) of CNAE-2009.
Industrial activities belonging to sections D (supply of electrical energy, gas, steam and air conditioning) and E (supply of water, sanitation activities, waste management and decontamination) do not form part of the research scope of the survey.
- 3.4Statistical concepts and definitions
- Company
The company is the smallest combination of legal units that is an organizational unit producing goods or
services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, especially for the
allocation of its current resources. A company carries out one or more activities at one or more
locations. A company may be a sole legal unit. - Purchases of energy products (in value)
Purchases of all energy products during the reference period destined to be used as fuel. Energy products purchased as a raw material or for resale without transformation should be excluded. Consumptions are quantified in monetary values.
- Company
- 3.5Statistical unit
The basic statistical unit used in this operation is company.
Note: The ECS considers each Legal Unit that produces goods or services an enterprise. Its results are integrated with the Structural Business Statistics: Industrial Sector under the traditional approach based on Legal Units.
- 3.6Statistical population
The target population of the Energy Consuption Survey is formed of companies with 20 or more employees and whose main activity is described in sections B (Minning and quarrying industries) and C (Manufacturing industry) of the National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009).
- 3.7Reference area
From a geographical point of view, this statistic covers the entire national territory.
Up to reference year 2011, the survey covered the entire national territory, excluding Ceuta and Melilla. Since 2013 both Autonomous Cities are also included within the scope of the survey.
Regarding the publication of results, detailed national results are provided by economic activity, as well as the main results by Autonomous Communities.
- 3.8Time coverage
The reference period is the calendar year.
Until the 2021 reference year, the survey was carried out biennially (only for odd reference years). From 2022 the operation will have an annual frequency.
- 3.9Base period
Results for this statistic are available from the reference year 2001.
When the new National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009) came into force in 2008, it produced a methodological rupture in the series, so the current base year is 2009.
- 3.1Data description
- 4Unit of measure
- 4.1Unit of measure
Economic variables: in thousands of euros at current prices.
- 4.1Unit of measure
- 5Reference period
- 5.1Reference period
The data requested refer to the calendar year covered by the survey. Exceptionally, the companies that operate by seasons or campaigns that comprise two different years and thus have accounted for their data in this way, the information refers to the season or campaign that ends in that year.
Data referred to the period: Year 2023
- 5.1Reference period
- 6Institutional mandate
- 6.1Legal acts and other agreements
The compilation and dissemination of the data are governed by the Statistical Law No. 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function" of May 9, 1989, and Law No. 4/1990 of June 29 on “National Budget of State for the year 1990" amended by Law No. 13/1996 "Fiscal, administrative and social measures" of December 30, 1996, makes compulsory all statistics included in the National Statistics Plan. The National Statistical Plan 2009-2012 was approved by the Royal Decree 1663/2008. It contains the statistics that must be developed in the four year period by the State General Administration's services or any other entity dependent on it. All statistics included in the National Statistics Plan are statistics for state purposes and are obligatory. The National Statistics Plan 2025-2028, approved by Royal Decree 1525/2024, of 3 December, is the Plan currently implemented. This statistical operation has governmental purposes, and it is included in the National Statistics Plan 2021-2024. (Statistics of the State Administration).
- 6.2Data sharing
The exchanges of information needed to elaborate statistics between the INE and the rest of the State statistical offices (Ministerial Departments, independent bodies and administrative bodies depending on the State General Administration), or between these offices and the Autonomic statistical offices, are regulated in the LFEP (Law of the Public Statistic Function). This law also regulates the mechanisms of statistical coordination, and concludes cooperation agreements between the different offices when necessary.
- 6.1Legal acts and other agreements
- 7Confidentiality
- 7.1Confidentiality - policy
The Statistical Law No. 12/1989 specifies that the INE cannot publish, or make otherwise available, individual data or statistics that would enable the identification of data for any individual person or entity. Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society
- 7.2Confidentiality - data treatment
INE provides information on the protection of confidentiality at all stages of the statistical process: INE questionnaires for the operations in the national statistical plan include a legal clause protecting data under statistical confidentiality. Notices prior to data collection announcing a statistical operation notify respondents that data are subject to statistical confidentiality at all stages. For data processing, INE employees have available the INE data protection handbook, which specifies the steps that should be taken at each stage of processing to ensure reporting units' individual data are protected. The microdata files provided to users are anonymised.
In requests for tailored information the same treatment is also carried out to preserve statistical secrecy.
- 7.1Confidentiality - policy
- 8Release policy
- 8.1Release calendar
The advance release calendar that shows the precise release dates for the coming year is disseminated in the last quarter of each year.
- 8.2Release calendar access
The calendar is disseminated on the INEs Internet website (Publications Calendar)
- 8.3User access
The data are released simultaneously according to the advance release calendar to all interested parties by issuing the press release. At the same time, the data are posted on the INE's Internet website (www.ine.es/en) almost immediately after the press release is issued. Also some predefined tailor-made requests are sent to registered users. Some users could receive partial information under embargo as it is publicly described in the European Statistics Code of Practice
- 8.1Release calendar
- 9Frequency of dissemination
- 9.1Frequency of dissemination
Until the 2021 reference year, the survey was carried out biennially (only for odd reference years).
From 2022 the operation will have annual frequency and dissemination.
- 9.1Frequency of dissemination
- 10Accessibility and clarity
- 10.1News release
The results of the statistical operations are normally disseminated by using press releases that can be accessed via both the corresponding menu and the Press Releases Section in the web
- 10.2Publications
The data is published on the INE website.
- 10.3On-line database
INEbase is the system the INE uses to store statistical information on the Internet. It contains all the information the INE produces in electronic formats. The primary organisation of the information follows the theme-based classification of the Inventory of Statistical Operations of the State General Administration . The basic unit of INEbase is the statistical operation, defined as the set of activities that lead to obtaining statistical results on a determined sector or subject based on the individually collected data. Also included in the scope of this definition are synthesis preparation.
Access to tables and time series in INEbase within the section "Industry, energy and construction" at www.ine.es
The number of consultations in 2024 was:
- No. of data table queries: AC1=24.683
- No. of metadata queries: AC2=1.233
- 10.4Micro-data access
A lot of statistical operations disseminate public domain anonymized files, available free of charge for downloading in the INE website Microdata Section
Microdata files are provided to other statistical agencies (Statistical Institutes of the autonomous communities), which are also required to maintain statistical confidentiality.
Access to microdata is provided for research organizations and institutions that develop projects for scientific purposes of public interest. To request access, the organization must first be recognized as a "Research Entity." For example, universities, research institutes, or research departments of a public administration, etc. The project must be of public interest.
- 10.5Other
Interested users can request specific tailored information processing through the INE Information Area, preserving data confidentiality in all cases.
- 10.6Documentation on methodology
A detailed description of the survey methodology is available at:
Metadata completeness rate. AC3=100%
- 10.7Quality documentation
This standardised methodological report contains all the elements of what is considered a "user-oriented quality report", for this operation.
- 10.1News release
- 11Quality management
- 11.1Quality assurance
Quality assurance framework for the INE statistics is based on the ESSCoP, the European Statistics Code of Practice made by EUROSTAT. The ESSCoP is made up of 16 principles, gathered in three areas: Institutional Environment, Processes and Products. Each principle is associated with some indicators which make possible to measure it. In order to evaluate quality, EUROSTAT provides different tools: the indicators mentioned above, Self-assessment based on the DESAP model, peer review, user satisfaction surveys and other proceedings for evaluation.
The production process of the statistic has established checks to detect and correct errors in order to guarantee its quality.
The data collection in the Collection Units (URCEs) is programmed with serious and second level errors, in order to clean-up the data as they are entered by the user. During data collection and cleansing, measures are also taken to reduce non-response.
Finally, once the data reaches the Central Services, the data is subjected to additional micro and macro cleansing checks, as well as cross-checks with other surveys in the industrial sector to ensure a final product of sufficient quality.
- 11.2Quality assessment
Statistics are compiled taking into account the quality criteria listed in Article 12(1) of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, namely: relevance, accuracy, timeliness, punctuality, accessibility, clarity, comparability and coherence.
The statistics can be considered of high quality provided that a sufficiently representative sample of the target population is provided at national and regional level for each stratum of activity. In addition, the data is subjected to adjustment criteria and inter-annual checks, as well as cross-checks with data from other statistical operations.
- 11.1Quality assurance
- 12Relevance
- 12.1User needs
Within the INE, the main users of the information provided by this statistical operation are the Environmental Accounts, specifically the Energy Accounts. Their needs have been taken into account to expand the disaggregation of energy products.
The external users of the survey include:
- Ministries and other public bodies
- Local administrations (Autonomous Communities, City Councils...)
- Companies and non-profit institutions
- Researchers and universities
- Private users and, in general, any person interested in the information provided by said operation.
- 12.2User satisfaction
The INE has carried out general user satisfaction surveys in 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 and it plans to continue doing so every three years. The purpose of these surveys is to find out what users think about the quality of the information of the INE statistics and the extent to which their needs of information are covered. In addition, additional surveys are carried out in order to acknowledge better other fields such as dissemination of the information, quality of some publications...
On the INE website, in its section Methods and Projects / Quality and Code of Practice / INE quality management / User surveys are available surveys conducted to date.(Click next link)
In the user satisfaction survey, which can be consulted on the INE website, in the section "Quality and Good Practice", element "Management of the Quality of the INE", the INDUSTRY sector, in which this statistical operation is framed, is valued, and this can guide the users' opinion regarding it.
The specific needs of users are taken into account whenever methodological revisions of the survey are carried out, in order to adapt the content of the survey to the specific requirements of its users, increasing their levels of satisfaction.
- 12.3Completeness
The survey meets the information requirements of the National Statistical Plan in the field of structural information on energy consumption in industry.
Rate of completeness of the data: R1=100%
- 12.1User needs
- 13Accuracy and reliability
- 13.1Overall accuracy
The survey design seeks to minimise sampling errors and the different processes of the survey are aimed at eliminating or minimising errors in the same, both in the collection phase (response rate and cleansing ) and in subsequent editing and imputing phases.
- 13.2Sampling error
The tables published include information by activities on the sampling error of the main variable.
Sampling error for Energy consumption: A1=0.07%
- 13.3Non-sampling error
A control of non-sampling errors is carried out throughout the statistical process. Specific information on the non-response rate is also available.
Over-coverage rate: A2=2.9%
Non-response rate by unit: A4=3.3%
- 13.1Overall accuracy
- 14Timeliness and punctuality
- 14.1Timeliness
The data is published after the dissemination of Final Results of the Structural Bussiness Statistics: Industrial Sector.
Opportunity of final results: TP2=t+16 months+26 days.
- 14.2Punctuality
The data is disseminated according to the structural statistics availability calendar that the INE prepares and publishes each year.
Punctuality- delivery and publication: TP3=100%.
- 14.1Timeliness
- 15Coherence and Comparability
- 15.1Comparability - geographical
The availability of a methodology, a design and a common process of collection, cleansing, editing and updating in all its geographical area, guarantees the comparability of the results between the different Autonomous Communities.
- 15.2Comparability - over time
In reference year 2008, a logical gap occurred in the series, due to the introduction of the new National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009).
In reference year 2015, the “Integration Project of the Structural Economic Surveys" started, including the implementation of a reformed common questionnaire for the industry, trade and services sectors, as well as a homogeneous dissemination plan for the three sectors. For the Industrial Sector, the harmonisation with the other two sectors has meant a change of criteria in the publication of the national statistical results which, from this year onwards, are classified according to the company's main activity and not according to the establishment as had been done until then. As the Energy Consumption Survey is a sub-sample of the Structural Business Statistics: Industrial Sector, it is also affected by this project. In order to enable a link with the previous series, together with the results published for this year 2015, a complementary table of the main figures under the previous criterion was provided.
It should be noted taht this is not the case with the regional statistical results, which continue to be based on the main activity of the establishment.
Length of comparable time series: CC2=6 (biennial basis in 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 and annual from 2022).
- 15.3Coherence - cross domain
The use of the same national classification of economic activities allows the survey information to be compared with other economic statistics, such as the Structural Business Statistics: Industrial Sector.
- 15.4Coherence - internal
Coherence is a fundamental issue both in the survey methodology approach and in the whole production process. The coherence between the variables is checked in all phases of the statistical process.
- 15.1Comparability - geographical
- 16Cost and burden
- 16.1Cost and burden
With the aim of significantly reducing the burden on respondents, the survey has been designed in such a way that main data can be obtained from the Structural Business Statistics: Industry Sector and thus reduce the sample with respect to this.The estimate of the budgetary allocation necessary to fund these statistics planned in the 2025 Annual Programme amounts to 27,43 thousand euros.
- 16.1Cost and burden
- 17Data revision
- 17.1Data revision - policy
The INE of Spain has a policy which regulates the basic aspects of statistical data revision, seeking to ensure process transparency and product quality. This policy is laid out in the document approved by the INE board of directors on 13 March of 2015, which is available on the INE website, in the section "Methods and projects/Quality and Code of Practice/INE’s Quality management/INE’s Revision policy" (link).
This general policy sets the criteria that the different type of revisions should follow: routine revision- it is the case of statistics whose production process includes regular revisions-; more extensive revision- when methodological or basic reference source changes take place-; and exceptional revision- for instance, when an error appears in a published statistic-.
The data are disclosed once they are final.
- 17.2Data revision - practice
There is no revision of data in this survey.
- 17.1Data revision - policy
- 18Statistical processing
- 18.1Source data
SAMPLE DESIGN
A two-phase sampling is used. In the first phase the sample of legal units is obtained for the Structural Busines Statistics (SBS): industrial Sector, and in the second phase the sample is obtained for the ECS, which is subsample of the first. In both phases a stratified random sampling is applied.
SAMPLING FRAMEWORK
The survey sampling framework is obtained from the Central Business Register (Directorio Central de Empresas DIRCE), which contains information on the main economic activity, the number of employees, turnover, and on identification and location data, necessary for the correct collection of information.
STRATIFICATION
Given that the objective of the survey is to obtain disaggregated information on the different types of energy consumption carried out by companies and that the Structural Business Statistics has information relating to the total consumption, the ECS sample has been selected as a sub-sample of the total sample of the SBS:Industrial Sector, with the aim of achieving greater integration in the results of both studies
The target population of study of the survey, that is, the group of industrial companies with 20 or more employees, has been divided, for the purposes of the sample design, into a set of strata. The stratification was carried out based on the activity and size bracket variables. Companies with 250 or more employees were studied comprehensively, whilst companies with fewer than 250 employees were studied by sampling.
SELECTION
The selection of the companies in the sample within each stratum was carried out by taking into account the need to be part of the sample of the Structural Business Statistics (SBS):Industrial Sector (search for coherence) and with negative coordination with samples from other surveys (distribution of the individual response burden).
More details on the sample design and estimators can be found in the document on 'Methodology', available on the INE website.
- 18.2Frequency of data collection
Data collection is annual.
- 18.3Data collection
Data collection begins in the second quarter of the year following the reference year, simultaneously with the Structural Business Statistics, through the INE's Data Collection Units, using the INE's own platform and software application (IRIA system). This software ensures the control, organization, and management of the process and enables the electronic questionnaire to be completed online. Almost all questionnaires are collected by this mean.
The data collection units are also responsible for answering telephone lines to resolve respondents' questions and for reviewing the questionnaires. Telephone contact is made with companies in cases where no response is received within the established deadline or where the response is considered insufficient or inconsistent.
- 18.4Data validation
The initial stage of survey data processing is carried out in parallel to the data collection itself, throughout the entire duration thereof. On-line questionnaire incorporates a set of checks for errors, inconsistencies, and anomalies so that respondent can correct or justify them during the completion process. Once the completed questionnaires are available to the Collection Units, they perform a more detailed data cleansing process. The objective of this is to establish sufficient quality levels that significantly simplify subsequent data processing.
The records already processed and cleaned by the Collection Units fed weekly into the data files used for subsequent phases of joint data processing. These files are processed in the Central Services, where additional checks are performed to correct possible coverage errors and ensure data completeness and consistency (micro and macro cleaning processes).
During the micro-cleaning process, errors and inconsistencies are detected and corrected in the identification variables of each record, as well as content errors are corrected and imputed. Additionally, the elevation factors are calculated to determine the estimates for the different variables. The final stage, before tabulating and disseminating the results, is to obtain analysis tables to eliminate the errors and inconsistencies detected in this phase using macro-cleaning techniques.
- 18.5Data compilation
Once the questionnaires have been collected and initially cleaned by the Collection Units, data processing continues in Central Services, where the subsequent phases are carried out. In addition to the coverage control and the treatment and management of collection incidents, additional processes are carried out to detect and clean up errors and inconsistencies, both at the micro-cleaning level of the records and the macro-cleaning of the aggregated information (which requires the calculation of the corresponding elevation factors). All of this is done within the general context of the data from the Structural Business Statistics of the industrial sector, using its Legal Unit approach. The statistical results obtained are analyzed and compared by activity and energy product, as well as with data from previous years.
Finally, after implementing the necessary measures to comply with and safeguard statistical confidentiality, the final statistical results are prepared for dissemination.
- 18.6Adjustment
No seasonal adjustments are made.
- 18.1Source data
- 19Comment
- 19.1Comment
- 19.1Comment