Standardisation

The APEC reporting format used in the collection of 2015 annual data, gives member economies the flexibility to report data in the original units used in their respective economies. The format also requires the submission of densities of each product to allow conversion of all data to a uniform mass unit. The coordinating agency however, does not standardise the conversion factor from physical to energy units in view of the peculiarities in the thermal quantity of each energy product from the different economies. In this regard, the CA makes use of the calorific value data reported by each economy as opposed to using typical conversion factors.

Conversion factors for fossil energy from physical to thermal units

Between the two calorific values, namely gross and net calorific values, APEC adopted the net calorific value agreed from the third experts meeting held in Singapore to facilitate comparisons with international energy statistics such as those of the IEA and United Nations Statistics Division. Therefore, gross calorific values used by some members must be converted to net calorific values. If only gross calorific values are reported, the CA converts them to net calorific values by:

Coal / Oil multiply the value by 95%
Gas    multiply the value by 90%

Conversion factors for primary electricity

Table 1 shows the factors applied to convert primary electricity ─ i.e. power generated from non-fossil fuel sources such as hydro, nuclear, geothermal and other power generation ─ to primary energy units. To allow comparisons of primary energy supplies, in the light of differences in conversion coefficients, standardisation is required. APEC adopted the following efficiency of primary electricity generation for compatibility with IEA and UN statistics.

Table 1 ● Efficiency of primary electricity generation

TPrimary Electricity Efficiency
Hydro Power 100%
Nuclear Power 33%
Geothermal Power * 10%
Other New Power 100%

*Excluding Mexico, New Zealand and the United States. These economies can provide the primary energy equivalent of geothermal electricity outputs.

The original energy data contained in these statistics have been processed using the adjustments mentioned above.