Energy use account

Physical flow accounts for energy describe in physical units of measure (joules) the extraction of energy from the environment as a natural input (e.g. natural gas extraction), its use as a product (e.g. combustion of motor gasoline), and its eventual return to the environment as residual heat. Although these accounts can also be measured in units of mass (e.g. tonnes of coal) or volume (e.g. cubic metres of natural gas), energy content (joules) provides a common unit for summation purposes. These accounts are treated in section 3.4 of the United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting: Central Framework (SEEA-CF).

The energy use account produced by Statistics Canada focuses on consumption of energy products for energy purposes. As such it excludes non-energy uses of energy products such as the use of oil as a lubricant rather than as a fuel. The scope of the account is use only, as opposed to the full cycle of the production, consumption, transformation and trade of energy products covered in the SEEA-CF physical supply and use tables. Those additional data can be found in the annual energy supply and demand balances, also produced by Statistics Canada.

Access the data table and methodological information through the following link: