IAEA Trains Asia-Pacific Experts in Energy Statistics

Reliable data on how countries produce and use energy can help governments plan for growing electricity demand and make informed decisions about future energy supplies, including the potential role of nuclear power. To strengthen national expertise in energy data analysis, the IAEA organized a training course in Singapore for energy experts from 13 countries.

Energy statistics are the foundation of effective energy planning. They show how much energy a country produces, transforms and consumes, providing the baseline for assessing future needs, evaluating policy options and comparing long-term strategies, including whether and how nuclear power could contribute. They also enable governments to track progress on objectives such as energy security, energy efficiency, economic development and climate commitments.

The course, which took place from 20 to 22 October, was hosted by the Energy Studies Institute at the National University of Singapore under the renewed Singapore-IAEA Third Country Training Programme, supported through the Singapore Cooperation Programme. It was part of a regional technical cooperation that helps Member States strengthen energy planning.

Peter Govindasamy, Executive Director of the Energy Studies Institute at the National University of Singapore, Director-General at Singapore's Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry, and Director of the Training Course, highlighted the challenges of meeting growing energy demand while ensuring energy security, affordability and reliability. "One common requirement underpins them all: the need for reliable, timely and trusted data."

The three-day course brought together 20 energy experts, planners and statisticians from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, the Syrian Arab Republic and Thailand. Participants represented energy ministries, statistical offices and other national institutions responsible for energy data collection and analysis.

"By bringing together national experts and international partner organizations, we are helping countries improve the quality of their energy data and strengthen their ability to use it for informed decision making," said Jessica Callen-Kovtunova, IAEA Energy Planner and Economist and Scientific Secretary of the course.

Through lectures, case studies and practical exercises, participants applied international standards for energy statistics and balances to their own national data, sharing experiences and approaches with fellow experts from across the region. Before attending the in-person training, all participants completed a one-week online course introducing the core concepts and terminology, delivered in partnership with the United Nations Statistics Division .

Participants first explored the role of energy statistics in energy planning and policymaking, as well as the legal and institutional arrangements needed for effective data collection. The training covered international recommendations and classifications, including the Standard International Energy Product Classification , and examined methodologies for collecting and analysing different energy sources.

The course concluded with sessions on commodity balances, energy balances and energy efficiency indicators, followed by a hands-on training session introducing the IAEA's Model for Analysis of Energy Demand (MAED), a tool for evaluating future energy demand under different economic, technological and population scenarios.

Experts from the United Nations Statistics Division, the Asian Development Bank, the International Energy Agency, the International Renewable Energy Agency and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific delivered presentations on the International Recommendations for Energy Statistics , strengthening national energy information systems, regional and global energy outlooks, and progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 in Asia and the Pacific.

Each participating country shared its experiences in collecting and reporting energy data, highlighting achievements, challenges and areas for improvement. These exchanges provided opportunities for participants to compare approaches, discuss common obstacles and identify practical solutions that could be adapted across countries.

According to the IAEA's projections for South-Eastern Asia, total electricity generation in the region is estimated to more than triple by 2060 compared with 2025 levels. Meeting this growing demand will require robust energy data and planning capabilities across the region.

Malaysia offers one example of how countries are working to improve their energy data. More than 80% of its electricity generation came from fossil fuels in 2025, with coal accounting for the largest share. To strengthen energy planning and policymaking, the country has been working to consolidate national energy data into a single energy balance and improve estimates of final energy consumption by sector, helping to address gaps in demand-side data.

"The course helped us see where we can strengthen our energy data collection processes and improve our energy balance," said Fairuz Suzana Mohd Chachuli, Director of the Planning & International Relations Division at the Malaysian Nuclear Agency. "Better data will help us make more informed decisions about how Malaysia's energy needs may evolve in the future and how those needs can be met."

The Singapore training course is part of an ongoing IAEA regional project to support energy planning. In 2027, participating countries will build on their work in energy statistics with training on the IAEA's Model for Analysis of Energy Demand.

MAED is one of several technology-neutral energy planning tools that the IAEA provides to member countries free of charge. Together, these tools help countries develop data-driven energy policies to plan for future energy needs and advance national development priorities.