Chapter 1.  Consultations with Customers, Stakeholders, and EIA Staff

Stakeholder Outreach

EIA’s first step in responding to the requirements of section 805(d) was to form the State Data Assessment Team consisting of six EIA analysts who conducted the necessary research, gathered input from stakeholders¹, developed options to fill data gaps, and compiled this report.  Over the past 15 years, the number of people and organizations seeking information from EIA has increased significantly.  Additionally, their interests in and needs for different types of energy information have constantly changed and expanded.  EIA’s formal stakeholder outreach related to the preparation of this report began  with a presentation by the Deputy EIA Administrator to the National Conference of State Legislatures at its July 2008 Legislative Summit in New Orleans.  During September and October, the State Data Assessment Team consulted with additional stakeholders.  Team members held meetings and telephone conferences with representatives of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and the Northeast-Midwest Institute.  They attended NASEO’s Annual Meeting in September 2008 in Overland Park, Kansas, where they met informally with State officials and gave a presentation that explained EIA’s work on Section 805.  NASEO members expressed their need to for greater accuracy in EIA’s data, more access to company-level data, and more data that would help States track progress towards meeting energy-related goals.  For example, two of the goals established by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency Vision for 2025² require the establishment of mechanisms for measuring and evaluating a State’s progress in achieving greater energy efficiency.  States are requesting State-level data on energy consumption that would assist them in measuring their progress toward reaching this goal.

In October 2008, EIA held a workshop inviting attendees to share their perspectives on the scope, accuracy, quality, comparability, and timeliness of EIA’s State energy data.  Announcements about the workshop were sent to two of EIA’s extensive list serves (State Energy Data and Energy Consumption) and to the NASEO Winter Fuels Conference mailing list.  Recipients of the announcements represented a wide range of organizations, including the:

• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• Environmental Protection Agency
• U.S. Departments of Transportation, Commerce, Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services
• State Energy Officials (in all 50 States and the U.S. Territories)
• National Conference of State Legislatures
• National Governors Association
• National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
• American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, the Alliance to Save Energy, the National Association of Home Builders, and
• ExxonMobil, Amerigas, and other energy companies.

Over 80 people registered for the workshop, which was attended by representatives of the Federal and several State governments, including the California Energy Commission and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), non-profit organizations, and private companies.  Several workshop participants also provided written comments.  Workshop topics included the availability of measures of renewable energy consumption; electricity grid reliability; data on distributed generation, plug-in vehicles, and other new technologies; end-use data on appliances such as gas clothes dryers; and fuel prices for home heating, among many other topics.

EIA In-House Assessments

The State Data Assessment Team initially reviewed EIA’s State Data Directory http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/SEP_MorePrices.cfm , which helped serve as a guide when considering data gaps.  Because EIA’s analysts are continually responding to customers, they are uniquely aware of EIA’s data gaps, so the Team then canvassed EIA management and analysts to identify gaps and propose options to address the gaps.  EIA staff addressed topics such as survey data quality and coverage, State-level data estimation procedures, and information dissemination.  Lastly, the Team reviewed public and Congressional requests for State-level information received by EIA during the first 5 months of 2008.

Results of the Assessment

After analyzing all of the feedback received from external and internal stakeholders, the State Data Assessment Team categorized State data needs into four main categories:

1. “Integrated State Energy Data Programs,” which covers improvements to the dissemination of data and estimates via the State Energy Profiles (SEPs) and the State Energy Data System (SEDS);
2. “End-Use Consumption Surveys: Data Quality and Scope,” which covers data needs to increase the comprehensiveness of EIA’s existing and proposed end-use consumption data collection activities;
3. “Supplier Surveys:  Data Quality and Scope,” which covers data needs associated with increasing the comprehensiveness of EIA’s existing supply-side surveys; and
4. “Communication, Collaboration, and Outreach,” which covers actions EIA could undertake to consult and collaborate with stakeholders.

The specific energy data needs identified by EIA and options for addressing them are covered in the next four chapters of this report.

Notes