|
Development of the 1994 Manufacturing Energy
Consumption Survey (MECS)
Summary
The Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS) is the only comprehensive source of
information on energy use by U.S. manufacturers. The survey collects data on energy consumption
and expenditures, fuel-switching capability, onsite generation of electricity, and byproduct energy
use. The first three MECS collections provided data for 1985, 1988, and 1991.
In order to stay attuned to customer needs and expectations regarding the collection and
display of survey data, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) undertook the following
assessment of the MECS:
-
- A) From April to June, 1994, 8 user needs meetings were conducted, primarily
within the Department of Energy, to determine the priorities for the types of data that would be
most useful. These meetings were held with the following groups:
- Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels
(OCNEAF)
- Office of Integrated Analysis & Forecasting (OIAF)
- Office of Economic Analysis & Competition (OEAC)
- Office of Waste Reduction Technologies (OWRT)
- National Energy Information Center (NEIC)
- International Statistics (IS) Branch
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Gas Research Institute (GRI)
- B) EIA developed and conducted a Response Analysis Survey (RAS) of selected
respondents to the 1991 MECS. The purposes of the RAS were to evaluate the effectiveness of
certain questions and respondents' ability to reply accurately to them. The results of the RAS have
been published in the Monthly Energy Review of March, 1995, a copy of which is
available from the U.S. Government Printing Office at 202-653-2050;
- C) EIA held discussions with the data collection agency, the Bureau of the Census,
to determine survey design and wording that would facilitate the process of data gathering and
reduce respondent burden;
- D) EIA held discussions with concerned individuals who had a provincial interest
in specific survey topics, for example, energy consumption of wood and paper-related
products;
- E) EIA undertook a review to decide the appropriateness of survey questions for a
one-time collection of establishment activities related to electric motors; and
- F) EIA developed a supporting statement to obtain governmental clearance of the
survey form from the Office of Management and Budget.
Assessment Results
The following major decisions concerning survey design, implementation, and data collection
resulted from the assessment:
- The expected sample size will be expanded to at least 22,000 establishments to accommodate
data reporting at the level of census division;
- Counts of establishment types will also be reported for selected data;
- Data reporting will be furnished for additional Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes,
as requested by OIAF. See User Needs Meeting with Office of Integrated
Analysis & Forecasting (OIAF);
- Survey wording will be clarified to collect energy consumption of wood and paper-related
products;
- Collection for energy consumption of natural gas will reflect deregulation of the natural gas
industry, including purchases at firm, interruptible, and other service rates;
- Survey questions will be added to determine the actual switching between natural gas and
residual fuel oil, and the main reasons for the switch;
- Survey wording will be clarified to consider utility sponsorship of Demand-Side Management
programs;
- Survey questions will be added to determine establishment involvement in such
government-sponsored, energy-management programs as Green Lights, Motor Challenge, and
Energy Star Buildings;
- The types of in-place cogeneration technologies will be collected; and
- Survey questions will be added to determine the evaluation method and type of listed
information available for electric motors.
File Last Modified: August 15, 1994
- Contact:
- robert.adler@eia.doe.gov
- Robert Adler
- Project Manager
- Phone: (202) 586-1134
- Fax: (202) 586-0018
URL: http:www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/mecs/mecs91/consumption/mecs2e.html
If you are having any technical problems with this site, please contact the EIA Webmaster at
wmaster@eia.doe.gov
|