18. Bias in Energy Statistics—A Review of Misinformation About Sustainable Energy

Some previous reviews of predictions of energy supply have shown how official statistics have tended to underplay the contribution of renewable energy to future needs. This chapter is based on a range of examples of bias within information regarding energy use, fossil fuel reserves and comparisons of energy sources. Some of these relate to the presentation of statistics in a way that misinforms, often through visual information in graphs and charts. Other biases relate to future predictions and lack of transparency regarding assumptions made. However, as shown in this chapter, even short-term predictions often turn out to be incorrect, and there is evidence that this is often due to biased use or interpretation of statistics. Some of the biases relate to prices, others to growth rates and implied limits to diffusion of sustainable energy technologies. In some cases it is possible to show in retrospect how statements promoting conventional energy over renewable sources have not in fact proved to be correct. Of course, some examples of bias in promotion of renewable energy sources also exist.

This chapter reviews examples of how energy statistics have been used to give bias (whether accidentally or deliberate) to conventional energy technologies over sustainable ones and identifies methods to assist in a critical evaluation of information sources.