Energy resources are the driving force for success in economic development. However economic development also rapidly increases energy consumption. In order to establish and maintain an energy consumption database, the Energy Commission under the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taiwan periodically conducts surveys and studies of energy consumption. This survey of energy consumption in the residential and commercial sectors is an integral part of the research work on energy consumption in Taiwan.
The aims of the study are (1) to establish an energy consumption database for the residential and commercial sectors of Taiwan, (2) to carry out relevant statistic analyses, (3) to aid decision-makers in designing and evaluating energy policies, (4) to understand the use patterns of energy consumers and their related causes, (5) to conduct an economic analysis of the energy demand through the use of translog functions.
This study applies a partial survey technique, the RAS method, to analyze residential and commercial energy consumption. The method significantly reduces the costs of surveying and the number of samples necessary for estimation as required by traditional sampling theory. The survey questionnaires are designed according to the characteristics of energy users, location distribution and time distribution of energy consumption, attributes of various energy resources and their substitutes, the use of energy appliances and their energy efficiency, and other important factors. The research results are illustrated by various contingency tables and statistical graphs. The data are then used for the estimation of translog functions. Finally, policy implications are drawn based upon the major findings, and recommendations are made to the Energy Commission for the making of relevant energy policy decisions.
