Modelling Underlying Energy Demand Trends and Stochastic Seasonality: An Econometric Analysis of Transport Oil Demand in the UK and Japan

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the importance of adequately modelling the Underlying Energy Demand Trend (UEDT) and seasonality when estimating transportation oil demand for the UK and Japan. The structural time series model is therefore employed to allow for a stochastic underlying trend and stochastic seasonals using quarterly data from the early 1970s, for both the UK and Japan. It is found that the stochastic seasonals are preferred to the conventional deterministic dummies and, more importantly, the UEDT is found to be highly nonlinear for both countries, with periods where it is both upward and downward sloping.energy demand, stochastic trend model, unobservable underling trend, seasonality.