The Energy Information Administration has requested an $18.2 million boost to their budget for fiscal year 2011, according to a news release.

The EIA’s total budget request of $128.8 million is included in the total FY 2011 budget request for the Department of Energy, which was released Feb. 1. The increase would improve EIA’s capabilities to respond to the growing need for reliable energy data, analysis and forecasting, the release states.

The "budget request for EIA responds to the expressed needs and interests of Congress, Federal agencies, industry, non-governmental organizations, and the broader public who are increasingly focused on energy efficiency metrics, energy market movements, and the impacts of new technologies and fuels," said Richard Newell, EIA Administrator.

The increase includes $8 million to double the sample size of the 2011 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey, which provides information on energy use and performance measurement for energy efficiency programs. Another $3 million would go towards improving coverage, quality and integration of oil, gas, electricity and other energy data. This would include developing an internet data collection methodology for surveys and addressing discrepancies in gasoline and other product balances. A $1.3 million portion of the increase would go do expanding analysis of energy market behavior and data in order to address the interrelationship of energy and financial markets. A $1.9 million infusion would go to improving the administration’s ability to assess and project supply, demand and technology trends affecting U.S. and energy markets.