Early Daylight Savings Time yields no real energy savings

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Link

Early U.S. Daylight Savings a bust in power savings

Mon Apr 2, 2007 6:36 PM ET

By Lisa Lee

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The early onset of Daylight Savings Time in the United States this year may have been for naught.

The move to turn the clocks forward by an hour on March 11 rather than the usual early April date was mandated by the U.S. government as an energy-saving effort.

But other than forcing millions of drowsy American workers and school children into the dark, wintry weather three weeks early, the move appears to have had little impact on power usage.

"We haven't seen any measurable impact," said Jason Cuevas, spokesman for Southern Co., one of the nation's largest power companies, echoing comments from several large utilities.

That may come as no surprise to the Energy Department, which last year predicted only modest energy savings because the benefits of the later daylight hour would be offset.

For example, households may draw less electricity for lights at night, but will use more power in the early in the day as they wake to darker and chillier mornings.

Residential lighting comprises only about 10 percent of the average homeowner's electricity use, while air conditioners, heaters and refrigerators consume much more power. Washers, dryers and plasma televisions are also bigger users of electricity than lighting.

"There might have been a small increase in morning lighting, and a slightly larger decline in evening lighting usage," said a spokeswoman at New Jersey utility Public Service Enterprise Group Inc, but that modest decline will have no impact on its overall sales or earnings.

The U.S. Congress will evaluate the effects of the earlier switch to Daylight Saving Time.

Perhaps the biggest impact was felt by the computer users and Blackberry addicts who had to scramble for software patches to keep their digital devices on the right time.

Dan Hermann, a computer programmer in New York, updated his gadgets to the new daylight savings time three weeks ago, only to have them automatically shift forward by another hour on Sunday, the previous start date for daylight savings time.

"I panicked. I thought I was late for church," said Hermann.

Even without an energy savings benefit, some Americans gave a good review to the new Daylight Savings Time.

"I love that you can leave work and it's still day light," said Todd Knapp, an avid runner and consultant in New York.

Note: Ben Franklin's original idea behind Daylight Savings was to save the number of candles burned before bedtime; but with nearly the vast majority of modern workplaces and schools, the lights are on throughout the workday (and many have NO windows, or too small for effectiveness). So where was the energy saving supposed to be generated?

IMO, they could just leave it all year (the share of the year on DST was already larger than that on "standard" time).

[almaty 19]

no surprise to me...i do like getting home before dark

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

i like it. means we get to grill outside more often.

Daniel

:energetic:

[almaty 19]

i like it. means we get to grill outside more often.

Daniel

:energetic:

oh yeah...i agree....

[mawilson 2,133]

That's why they call it "Daylight Saving Time" and not "Energy Saving Time"

[cbd2cai 0]

OK, sure, it is nice to come home in the daylight . . . but 3 weeks earlier?? Doesn't make much of a difference cause it is going to happen soon anyway. As for me . . . I have a hard time getting up in the morning, so I have a really hard time with this one!!! It always seems like a cloudy day!! and what was worse . . . it was mainly cloudy the first 2 weeks of this anyway . . . so it made it worse!!

[Yodrak 7]

almaty,

You're on the eastern edge of a time zone. I'm on the western edge of a time zone - I get home before dark anyway but now I have to go to work in the dark for an extra month.

Yodrak

no surprise to me...i do like getting home before dark

[Saddle Bronc 124]

An idea I'll push again; how about make the changeover again on the last sunday in DECEMBER of this year, and then simply leave it that way, no further changes ("daylight-only"). Alternatively, abolish the change from "STANDARD" time ("standard-only").

Oops, I guess that's too sensible for the bureaucrats in DC (and whichsoever state capital--other than if the state is one of the handful which DOESN't DST). :lol:

[almaty 19]

almaty,

You're on the eastern edge of a time zone. I'm on the western edge of a time zone - I get home before dark anyway but now I have to go to work in the dark for an extra month.

Yodrak

no surprise to me...i do like getting home before dark

wow, sorry professor...i guess, when the time changes back in october it balances out....

[Zil 1]

OK, sure, it is nice to come home in the daylight . . . but 3 weeks earlier?? Doesn't make much of a difference cause it is going to happen soon anyway. As for me . . . I have a hard time getting up in the morning, so I have a really hard time with this one!!! It always seems like a cloudy day!! and what was worse . . . it was mainly cloudy the first 2 weeks of this anyway . . . so it made it worse!!

Actually on Marc 10 (a day before daylight savings time started this year) at my location the Sun rose at 6:15AM and set at 5:56PM

while on Nov 4th it will only rise at 6:29AM and set at 4:47PM. It means that in March when the change occurs the days are 1 and a half hours longer than in early November!!

Only difference is that the average mean temperature is only 44 F in March 10th while in November 4th it is 55F.

Edited November 1, 2007 by Zil