Technocrat

Does daylight saving waste electricity?

David Leppik
Wed Feb 27 09:28:56 -0800 2008
Environment.
manage

Daylight saving actually wastes more electricity than it saves, according to a recent study [PDF] of Indiana's energy use (reported in the Wall Street Journal). This may reflect changing energy usage.

The main difference between now and the 1970s is the prevalence of household air conditioning. The extra hours at home in the afternoon with the AC on consumes more energy than is saved by decreased lighting.

 

Important caveat: this study looked only at Indiana, which implemented daylight savings in a haphazard enough way to provide a nearly random sample. Other states and climates may have much different results. In particular, more northern states may use AC less.

Does daylight savings waste electricity?

rubycodez
Wed Feb 27 09:51:41 -0800 2008
 manage

wastes time and money and mental health and integrity of automated operations (still see DST patches for all manner of OS and devices coming out with USA specific changes, for example) doing the clock adjustments.  Even if DST is found to save energy, may just as well stay on it all year long now that we're doing it for most of the year.  enough with this clock changing stupidity.
Does daylight savings waste electricity?
zotz
Wed Feb 27 11:09:35 -0800 2008
 manage

Where I live it makes sense for my lifestyle to change the clocks.

In the summer, I like the extra hour of daylight after work to do things. In the winter, it would get dark too early if we did not go back.

Of course, instead of changing the clocks, the government could instead direct that all establichments adjust their opening and closing hours instead... Good luck with that.

all the best,

drew
Does daylight savings waste electricity?
rubycodez
Wed Feb 27 13:44:27 -0800 2008
 manage

or the government could just butt out altogether, since it's unclear whether or not there is even a net benefit. 

 

just looked at state of California's energy commission report on the results of 3 week's earlier DST, they can't tell from statistical noise but then say well maybe we saved 0.2%, or not.  I'm calling BS on the whole thing.
Does daylight savings waste electricity?
zotz
Wed Feb 27 14:51:00 -0800 2008
 manage

I am making no comment on any energy benefits from DST.

I am just saying that I think my life is better as a result of DST even if it is a little energy negative even.

And hey, I am in the Bahamas, when the US messed with the DST days, we followed suit.. We are that tied in with them down here.

all the best,

drew
Does daylight savings waste electricity?
berck
Wed Feb 27 16:46:37 -0800 2008
 manage

What?  "in the winter it would get dark too early if we did not go back"?  Huh?  By "going back" in the winter, it gets dark earlier, not later.  Sounds like you'd like DST year-round.
Does daylight savings waste electricity?
zotz
Wed Feb 27 17:13:18 -0800 2008
 manage

May have had a brain hiccough...

Don't want DST year round. I am in a good bit of pain for the past few days due to busting up my shoulder. Didn't think it was affecting my thinking though.

Perhaps it would be school and work starting in the dark. I do know I have thought of staying DST year round and decided it is better in our location and with out lifestyle to switch back.

all the best,

drew
Does daylight saving waste electricity?
Alexander McLeay
Wed Feb 27 17:38:05 -0800 2008
 manage
Daylight savings time is good, no matter whether it saves energy or not. Too often people try to put quality of life beneath economic savings to the detriment of many. Here in Victoria we will be starting daylight savings at the sart of October this year, and I must say I will be very pleased by the change --- everyone knows I would like it to start earlier. Changes to the Sun's rising and setting times screw around with my sleep much more than changes to the clock and so I like the chance to have a closer synchronisation. The only thing I'd like better than daylight savings time is if we could synchronise sunrise with 6.00 am, as was historically done before clocks were half decent, except in these days of strict and accurate time measurement that would be much too difficult to implement.

oops - thought I was putting normal comment down here when I was in article edit!

rubycodez
Thu Feb 28 10:03:30 -0800 2008
 manage

eek, thought was typing in regular comment about lawmakers only ones being idiotic enough to come with DST and now I see it in article! big mistake, sorry everyone.  No apology to lawmakers who think DST changings twice a year makes sense though
 

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