more coming soon…<\/p>\n
Time Zone Report believes that current research shows DST does not save energy or money spent on energy, and probably costs us more.<\/p>\n
Prior studies showing energy savings during DST were conducted in the 1970s.\u00a0 A lot has changed since then! See Cost of Owning and Operating an Automobile below.<\/p>\n
Matthew Kotchen and Laura Grant are\u00a0the authors of this detailed 36-page 2008\u00a0article <\/a>available online at the National Bureau of Economic Research.\u00a0 They evaluated seven million monthly meter readings in southern Indiana for three years<\/em>, and were able to company energy usage before and after Indiana modified its state-wide DST choices.<\/p>\n The article’s abstract provides a chilling summary that goes against common perception:<\/p>\n Our main finding is that\u2014contrary to the policy’s intent\u2014DST increases residential electricity demand. Estimates of the overall increase are approximately 1 percent, but we find that the effect is not constant throughout the DST period. DST causes the greatest increase in electricity consumption in the fall, when estimates range between 2 and 4 percent. These findings are consistent with simulation results that point to a tradeoff between reducing demand for lighting and increasing demand for heating and cooling. We estimate a cost of increased electricity bills to Indiana households of $9 million per year. We also estimate social costs of increased pollution emissions that range from $1.7 to $5.5 million per year. Finally, we argue that the effect is likely to be even stronger in other regions of the United States.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Whether research in the early years of DST was wrong or that our habits have changed since the 1970s, this article clearly indicates that “saving energy” is not a benefit of DST.<\/p>\n This study was further\u00a0reported online <\/a>by The Wall Street Journal.\u00a0 The WSJ\u00a0article contains a brief review of some background material, then presents a few of the relevant findings.\u00a0 According to the article:<\/p>\n Their finding: Having the entire state switch to daylight-saving time each year, rather than stay on standard time, costs Indiana households an additional $8.6 million in electricity bills. They conclude that the reduced cost of lighting in afternoons during daylight-saving time is more than offset by the higher air-conditioning costs on hot afternoons and increased heating costs on cool mornings.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The bottom line from this article comes from the Conclusion section: “there is surprisingly little evidence that DST actually saves energy”.<\/p>\nCalifornia Energy Commission 2001 Report Says Different!<\/h1>\n