I once tried to work out, based on power usage levels, if DST saves power (it's original purpose in wartime)
At best it's a wash. People all think that domestic lighting is a big power user, but in reality it's things like commercial shopping centres and office buildings that really suck down the juice. And typically those are run on a timer, so the pattern doesn't change (even if the timer is adjusted, the lights,ac and services are on for a fixed period of time).
Any savings for people having their lights off for 60 minutes less is swamped by people switching their AC on when they get home an hour earlier.
I still support DST as a quality of life thing, though.
> I still support DST as a quality of life thing, though.
I was amused at this comment, since i always dread the week or so after transitioning. Invariably my biological clock is screwed up and i'm something of a zombie in the morning at work and the later evening at parties.
It probably did save energy once, back when it was first introduced because I doubt most people used electricity for much more than a radio and lighting. Sure the rich likely did, but there aren't that many of them.
Well the idea is from before electric lighting was even a thing, so who really knows? I do wonder if the Russians have it right in their recent abolishment of the system.
At best it's a wash. People all think that domestic lighting is a big power user, but in reality it's things like commercial shopping centres and office buildings that really suck down the juice. And typically those are run on a timer, so the pattern doesn't change (even if the timer is adjusted, the lights,ac and services are on for a fixed period of time).
Any savings for people having their lights off for 60 minutes less is swamped by people switching their AC on when they get home an hour earlier.
I still support DST as a quality of life thing, though.