INFOGRAPHIC: The Truth About Daylight Savings Energy Efficiency
Early bed, early rise = daylight savings energy efficiency? This infographic explains the case for sticking with summer time hours year round…
How did daylight savings come about?
In 1907 William published a pamphlet “The Waste of Daylight”. Willet didn’t like the idea of people wasting summer’s morning daylight hours, so he advocated for the implementation of daylight savings energy efficiency.
Fun fact: He’s the great great grandfather of Coldplay singer Chris Martin. Even funner fact: They had a hit record called ‘Clocks’.
Researchers have long advocated the energy efficiency benefits of keeping summer time throughout the winter. But why?
It’s simple: Our most active periods would be better aligned with daylight hours.
Lighting makes up 20% of peak demand. Therefore, longer hours of evening daylight = fewer lights on = energy saved = daylight savings energy efficiency.
Current Winter Hours
5.30pm
This is the time that activities peaks and the highest energy demand is created, because businesses are still open AND people start coming home.
In winter, it’s cold and dark and people need extra energy for light and heat. With the ‘Beast from the East’ in 2018, demand was stretched to a maximum.
Winter Hours with Summer Time
Prioritising sunlit evenings over bright mornings means that:
- Everyone gets up an hour earlier
- They get to work earlier
- They get home earlier
Although activity still peaks around 5.30pm, but there are more hours of sunlight and fewer lights on.
What kind of savings are we looking at?
An extra daily hour of sunlight in winter:
- 70,000 people whose carbon emissions would be cancelled out by the energy savings made when keeping summer time hours.
- £485 million saved on electricity and heating.
A simpler way to save
Whether or not Britain will ever change daylight savings hours is up to government and policy-makers, but businesses looking to save up to 40% on their energy bills can act now. Contact the energy experts at Smarter Business, who will shop the market and compare business energy quotes on your behalf. Speak to a qualified energy consultant today:Contact Us