It's interesting that the proponents of your shift to daylight savings three weeks early suggest it will reduce energy

[dug777]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6438563.stm

Essentially our load characteristics look exactly the same, but moved an hour forward, and in fact it's arguable that our peak is marginally higher because it's hotter later, so you get MORE of an overlap between businesses and people going home to turn on the AC...

The bill also ignores that fact that a large part of electricity cost (some 15% to supply less than a week in a year's worth of peaks) comes in the form of providing for that peak with relatively expensive peaking plant, rather than big baseload just ticking over at it's most economical point...

It's also based on an outdated view that lighting forms a significant part of household energy use, which was perhaps true twenty years ago, but today it's about 4% of an average households total energy use here...

My 2c

http://www1.sedo.energy.wa.gov.au/pages/energy_smart_homes.asp

 

[Cattlegod]

Thanks for the reminder, I would have never remembered!
/e sets alarm clock forward

 

[FoBoT]

sweet

 

[redgtxdi]

I would tend to agree with OP!

I can't say I have hard data, but last time I tested personally, I think I discovered that DST was truly a bunch of crap.

They should just set it and forget it.

I'm not one of those "change is good" kinda' people. Once I get used to something, I want it left alone!

P.S. And I am NOT a morning person. I bite people's heads off in the morning!

 

[Slew Foot]

I like getting home and having more hours of daylight to do things, I dont really care about saving energy so much.

 

[sandorski]

I think it's too early to tell. Wait a few weeks for some hard numbers to come out.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: sandorski
I think it's too early to tell. Wait a few weeks for some hard numbers to come out.

I'm just telling you what the hard numbers say here

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: sandorski
I think it's too early to tell. Wait a few weeks for some hard numbers to come out.

I'm just telling you what the hard numbers say here

Have 24 hours even passed yet?

 

[Ronin]

In some parts of the world, the clocks haven't even changed yet.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: sandorski
I think it's too early to tell. Wait a few weeks for some hard numbers to come out.

I'm just telling you what the hard numbers say here

Have 24 hours even passed yet?

wrong country/hemisphere


Australia just switched BACK, and this was the first summer they were on DST, so they have the info now

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Slew Foot
I like getting home and having more hours of daylight to do things, I dont really care about saving energy so much.

:thumbsup:

 

[thomsbrain]

yeah, i agree that it is mostly pointless. and honestly, most people use lights in their homes and offices even during the day, so the amount saved by having it be light "longer" is negligible at best.

 

[MustISO]

Maybe we'll use lights/lamps a little later but that doesn't do anything for the millions and millions of PC's, TV's, electronics that will continue to multiply. Let me put a band-aid on that gaping wound.

 

[iamaelephant]

It's a little premature, a few more years data will be needed to reach any hard conclusions. I don't know why everyone is so up in arms about something so minor though.

 

[imported_Baloo]

OP, you imply data to support your assertion, but where is the data?


I think the reason it has shown energy reduction in the past is because people are more apt to be outside rather than inside during that extra evening daylight. Also, because it is in late afternoon when the day reaches it peak tempurature, generally, and stays there until the sun goes down, it saves 8am-5pm businesses money because they turn things off after 5. A study is being down this year to collect relevent data aroung the events.

 

[ethebubbeth]

Yeah, I love that Arizona does not follow daylight saving time.

However, I still have to deal with it for all the callers at work...

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: FoBoT

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: sandorski
I think it's too early to tell. Wait a few weeks for some hard numbers to come out.

I'm just telling you what the hard numbers say here

Have 24 hours even passed yet?

wrong country/hemisphere


Australia just switched BACK, and this was the first summer they were on DST, so they have the info now

Doh, you are right. Forgot they were on the backward side of the planet!

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: iamaelephant
It's a little premature, a few more years data will be needed to reach any hard conclusions. I don't know why everyone is so up in arms about something so minor though.

It just seems stupid. It's so antiquated and it causes headaches for everyone.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: iamaelephant
It's a little premature, a few more years data will be needed to reach any hard conclusions. I don't know why everyone is so up in arms about something so minor though.

Anyone that works in any aspect of IT has been panicking for the past couple weeks. Microsoft did not even release the full patch for products until two weeks ago. Imagine you work in a company where you need to update half a dozen software packages on 5,000 computers. Sure, some of those can be done manually but not all. It has been a bit like Y2K but with only a couple weeks time to prepare.

And while in most companies the change is not a problem, you have to remember that a LOT of businesses are in constant contact with other countries. Every computer linked to any system in the US has to be updated to prevent problems.

 

[doze]

I was always under the impression that daylight savings time was more for tourism. This year DST starts around the same time as spring break.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: Baloo
OP, you imply data to support your assertion, but where is the data?


I think the reason it has shown energy reduction in the past is because people are more apt to be outside rather than inside during that extra evening daylight. Also, because it is in late afternoon when the day reaches it peak tempurature, generally, and stays there until the sun goes down, it saves 8am-5pm businesses money because they turn things off after 5. A study is being down this year to collect relevent data aroung the events.

I'm working off data from the main Western Australian electricity network. A colleague where i work was looking into it, and i can assure you there's NO energy saving involved.

If you want to look into the data yourself, it's all at www.imowa.com.au

 

[Lifted]

I think Congress did this just to piss off us IT folk. Damn wankers.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Yeah the whole idea of DST is stupid, all it does is fvck with peoples body clock twice a year

But I really don't mind because I like to get to work early, and appreciate the extra hour of sunshine after work in the summertime.

 

[Ronin]

It'd be worse if it happened Monday morning instead of Sunday, though.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
Yeah the whole idea of DST is stupid, all it does is fvck with peoples body clock twice a year

But I really don't mind because I like to get to work early, and appreciate the extra hour of sunshine after work in the summertime.

I honestly prefer being able to get up and go for a walk or a bike ride before work, it sucks being dark when i get up now.

It's been far too hot after work to do much, and the traffic is crappy if you want to go for a swim at the beach, so i'd rather we stuck without it...