Time change can cost you hundreds of euros – study calculates the shortfall

Does the time change really still save us energy? Many doubt it and some even believe that it makes us lose money.

The aim of changing the time is to save energy and therefore money by making better use of natural light. Over the years, these gains have been increasingly called into question. 20 years ago, experts assured that the savings were significant, of the order of 1200 GWh saved per year in France. A few years ago, the European Commission assessed that the gains were ultimately "marginal",  representing a saving of between 0.5 and 2.5% depending on the countries concerned. p>

The very latest studies from Ademe, the Ecological Transition Agency, rely instead on a saving in electricity. 350 GWh of electricity, or only 0.07% of our electricity consumption total today. All this thanks, in particular, to the generalization of more efficient and economical lighting systems and bulbs.

Now, some are wondering if this gain is not turning into a loss of money for your wallet. A recent British study seriously states that eliminating the time change in October would save 400 pounds sterling (460 euros) per household per year.< /p>

The work was carried out conducted last year and published by the University of New York. Queen's of Belfast. Their results show that demand on the UK energy network would fall by as much as 20%. 10% if the transition to winter time did not take place.

Professor Aoife Foley, from the university’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, explained: "This  'Commercial and residential electricity, because people would leave work earlier and return home earlier, which would mean less lighting and heating'. Nowadays, according to him, the demand for electricity is increasing. The maximum time is between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Western Europe, which may cause difficulties for the network.

He adds, referring to the conflict in Ukraine: "There is no doubt that by renouncing this winter time, we would save a lot of energy, reduce our bills and our carbon emissions during this energy war, and especially during this crisis inflationary.

The academics' calculations do not take into account gas or electricity consumption. used by businesses. According to Professor Foley, this means that energy savings can potentially be “even greater.”

Another in-depth but very little known was already going to in this sense in 2008: researchers from the state of Indiana had evaluated the economic impact of the time change. They had identified a significant increase in demand for electricity. during the weeks following the transition to summer time. More precisely, the demand for electricity increases. it had increased by 1% during the weeks following this time change.

Why? According to their study, the suddenly longer and warmer days that accompany the start of the Daylight saving time created a psychological effect and thus encouraged the inhabitants of Indiana to use more air conditioning to counter the heat!