A top academic has said that not turning the clocks back in October would save households hundreds of pounds
(Picture: PA Archive)Households could save more than £400 a year on energy bills if clocks are not turned back in October, according to an expert.
Evening energy demand peaks between 5pm and 7pm during winter, when the sun has already set after daylight savings time (DST).
If clocks were not turned back, it would remain light for at least part of this time, reducing carbon emissions and energy demand.
Professor Aoife Foley, a clean energy expert at Queen’s University Belfast, said such a move would also ease pressure on the National Grid.
She said: “By simply forgoing the winter DST in October, we save energy because it is brighter in the evening during winter, so we reduce commercial and residential electrical demand as people leave work earlier, and go home earlier, meaning less lighting and heating is needed.”
The expert added: “Dependent on weather conditions this winter it is very likely we may need to start rationing energy very seriously to avoid bigger energy issues in December and January when gas reserves start to run low.”
Her calculations suggest that households could save £1.20 a day and more than £400 a year on electricity bills if clocks are not put back at the end of October. However, exact amounts depend on tariffs.
There has long been debate over whether to scrap DST, which was introduced in 1916 to reduce energy demand during the war by prolonging evening daylight in summer.
It still benefits some farmers, but is less popular among people who would prefer more light later in the day in winter, and is thought to cause sleep disturbance.
It was originally proposed in 1907 by builder William Willett.
The European parliament voted to scrap the hour change in 2019, and a poll showed that most EU citizens agreed. But the change has yet to be implemented and no longer applies to the UK after Brexit.
Foley did not include gas savings or electricity and gas in the commercial or industrial sectors in her calculations, but she said these would offer “even more significant energy, cost and emissions reductions”, flattening the evening peak on energy demand by up to 10%.
Some critics of scrapping daylight savings are concerned about road traffic collisions.
However, the research suggested most road deaths occur in good visibility during the day and outside built-up areas, and usually on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with speed, tiredness and alcohol the main factors.
There would also be time zone issues between the UK and Ireland, creating two time zones between the north and south. Foley suggested this could be remedied if the two governments consulted on an emergency proposal to abolish daylight savings this year.
