Does Daylight Saving Time Conserve Energy?

The short answer? Not really. Daylight saving time (DST) originally aimed to reduce reliance on artificial lighting, since that was the primary use of electricity. In theory, the practice provided one extra hour of daylight in the evenings, effectively lowering consumers’ electricity consumption and costs.

However, this concept worked better when households had fewer electricity sources. Today, the average family has around 17 devices running around the clock — from HVAC systems to televisions, computers, and microwaves. Additionally, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) found that, as of 2020, lighting accounted for only 5% of energy use in U.S. homes, whereas heating and cooling accounted for over 50%.

Considering the significant changes in energy usage since DST began, it’s unlikely the practice will significantly lower your energy costs today.

Daylight saving time is the practice of adjusting clocks one hour forward in the spring and one hour back in the fall. In 2005, Congress established that DST would begin on the second Sunday in March and end on the first Sunday in November. This year, DST begins on March 8 and ends on November 1.

The legal implementation of DST has gone back and forth since 1918. It was first passed into law under the Standard Time Act on March 19, 1918. This act established time zones across the United States during World War I to reduce energy costs. However, Congress quickly repealed DST in 1919, leaving it to local communities to regulate.

Daylight saving time was re-established during World War II, but its usage still varied until 1966, when the Uniform Time Act standardized times for DST across the U.S. In the following decades, the DST dates changed frequently until 2007, when the U.S. set the currently accepted DST start and end dates in stone.

Today, daylight saving time is heavily debated, with many turning against the practice. Multiple parts of the world have opted out, including most countries in Asia and Africa. In 2022, the U.S. Congress passed the Sunshine Protection Act to eliminate changing the clocks and permanently establish DST. However, the bill did not make it through the House of Representatives, and its future remains undetermined. For now, prepare to spring forward one hour on March 8, 2026, and fall back on November 1, 2026.

When does daylight saving time start in 2026?

Daylight saving time starts on March 8, 2026, when the clocks spring forward. It will end on November 1, 2026, when the clocks fall back one hour.

Why doesn’t DST save more energy?

The energy savings during daylight saving time dwindled as society became more reliant on technology. Today, households have dozens of electronics and appliances running at all times, so the reduced reliance on artificial light has minimal impact on overall energy usage.

Which states don’t participate in DST?

Hawaii and Arizona do not observe DST. Additionally, several U.S. territories abstain from the practice, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.