IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/enejou/v39y2018i2p35-61.html

Does Daylight Saving Save Electricity? A Meta-Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Tomas Havranek
  • Dominik Herman
  • Zuzana Irsova

Abstract

The original rationale for adopting daylight saving time (DST) was energy savings. Modern research studies, however, question the magnitude and even direction of the effect of DST on electricity consumption. Representing the first meta-analysis in this literature, we collect 162 estimates from 44 studies and find that the mean reported estimate indicates slight electricity savings: 0.34% during the days when DST applies. The literature is not affected by publication bias, but the results vary systematically depending on the exact data and methodology applied.Using Bayesian model averaging we identify the most important factors driving the heterogeneity of the reported effects: data frequency, estimation technique (simulation vs. regression), and, importantly, the latitude of the country considered. Electricity savings are larger for countries farther away from the equator, while subtropical regions consume more electricity because of DST.

Suggested Citation

  • Tomas Havranek & Dominik Herman & Zuzana Irsova, 2018. "Does Daylight Saving Save Electricity? A Meta-Analysis," The Energy Journal, , vol. 39(2), pages 35-61, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:39:y:2018:i:2:p:35-61
    DOI: 10.5547/01956574.39.2.thav
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.5547/01956574.39.2.thav
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.5547/01956574.39.2.thav?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tomas Havranek & Zuzana Irsova, 2012. "Survey Article: Publication Bias in the Literature on Foreign Direct Investment Spillovers," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(10), pages 1375-1396, October.
    2. Toro, Weily & Tigre, Robson & Sampaio, Breno, 2015. "Daylight Saving Time and incidence of myocardial infarction: Evidence from a regression discontinuity design," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 1-4.
    3. Shimoda, Yoshiyuki & Asahi, Takahiro & Taniguchi, Ayako & Mizuno, Minoru, 2007. "Evaluation of city-scale impact of residential energy conservation measures using the detailed end-use simulation model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 32(9), pages 1617-1633.
    4. repec:aen:eeepjl:eeep6-1-haar is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Austin C. Smith, 2016. "Spring Forward at Your Own Risk: Daylight Saving Time and Fatal Vehicle Crashes," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 8(2), pages 65-91, April.
    6. Zeugner, Stefan & Feldkircher, Martin, 2015. "Bayesian Model Averaging Employing Fixed and Flexible Priors: The BMS Package for R," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 68(i04).
    7. Weinhardt, Felix, 2013. "The importance of time zone assignment: evidence from residential electricity consumption," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 59253, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Pellen, Alistair, 2014. "How Does Daylight Saving Time Affect Electricity Demand?," 2014 Conference (58th), February 4-7, 2014, Port Macquarie, Australia 165870, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    9. Ferguson, S.A. & Preusser, D.F. & Lund, A.K. & Zador, P.L. & Ulmer, R.G., 1995. "Daylight saving time and motor vehicle crashes: The reduction in pedestrian and vehicle occupant fatalities," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 85(1), pages 92-96.
    10. Iršová, Zuzana & Havránek, Tomáš, 2013. "Determinants of Horizontal Spillovers from FDI: Evidence from a Large Meta-Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1-15.
    11. Matthew J. Kotchen & Laura E. Grant, 2011. "Does Daylight Saving Time Save Energy? Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Indiana," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 93(4), pages 1172-1185, November.
    12. Verdejo, Humberto & Becker, Cristhian & Echiburu, Diego & Escudero, William & Fucks, Emiliano, 2016. "Impact of daylight saving time on the Chilean residential consumption," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 456-464.
    13. Diana Zigraiova & Tomas Havranek, 2016. "Bank Competition And Financial Stability: Much Ado About Nothing?," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 944-981, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zuzana Irsova & Hristos Doucouliagos & Tomas Havranek & T. D. Stanley, 2024. "Meta‐analysis of social science research: A practitioner's guide," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(5), pages 1547-1566, December.
    2. Ivo Araújo & João Garcia & António Curado, 2025. "Impact of Daylight Saving Time on Energy Consumption in Higher Education Institutions: A Case Study of Portugal and Spain," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-38, June.
    3. Michael Chletsos & Andreas Sintos, 2023. "Financial development and income inequality: A meta‐analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 1090-1119, September.
    4. Fan Yang & Tomas Havranek & Zuzana Irsova & Jiri Novak, 2024. "Is research on hedge fund performance published selectively? A quantitative survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(4), pages 1085-1131, September.
    5. Ivo Araújo & Leonel J. R. Nunes & David Patíño Vilas & António Curado, 2025. "The Impact of Daylight Saving Time on the Energy Efficiency of Buildings: A Bibliometric and General Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-28, April.
    6. Schneider, Florian, 2024. "Do robots boost productivity? A quantitative meta-study," MPRA Paper 123392, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. repec:aen:journl:ej39-2-irsova is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Tomas Havranek & Zuzana Irsova & Dominik Herman, 2016. "Does Daylight Saving Save Energy? A Meta-Analysis," Working Papers IES 2016/24, Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Economic Studies, revised Nov 2016.
    3. Hugo Salas & Pedro Ignacio Hancevic, 2023. "The unexpected effects of daylight-saving time: Traffic accidents in Mexican municipalities," EconoQuantum, Revista de Economia y Finanzas, Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Economico Administrativas, Departamento de Metodos Cuantitativos y Maestria en Economia., vol. 20(1), pages 1-29, Enero-Jun.
    4. Christian Bünnings & Valentin Schiele, 2021. "Spring Forward, Don't Fall Back: The Effect of Daylight Saving Time on Road Safety," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 103(1), pages 165-176, March.
    5. Flores, Daniel & Luna, Edgar M., 2019. "An econometric evaluation of daylight saving time in Mexico," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    6. Kudela, Peter & Havranek, Tomas & Herman, Dominik & Irsova, Zuzana, 2020. "Does daylight saving time save electricity? Evidence from Slovakia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    7. Bergland, Olvar & Mirza, Faisal, 2017. "Latitudinal Effect on Energy Savings from Daylight Savings Time," Working Paper Series 08-2017, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, School of Economics and Business.
    8. Roberto Gillmore, 2025. "Daylight Saving Time and Automobile Accidents: Evidence From Chile," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(5), pages 880-931, May.
    9. Blake Shaffer, 2019. "Location matters: Daylight saving time and electricity demand," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 52(4), pages 1374-1400, November.
    10. Anton Astakhov & Tomas Havranek & Jiri Novak, 2019. "Firm Size And Stock Returns: A Quantitative Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 1463-1492, December.
    11. Cazachevici, Alina & Havranek, Tomas & Horvath, Roman, 2020. "Remittances and economic growth: A meta-analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    12. Adam Cook, 2022. "Saving lives: the 2006 expansion of daylight saving in Indiana," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 35(3), pages 861-891, July.
    13. Hong, Sanghyun & Robert Reed, W. & Tian, Bifei & Wu, Tingting & Chen, Gen, 2021. "Does FDI promote entrepreneurial activities? A meta-analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    14. Gunby, Philip & Jin, Yinghua & Robert Reed, W., 2017. "Did FDI Really Cause Chinese Economic Growth? A Meta-Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 242-255.
    15. Jindrich Matousek & Tomas Havranek & Zuzana Irsova, 2022. "Individual discount rates: a meta-analysis of experimental evidence," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 25(1), pages 318-358, February.
    16. Dominika Reckova & Zuzana Irsova, 2015. "Publication Bias in Measuring Anthropogenic Climate Change," Energy & Environment, , vol. 26(5), pages 853-862, September.
    17. Guven, Cahit & Yuan, Haishan & Zhang, Quanda & Aksakalli, Vural, 2021. "When does daylight saving time save electricity? Weather and air-conditioning," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    18. López, Miguel, 2020. "Daylight effect on the electricity demand in Spain and assessment of Daylight Saving Time policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    19. Ivo Araújo & Leonel J. R. Nunes & David Patíño Vilas & António Curado, 2025. "The Impact of Daylight Saving Time on the Energy Efficiency of Buildings: A Bibliometric and General Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-28, April.
    20. Shaffer, Blake, 2017. "Location matters: daylight saving time and electricity use," MPRA Paper 84053, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    21. Dickinson, Andrew & Waddell, Glen R., 2024. "Productivity losses in the transition to Daylight Saving Time: Evidence from hourly GitHub activity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:39:y:2018:i:2:p:35-61. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.