SAVING POWER

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 79, Issue 7077, 6 July 1949, Page 3

SAVING POWER

SUGGESTED MEANS STABILISATION OF SUNRISE The proposal with the objective of bringing about the maximum use of daylight by roughly stabilising sunrise at 7 a.m. the year round is made by Mr A. H. Larkman, M.I. Mech.E., of Wanganui, in an open letter to the Prime Minister. “As near as matter,” states Mr Larkman, “the sun rises a minute earlier each day for half the year, and a minute later each day for the other half year. Advantage can be taken of this by regulating clocks to gain a minute a day for six months from the end of. June, and lose a minute daily for six months from the end of December. Our present half hour daylight saving means that a trial of the proposal, to “take off” smoothly from our present measure would preferably commence at the end of July.” Mr Larkman in his letter- comments on the Cabinet’s previous rejection of the proposal. A letter from the Prime Minister "had stated that the conclusion which had been reached was that even if the number of units of electricity which might be saved was substantial there would be such dislocation to the routine of life of so many people that any advantages would be outweighed by disadvantages. Saving of Electricity

“Doubt is expressed as to probable saving,” comments Mr Larkman. “My 45,000,000 unit estwnate was based on official load curves for 1941 when wartime street lighting was negligible. It has the general endorsement of several professional engineers, and the electrical industry’s own journal commented that: ‘ln theory the proposal is sound, and there is every reason to suppose that, were it put into effect, a saving of at least 50,000,000 units annually could be made.’

“‘There is also the fact that this proposal overcomes the grave objection that our present daylight saving measure really helps itself to half an hour of daylight which is (as it were) not available in mid-winter. This makes wintry conditions worse than need be as regards temperature and gloom for early risers and thereby causes an avoidable early morning demand for heat and light. Routine of Life

“Dislocation to the routine of life appears to be the main basis of objection. It is difficult to see anything objectionable. Our mid-winter would become less rigorous; spring and autumn evenings would be more like present summer evenings; and our summer evenings would simply be like those in the north of Scotland—with daylight to 11 p.m.

“Benefits which would follow adoption of this proposal are:—

. 1. A substantial decrease in the general lighting load during spring and autumn, and almost total elimination of both lighting and heating loads during summer—an -economy which can be availed of at no cost to the Government and considerable financial saving to consumers. 2. In so far as these demands are met by hydro-electric plant, hydraulic heads—lake levels—would be built up for use in winter, and, in so far as they are met by burning coal or fuel oil, such load reduction would permit accumulations of stocks against heavy winter demands and or against demands for cement manufacture.” 3. Units of plant, hydraulic and coal burning, which are now of necessity run oyer long periods under overload conditions—which lead to and have caused breakdowns—could be relieved for more frequent overhaul.

4. The engineers carrying the responsibility and burden of keeping this plant running under such conditions would have some easement. 5. The domestic, street and shop window lighting load would be shifted away from the late afternoon tram and electric train loads and so reduce the worst ‘overall load peak,’ during all but winter months. More Important Benefits

“The normally unused daylight which this proposal makes available by mid-summer offers other benefits of far greater importance than helping to overcome electricity shortage:— (a) People would enjoy far better health because of increased hours of sunshine; factories, offices, shops and schools could be closed with the day’s work done and hours of sunshine ahead to enjoy in garden or at active daylight sports. (b) ‘Shortage’ of sports fields would be a thing of the past because of extra daylight enabling greater use of those we have.

(c) Road accident risk is far greater at night than in daylight, and the reduction in motoring at night would considerably reduce deaths on our roads.”