It’s time for Alabamians to “spring forward” this weekend to Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Officially, DST begins this Sunday, March 8, at 2 a.m. It ends this year at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1. For most people, the best plan may be to set clocks and watches one hour ahead on Saturday night, right before bedtime.

DST was extended by Congress in most of the United States in 2007, according to a provision of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. But does switching to daylight savings really save energy?

Numerous studies and organizations have tried to answer that question, with varying results. A 2008 U.S. Department of Energy study concluded that the extension of DST saved about 1.3 terawatt-hours of electricity, or about one-third of a tenth of a percent of total U.S. electricity consumption. Others, however, argue that DST might actually result in more energy usage.

Of course, many other factors – from one’s location on the planet, to the weather, to the energy efficiency of a person’s home, and the efficiency of a home’s heating, cooling and hot water systems – will play a much larger role in a household’s energy consumption.

As for Alabama Power’s experience, there is no evidence that the extension of DST has resulted in any discernible difference in overall energy consumption by customers.

In any case, don’t forget to reset your clocks this weekend. And if you’d like to learn about proven ways to save energy – in the spring or any other season – please visit www.alabamapower.com.