ATLANTA (AP) - As clocks go back to standard time on Sunday, experts say the extension of daylight saving time could spell energy savings for U.S. households.

Energy policy professor Marilyn Brown says a study shows the daylight saving extension produces energy savings of about 30 cents per family.

It doesn't appear to be much, but Brown says it adds up. She says the country the country spends about a billion dollars a year on energy already. With the daylight saving extension, the U.S. saves about 200 million dollars a year.

Daylight saving time was extended by a month under legislation passed earlier this year. It began three weeks earlier than usual in March, and was extended by one week to end in November. The time change was to save energy because people had more daylight in the evening and didn't have to turn on lights.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Date published: 11/3/2007