Apple to Enable Clean Energy Charging on iPhone Demo Units

[MacRumors]

In its 2025 Environmental Progress Report released today, Apple revealed that it plans to expand its Clean Energy Charging feature to iPhone and iPad demo units on display at Apple Stores and other retail stores across the United States.

Introduced in the United States in 2022, as part of iOS 16.1, the optional Clean Energy Charging feature enables iPhone users to charge their devices at times of the day when the electric grid is relatively cleaner. Apple says the feature can reduce your carbon footprint by selectively charging when lower carbon-emission electricity is available.

In a new document, obtained by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, Apple said the Clean Energy Charging feature will be enabled by default on all iPhone and iPad demo units in U.S. stores, reducing the carbon footprint of those devices. To ensure that the demo units are always ready to be used by customers, Apple said devices will resume charging immediately in the event that they drop below 50% battery life.

Clean Energy Charging is enabled by default for customers too. On iOS 16.1 and later, the feature can be managed in the Settings app, under Battery → Battery Health & Charging. The feature is still available in the contiguous United States only.

It is unclear exactly when the feature will be enabled on iPhone and iPad demo units.

This is just one of several environmental initiatives and milestones that Apple has announced ahead of Earth Day on April 22.

Apple has a support document with more details about Clean Energy Charging.

Article Link: Apple to Enable Clean Energy Charging on iPhone Demo Units

 

[t0rqx]

A small step towards pay to charge via iCloud+.

 

[TheLisnakFactor]

I find it funny that they force enabled this everyone except themselves up until this point....

 

[StuBeck]

One wonders why wouldn't they have done this in the past? Especially with their "Mother Earth" trade-in initiative last year.

 

[t0rqx]

One wonders why wouldn't they have done this in the past? Especially with their "Mother Earth" trade-in initiative last year.

Mother Earth was ousted because of the FineWoven debacle, since then all these environment friendly goals were paused and they focused on things that made money, like Apple Intelligence.

 

[t0rqx]

I find it funny that they force enabled this everyone except themselves up until this point....

All units have to be charged 100% 24/7 , cause they are demo units that needs to be ready at all times.

 

[Bokito]

Apple could expand on this function if it were to only enable certain things if the energy is relatively clean. Having a simple conversation with ChatGPT probably uses up as much energy as an iPhone for an entire day. So putting Siri-ChatGPT integration behind the clean-energy flag would have a much bigger impact on the environment. And there are probably many more examples of work that’s offloaded to external servers that requires a lot of energy.

 

[Osxguy]

Meanwhile billionaires and corporations are flying private jets while I drink from my mushy straw.

 

[Kirkster]

First thing I turn off. That and optimized charging. I plugged my device in I want it charged to 100% not 80%.

 

[ApostolisApo]

Apple could expand on this function if it were to only enable certain things if the energy is relatively clean. Having a simple conversation with ChatGPT probably uses up as much energy as an iPhone for an entire day. So putting Siri-ChatGPT integration behind the clean-energy flag would have a much bigger impact on the environment. And there are probably many more examples of work that’s offloaded to external servers that requires a lot of energy.

That's why (among other reasons) iOS will try to answer your query first locally, then server-ly and only at the end chatGPT-ly

 

[Doomtomb]

It would be really green to just put away the devices and print out a spec sheet. That's the demo

 

[supremedesigner]

The most useless feature. I disabled it. It’s trash.

 

[attohs]

The clean energy Home widget and the website from my power utility completely disagree about when the grid is greenest. 😬

Unrelated, I like those docks they have in the article photo. I wish Apple sold them, except they’d probably be $199.

 

[HiVolt]

Yeah, that'll save a mouse's fart worth of carbon emissions... What a dumb thing to be focusing on.

 

[mihighil]

Ffs just give us reasonable ram and ssd prices.

 

[Awsaim]

Why is this news? Who here has a demo unit they’re going to update?

 

[1037]

All energy is equal some energy is more equal.

 

[kalsta]

I just knew there’d be a bunch of cynical ‘who cares’ kind of responses to this. If it reduces Apple’s overall carbon emissions, I care.

Meanwhile billionaires and corporations are flying private jets while I drink from my mushy straw.

Great comment. Funny, and yet extremely sad at the same time. I highly recommend this book on that very subject: https://books.apple.com/au/book/davos-man/id1563712153

 

[lk400]

Mother Earth was ousted because of the FineWoven debacle, since then all these environment friendly goals were paused and they focused on things that made money, like Apple Intelligence.

I wonder how many demo units need to have this feature enabled to offset the energy used by AI datacentres used to to generate one useless cartoon like image playgrounds image.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Meanwhile billionaires and corporations are flying private jets while I drink from my mushy straw.

Planes can be had for ~$30K, fyi.

The issue is less paying for the plane itself and more... what'll you do with it? They need a runway and hanger at the origin and destination. And you need a pilot's license. And I have to imagine the tiny planes like the ones I'm talking about are much more dangerous than just driving.

 

[platinumaqua]

It would be more green if the software was more optimized so it uses less energy in the first place

 

[HighwaySnowman]

Planes can be had for ~$30K, fyi.

The issue is less paying for the plane itself and more... what'll you do with it? They need a runway and hanger at the origin and destination. And you need a pilot's license. And I have to imagine the tiny planes like the ones I'm talking about are much more dangerous than just driving.

30k will get you an OLD Cessna. Not more dangerous than driving, but it's gonna be a money pit of a plane.

 

[Rooskibar03]

Note to Apple from literally everyone, we don’t care.

Give us something useful.

 

[hagar]

For all the cynicals out there: while individual energy savings per user may be minimal, the cumulative environmental impact can be significant when adopted across millions of devices.
So I applaud these efforts.

Apple’s broader environmental initiatives, such as supporting over 18 gigawatts of clean electricity in its global operations and supply chain, have led to substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In 2024 alone, these efforts helped avoid over 18.5 million metric tons of carbon emissions.

What have you done?

 

[UltimaKilo]

For all the cynicals out there: while individual energy savings per user may be minimal, the cumulative environmental impact can be significant when adopted across millions of devices.
So I applaud these efforts.

Apple’s broader environmental initiatives, such as supporting over 18 gigawatts of clean electricity in its global operations and supply chain, have led to substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In 2024 alone, these efforts helped avoid over 18.5 million metric tons of carbon emissions.

What have you done?

I am not a green energy nut, but this certainly doesn’t hurt. I don’t understand all the hate.