Apple’s iPhone 15 launch occasion had a giant concentrate on the corporate’s transfer towards carbon neutrality, but it surely additionally launched a brand new good dwelling characteristic that may aid you depart a lighter footprint on the planet.

Arriving with iOS 17, Grid Forecast is a brand new instrument within the Apple Residence app that reveals you when your electrical grid has comparatively clear or much less clear power sources out there. This might aid you resolve when to run your tumble dryer or cost your EV to make the most of “cleaner” power when you’ve larger consumption.

Grid Forecast is obtainable within the Residence app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch units operating this fall’s soon-to-be-released updates, with iOS 17 set for a public launch on September 18th. Additionally it is out there as an iOS widget or a watch face complication and can work within the contiguous United States.

Utilizing cleaner power — power that’s generated by wind or photo voltaic or electrical energy produced utilizing decrease emissions — can cut back the influence you’ve on the local weather once you use electrical energy in your house.

Whereas Apple’s first implementation of this characteristic is totally guide — you must take a look at the Residence app to see when the power is cleaner after which resolve if you wish to cost your EV — it’s possible it may very well be tied into automation if and when Apple helps power administration options natively in its good dwelling platform.

Apple already has a clear power charging characteristic it launched with iOS 16.1 that goals to cost your cellphone when cleaner power is obtainable. Automating good dwelling units to do the identical needs to be a pure subsequent step. Even Microsoft can schedule your Home windows Replace for a time when extra inexperienced power is obtainable.

The good house is in a singular place to assist automate such a power administration, and different good dwelling platforms have enabled related options. For instance, Samsung’s SmartThings Power is a service that permits you to view real-time power utilization out of your related home equipment and offers recommendations on methods to cut back power use.

Apple says Grid Forecast makes use of information that mixes grid, emissions, and climate data to indicate you in a easy graphic when power is clear or much less clear. It’s an excellent begin for dwelling power administration, however including the power to automate how and when your house makes use of this clear power is crucial to make this extra than simply one other information level.