Apple is continuously enhancing its environmental footprint globally. Following expansions in China and the USA, the tech giant has recently unveiled a significant increase in its solar and wind energy projects across Europe, including new facilities in Greece, Italy, Latvia, Poland, and Romania—with an already operational solar farm in Spain.
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In total, an additional 650 megawatts (MW) of renewable capacity will be added to European power grids in the coming years, with investments exceeding $600 million.
Aiming for 2030: 100% Clean Electricity for Apple Products
This initiative is part of the Apple 2030 program, aimed at achieving carbon neutrality across all company operations by the end of this decade. The plan includes ensuring that all electricity used by customers to power or charge their Apple devices comes from clean energy sources.
By 2030, we want our users to know that all the energy needed to charge their iPhone or power their Mac is offset by renewable electricity,
stated Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives.
According to a recent announcement, in 2024, the operation and charging of products still accounted for nearly 29% of the company’s total greenhouse gas emissions. With this new wave of investments, Apple plans to offset these emissions while supporting the dirtiest power grids to maximize the ecological impact.
Flagship Projects from South to North Europe
The new European portfolio is ambitious. It is expected to generate over one million megawatt-hours of clean electricity annually by 2030, equivalent to the yearly consumption of more than 300,000 European households. Meanwhile, the Segovia solar farm in Spain, with a capacity of 131 MW, is already fully operational.
• Italy: a combined solar/wind portfolio of 129 MW, with the first site in Sicily coming online this month.
• Poland: a 40 MW solar park developed by Econergy, in one of Europe’s most carbon-intensive energy mix countries.
• Romania: a 99 MW wind farm in Galați, managed by Nala Renewables and OX2.
• Latvia: one of the country’s first power purchase agreements for a 110 MW solar park signed with European Energy.
Is the Green Messaging Overdone?
With these new facilities, Apple aims to bolster its role as a catalyst in the global energy transition. The company already supports over 19 gigawatts of renewable production through its operations and supply chain. These new European projects mark a significant step: eventually, all electricity consumed by Apple device users worldwide will be offset by clean energy, a first in the tech industry.
However, behind its meticulously crafted ecological discourse, Apple conducts a genuine environmental marketing strategy. It indeed cultivates an image of sustainable excellence with its carbon neutrality goal, while linking this vision to increasingly desirable and connected products.
Under the guise of climate responsibility, Apple seems to have mastered the art of green storytelling. The company does not hesitate to rely on flattering comparisons—like its energy consumption being six times lower than Google’s in 2021—to maintain an image of technological modesty, even as it expands its energy-intensive data centers and AI projects.
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The recent withdrawal of its carbon neutrality claims following a German court ruling, combined with upcoming European restrictions on carbon offsets, somewhat tarnishes this strategy. It’s not that the company isn’t taking ecological steps, but it certainly knows how to present them in the best light possible… A powerful communication indeed, which ultimately blurs the line between technological progress, emotional marketing, and greenwashing.