By Stephen Nellis

(Reuters) – Apple Inc (NASDAQ) announced Wednesday that 175 suppliers had committed to using clean energy in support of the iPhone maker’s work. This will help to increase the number of power grids with more than 9 gigawatts.

These new suppliers, which are an increase in the number of 70 suppliers and close to 8 gigawatts power reported by the company last year, are part the company’s ongoing efforts to make its global supply chains carbon neutral by 2030.

Apple has announced its commitment to using renewable energy, including solar and wind power for their work. It is part of Apple’s last-year efforts to ensure that Apple products have a “net zero” impact on the climate.

SK Hynix Inc from South Korea, which makes memory chips for Apple products, is among the suppliers. It will also be the first Korean company to join Apple’s supply chain. Franco-Italian chipmaker STMicroelectronics will also join, which is a major supplier of chips for iPhones. Apple claimed that it has already started nine renewable energy projects since the beginning of the program.

Apple currently has 24 suppliers for the program, which includes India, Japan, South Korea, and South Korea.

One of the benefits that this brings is the ability to build a network of companies in diverse markets, on different grids, who demand clean energy. That’s helpful to policy makers,” Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives told Reuters.

Apple previously signed major suppliers such as Foxconn parent Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, which assembles many of its products, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, which makes Apple’s processor chips, to clean energy pledges in 2019 https://www.reuters.com/article/cbusiness-us-apple-energy-idCAKCN1RN0JQ-OCABS.

Apple also revealed that they would be funding 10 smaller projects in renewable energy to provide power for under-resourced areas. Projects include partnerships with South Africa and Colombian communities, as well as the Oceti Sakowin Power Authority (formed by six Sioux tribes from the west United States).