The dire environmental cost of semiconductor manufacturing, which is getting more problematic with every new generation of microchips, has been largely overlooked in the European Commission’s semiconductor package.
The Commission’s efforts to make Europe a technologically independent power are reflected in the Chips Act, which was presented earlier this month. However, the proposal did not address how the initiative would be reconciled with the EU’s top priority, the green transformation.
The Chips Act states that digital technologies have their own environmental footprints, whether they are manufactured or used.
However, the legislative proposal only considers the environmental impact based on the final product’s performance, in other words, how new generations of chips tend to enable more energy-efficient connected devices, power electronics, and ICT infrastructure.
By contrast, ResearchHarvard research on the overall computing industry shows that, although the operational energy consumption for computer devices has decreased in terms carbon emissions, the carbon footprint for computer systems has increased due to the manufacturing of hardware and infrastructure.
The semiconductor industry is one the most resource-intensive industries in the world. Pauline Weil (a research assistant at the think-tank Bruegel) said it is strange that the Chips Act does not mention the European Commission.
EURACTIV was informed by a representative of the Commission that the EU climate targets and legislation, such as the Directive on Semiconductor Manufacturing, cover semiconductor manufacturing. EU Emissions Trading Systemand the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme certification.
The Electronic Component Manufacturer Association is still active. EstimateNew abatement technologies, gas processing optimization and less polluting perfluorinated chemical chemistries helped the European semiconductor industry reduce its gas emissions per output by 42% in the period 2010-2020.
However, the Commissions initiative aims to raise the EU’s chipmaking to a higher level in terms of quality and quantity.
Harvards research showed that the lions share of the computer sector’s environmental footprint is produced by semiconductor manufacturing. Furthermore, the more advanced the chip, the greater the environmental impact on energy consumption, water consumption, as well as waste production.
The Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre, (IMEC). NotedAlthough research on the overall impact of chips on the environment is still lacking, it is partly due to the ever-changing and increasing complexity of the production process. However, the general trend seems clear.
Advanced 2nm microchips are more difficult to make than 28nm, and require more electricity and water. The passage has also seen a more than doubled of carbon emissions.
To be competitive globally, the Commission will provide public funding to cover up to 100% of all investments.
Bloomberg is a good place to start if you want to compare company public disclosures. FoundMajor chipmakers have outperformed traditionally polluting industries like the automotive industry in terms of their carbon footprints, and hazardous waste.
In 2020, Greenpeace EstimateTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a leading semiconductor manufacturer, accounted for nearly 5% of Taiwan’s total energy consumption. This percentage is expected to grow as the NGO develops new generation microchips.
TSCM emitted nearly 15 million tons of CO2 equivalents per year in 2020, more than double its emissions from the previous years. Samsung, the world’s second-largest producer of greenhouse gases, released nearly 13 million tons in the same year.
Third-ranking chip maker Intel has reduced its carbon footprint 18% since 2000, and restored 90% of water usage in 2020 despite increasing production.Even though production is increasingly dependent on renewables, it is still energy-intensive.
Intel is opening a new factory in Europe. The company will commit to 100% renewable energy, net negative water use, zero waste to the landfills, and 100% renewable energy.
The Commission’s ambitious plan to build state-of the-art fabrication facilities in Europe is a costly undertaking that will cost tens of millions of euros. This will likely increase due to the EU’s strict environmental standards.
Bruegels Weil said that in addition to being cautious about the efficiency of public expenditure, the intention of having fabrication capabilities in the EU focuses primarily on supply security with potential tradeoffs for public spend efficiency and sustainability.
The notion of digital sovereignty in chip manufacturing might not be compatible with Europe’s green agenda. The EU executive might have a choice of prioritizing between the two.
Although the establishment of industrial facilities can have a negative effect on the environment, this can be offset by their contribution towards the sustainability transition over the long-term, said a spokesperson for the Commission.
[Edited by Alice Taylor]