Energy Consumption During Silicon Manufacturing: Opportunities, Challenges, and What’s to Come

The energy consumption for silicon manufacturing, particularly in the semiconductor industry, is quite significant. As ironic as it may sound, the wafers that are so crucial to the renewable energies of the future, like solar cells and optimized, energy-efficient integrated circuits (ICs), require unsustainable levels of energy that are hard and contaminating to deliver.  

Reducing the huge associated water and energy consumption is a key issue for expanding the semiconductor industry. Let’s explore the energy consumption of silicon wafer manufacturers and some alternatives for what’s to come.  

Energy Consumption During Silicon Manufacturing  

Driven by e-mobility, automation, and trends like GenAI, the demand for semiconductors is rising globally. However, the growing significance of sustainable practices among consumers presents a significant challenge for manufacturers. For example, companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft are increasingly pushing for decarbonization.

Decarbonization is the process of removing large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the atmosphere. It is also a strategy for mitigating the effects of climate change.

Customers are putting increased pressure on manufacturers to decrease their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and attain net-zero carbon emissions throughout their whole supply chain. Semiconductor manufacturers need to make an effort to meet these requirements to maintain their competitiveness and work for a greener future.

A survey of 28 semiconductor companies in 2021 found their combined sustainability efforts resulted in the following:

• Total water withdrawal around 7.89 × 108 m3

• Total energy consumption was 1.49 × 1011 kWh

• Total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were 7.15 × 107 tons of CO2

What Do These Numbers Mean?

The combined water use of these corporations was equivalent to the household water use of 12.2 million people in China or the entire water consumption of a city with 1.88 million residents. Conversely, the combined energy consumption of these corporations was equivalent to that of a city with a population of 25.2 million.

These numbers are worrying in a country like China, which faces severe water and international pressure to reduce carbon emissions.

Why Does Wafer Manufacturing Consume So Much Energy?

Wafer manufacturing requires a high amount of energy due to some specific steps in the process. Some of these energy-intensive steps are:  

• Silicon Purification: Significant energy is needed to transform unpurified silicon into highly pure silicon, especially if the Siemens process is used.

• Crystal Growth: The high temperatures required for the Czochralski process, which is used to grow silicon crystals, result in high energy consumption.

• Wafer Production: The process of cutting and polishing silicon crystals into wafers uses a significant amount of energy.

• Chip Fabrication: The actual production of semiconductor devices entails a number of energy-intensive processes, including doping, etching, and layering.

Why Does It Have a High Water Consumption?

Ultrapure water (UPW) is a basic material required for surface cleaning in semiconductor manufacturing processes. It is produced using common freshwater sources, including surface, tap, and even reclaimed water. It’s an intricate procedure that requires a significant amount of energy and results in significant water loss.

That’s right—there is a close relationship between the industry's high consumption of these essential resources.

Complex technologies such as multi-stage resin beds, ultraviolet irradiation, degassing membranes, and reverse osmosis are typically applied in UPW production processes to develop exceptionally high water quality.

Ensuring the quantity and quality of UPW supply is crucial because semiconductor manufacturing processes consume significant amounts of this resource, which can lead to a sharp increase in fabs' consumption metrics.  

Water, therefore, and the tensions between excessive water use, scarcity, and pollution are major impediments to the advancement of sustainable semiconductor manufacturing.

What Does the Future for Wafer Manufacturers Look Like?

The semiconductor industry is in a unique position as demand for its products soars to previously unheard-of heights and pressure to cut emissions grows sharply. While some businesses might be inclined to concentrate on satisfying client demand, global warming also makes it crucial for businesses to consider the environmental landscape.

According to McKinsey and Company, the industry needs to reduce emissions by 95 percent from the 2020 level to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, as established by the 2016 Paris Agreement.

Some of the actions they could follow to achieve that, according to the same source, are:

• Process gas: Semiconductor fabs could feasibly install gas abatement systems that process gas chemistry to lower GHG usage.

• Heat transfer fluid (HTF): Low-GWP alternatives would have to replace at least 70% of HTF. Fabs also need to reduce chiller leakage.

• Fuel consumption: Semiconductor companies would have to switch to cleaner fuel sources from the current fuel supply, like biomass or hydrogen.

All parties involved would also have to keep lowering the amount of energy used per wafer year after year while raising their proportion of renewable energy. This will necessitate bold and genuine ground-breaking strategies in many regions, like importing or constructing renewable energy generation facilities.

Nonetheless, creating a coordinated effort among producers and fully implementing current strategies is the most important step toward achieving net-zero emissions. This implies that everyone involved in the semiconductor industry would have to step up their efforts to cut emissions.

Learn More from the Best Silicon Manufacturing Companies

In an era where environmental consciousness is paramount, industries continually seek ways to reduce their carbon footprint and embrace sustainability. The semiconductor industry, a cornerstone of modern technology, is increasingly under pressure from high-end clients to prioritize sustainability. This shift reflects a growing demand for products that minimize environmental impact.

In addition to reducing energy consumption, adopting renewable energy sources, and exploring alternatives to greenhouse gases, Wafer World believes that fostering innovative design and technological advancements is crucial for creating a more sustainable semiconductor industry. Because of that, we’re committed to sharing the latest news on the industry.

Reach out today, and learn more about what’s to come!