GF Achieves Savings in Electricity, Chemical Use, and Waste Generation

By Candice Callahan

Principal Member of the Technical Staff for EHS and CSR, GlobalFoundries

Semiconductor manufacturing is an energy-intensive process. It also requires the use of many different chemicals. As part of our resource conservation efforts at GlobalFoundries (GF), we are constantly looking for new ways to save electricity and to be more energy efficient. Similarly, we also look for opportunities to reduce the amount of chemicals used and waste created at our manufacturing facilities around the world - all without compromising the quality of the wafers we produce for our customers.

These efforts are a key part of GF's commitment to being a leader in sustainable manufacturing and reducing our impact on the environment.

Electricity Consumption

At the end of 2021, GF completed its three-year resource conservation goal aimed at achieving savings in annual electricity consumption of 86 million kilowatt-hours (kwh). For comparison, this is roughly equivalent to the total electricity used by about 8,000 U.S. homes in an average year.

Thanks to the effort of GF's global team, we met and exceeded our electricity consumption savings goal, and decreased our normalized electricity use by 23%.

Below are a few examples of electricity reduction projects completed in 2021 that contributed to GF's achievements:

• Fab 9 in Essex Junction, Vermont, conserved electricity through several projects including infrastructure upgrades, lighting upgrades, and installing more energy efficient equipment.

• Fab 8 in Malta, New York, reduced power consumption by optimizing environmental controls in the cleanroom and adjustments to water pumps.

• Fab 7 and GIGA+ ^TM Fab in Singapore completed electricity saving projects including the upgrade of ventilation systems to increase energy efficiency, optimizing chilled water and cooling tower systems, and light replacement projects.

Hazardous Waste & Chemical Usage

At the end of 2021, GF completed its three-year resource conservation goal aimed at achieving savings in annual chemical use and waste generation by 7,100 tons. To help visualize this amount of weight, think of a group of about 1,600 elephants.

GF was able to exceed its original target, achieving approximately 2.5 times our goal. Two strategies we used to accomplish this were source reduction - reducing or eliminating the use of the chemical or generation of the waste - and reusing and recycling materials.

Some of the major projects contributing to our company's success include:

• Fab 7 and GIGA+^TM Fab in Singapore reduced the use of chemicals including 290 tons of hydrogen peroxide, and reduced the overall amount of office waste that goes to landfills.

• Fab 1 in Dresden, Germany, reduced waste with a new wastewater pretreatment program, and a new project to separate, purify, and recycle deuterium used in the manufacturing process.

• Fab 8 in Malta, New York, implemented several optimizations including the reduction or elimination of certain chemicals used at various points in the semiconductor manufacturing process, as well as the installation of a new system for reusing sulfuric acid waste.

2022 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Above are just a few of the many environmental, social, and corporate governance success stories featured in GF's 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility report. In addition to providing an update of how GF is performing against our sustainability goals, the report details how GF is playing a positive role in our communities and creating value by doing the right thing.

Click here to read the full report.

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