In a recent report, IDTechEx defined the who, what, and when of sustainable IC and PCB manufacturing.
allaboutcircuits.com, Feb. 13, 2025 –
IDTechEx has compiled a report highlighting the challenges and opportunities of the next decade’s sustainable semiconductor manufacturing processes. This report highlights the key manufacturers, impacted markets, sustainability metrics, and growth forecasts of these markets.
The report projects that energy usage is growing by 12% CAGR and that water usage is increasing by 8% CAGR.
Sustainability is a high priority in many corporate structures and an important goal for investors and the general public. As part of these sustainability goals, semiconductor manufacturers are looking for ways to make the entire development process more environmentally friendly.
The manufacturing of integrated circuits (ICs) and printed circuit boards (PCBs) causes several key environmental impacts, such as toxic chemicals, high water and energy usage, and electronic waste.
These challenges span the globe across design, assembly, packaging, and integration teams. A processor chip designed in the United States may be sent to China (within the scope of ITAR restrictions), integrated again in the United States, and sent to Costa Rica for sorting and packaging before being sent to Spain for its final use. Therefore, sustainability challenges must be solved at the global level, with many key players optimizing their resources and jointly promoting green initiatives.