Schneider’s Catalyze Programme Decarbonising Supply Chains

Decarbonising the semiconductor supply chain has been widely lauded as a crucial initiative in further addressing the ever-growing impact on the environment made by electronics-driven industries.

This is because semiconductor manufacturing processes involve energy-intensive operations and use a variety of materials, in turn contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. 

Playing their part in tackling this issue, Schneider Electric — specialists in digital automation and energy management and one of the largest technology companies in the world — is a key player in the semiconductor space, providing solutions for industry manufacturers and distributors to optimise processes to build, from the ground up, the semiconductor fabrication plants of the future.

How is Schneider Electric decarbonising the semiconductor supply chain?

As the semiconductor industry’s carbon footprint continues to grow, Schneider Electric amplifies how it is imperative for the industry to collaborate to achieve a more sustainable future.

That’s why, with Google, ASM, Intel, Applied Materials & HP, Schneider heads up and manages the Catalyze programme. Announced at COP28, the initiative runs on behalf of industry leaders in the semiconductor industry, acting as a hub to foster collaboration, provide renewable electricity education and empower collective decarbonisation impact. 

Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Chairman at Schneider Electric, underscored his company’s unified commitment to driving sustainability within the semiconductor supply chain and said: “Scope 3 emissions have proven a challenge to track and manage, but the Catalyze programme enables companies and their suppliers to engage and collaborate in their energy transition and decarbonisation.”

This has been echoed by Google’s Senior Director of Energy and Climate Michael Terrell.  “Transitioning to carbon-free semiconductor manufacturing is critical to reducing global emissions, and no company can do it alone,” he said. “We look forward to working to expand the use of clean energy across this critical area of Google’s supply chain.”

Aims of Schneider’s Catalyze programme

The Catalyze programme, although ever-evolving in a bid to meet the changing needs and pressures on the semiconductor industry, has five clear, main objectives. They are: 

• Combine energy purchasing power across the semiconductor value chain to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy projects
• Provide suppliers — who may not have the capacity on their own — with the opportunity to participate in the market for utility-scale power purchase agreements (PPAs).
• Enable any company that supplies to a Catalyze sponsor to join — across the IT supply landscape
• Increase awareness of the availability of renewable energy in specific global regions where the semiconductor value chain is operational
• Leverage numerous educational and digital technology platform engagements to drive measurable actions in supply chain decarbonisation

This all plays in to Schneider’s aim of increasing access to renewable electricity for the semiconductor value chain.

How successful has the Catalyze programme been so far?

Marc Garner, Senior Vice President, Secure Power Europe at Schneider has championed the project as a “significant milestone” in the company’ sustainability journey, especially with having five key sponsors of Catalyze.

“In a pivotal move toward a greener future, our collaboration aims to tackle the environmental challenges associated with semiconductor manufacturing,” he said. “By bringing together the expertise and resources of all players, we are committed to driving

innovation and implementing sustainable practices across the entire semiconductor supply chain.”

The SEMI Semiconductor Climate Consortium highlights the industry’s substantial carbon footprint, with recent research showcasing that 16% of the industry’s substantial carbon footprint originates from the supply chain. Because of this, the consortium of industry leaders that have come together under Schneider’s leadership show first-hand how building strategic, powerful and long-lasting partnerships are integral for facilitating a more sustainable and efficient future. Highlighting how decarbonisation is not a feat to be tackled or completed alone, shared responsibility and the consequent action needed as a result, with Catalyze encouraging collective impact through forming alliances.

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