Schneider Electric has announced that Google, ASM, and HP have joined as new global sponsors of the Catalyze program. Accordingly, the program aims to accelerate access to renewable energy across the global semiconductor value chain and IT supply landscape.

Most importantly, the announcement that three more leading technology companies joining the program as founding sponsors coincides with the COP28 United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place in Dubai.

Expands Use of Clean Energy

Schneider Electric announced in July the first-of-its-kind program along with sponsors Intel and Applied Materials.

Catalyze encourages suppliers from throughout the semiconductor industry ecosystem to shift their value chain to renewable sources of energy. Specifically, member participants aim to commit to decarbonization and take collective action through the procurement of renewable energy. Thus, leveraging the purchasing power of buyer cohorts.

The energy transition within the value chain is imperative. Accordingly, a recent study by the SEMI Semiconductor Climate Consortium, the semiconductor industry’s carbon footprint was equivalent to 500Mt of CO₂ in 2021. Particularly, around 16% of which came from the supply chain.

By transitioning suppliers onto lower-carbon sources of energy and supporting them in other decarbonization actions like electrification, the industry can make a significant impact in its overall Scope 3 emissions.

“We are delighted to welcome Google, ASM, and HP to the Catalyze program. Their decision to join supports the ambition to accelerate the decarbonization of supply chains,” said Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Chairman, from Schneider Electric. In addition, Tricoire said, “Scope 3 emissions have proven a challenge to track and manage, but the Catalyze program enables companies and their suppliers to engage and collaborate in their energy transition and decarbonization.”

Meanwhile, Michael Terrell, Senior Director of Energy and Climate at Google said transitioning to carbon-free semiconductor manufacturing is critical to reducing global emissions. He noted no company can do it alone.

“We are excited to become a founding sponsor of the Catalyze program and look forward to working with our fellow sponsors and suppliers to expand the use of clean energy across this critical area of Google’s supply chain,” said Terrell.

Collaboration: Crucial in Sustainable Future

Moreover, as the global demand for semiconductors in consumer and commercial products increases, the carbon footprint continues to grow. Thus, making it imperative for the industry to collaborate to achieve a more sustainable future. 

Through industry-wide collaboration Catalyze addresses one of the most notoriously challenging aspects of decarbonization- Scope 3 emissions.

The Catalyze program strives to:

• 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 decarbonization

Learn more about the Catalyze program here.