Semiconductor giant and key Apple supplier TSMC joined a group of global corporations committed to 100% renewable power, in a move campaign groups said should put pressure on industry peers such as Samsung to follow.
Taiwan-based TSMC joined the RE100 initiative weeks after it signed the world’s largest corporate power purchase agreement (PPA) for offshore wind, securing all the electricity from Orsted’s 920MW Greater Changhua 2b & 4 project off the Taiwanese coast.
TSMC is the first semiconductor manufacturer to join RE100, said clean energy organisations CDP and the Climate Group, which run the initiative that now has more than 240 members.
TSMC’s commitment is “likely to put pressure on other major semiconductor companies, including Samsung” to follow, they claimed – a trend that would be good news for pushing renewable energy sourcing into another big global manufacturing sector.
The Taiwanese is a key supplier to global technology giant Apple, which last week said it expects its supply chain to cover all power consumption related to its business with 100% renewables by 2030.
TSMC’s target to achieve 100% renewables for its entire operation is on a far longer timetable, however – the end of 2050.
Helen Clarkson, CEO of The Climate Group, said: “We needed a hero company to lead by example in the semiconductor industry and by setting a 100% goal and calling on others to follow, TSMC is doing just that.
“We expect this to trigger a domino effect across the region and the industry, with many more businesses stepping up.”
