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Energy
| Meet the most stringent environmental regulations of any country in which we operate, at all of our locations worldwide. Comply with all ecological improvement targets at least one year ahead of official deadlines at all of our locations, worldwide. |
REGULATIONS
The corporate specifications for waste water and air emissions, the substitution of all ODS Class 1 in manufacturing and facilities, and the choice of EMAS, for instance, are examples of adopting and measuring against the most stringent regulations.
ENERGY
Energy saving and reduction of greenhouse gases emission are amongst the highest environmental priorities of the Company. We acknowledge the importance of the Kyoto Protocol commitment. By applying the relevant points of our Decalogue in each country that has signed the Protocol and in which we operate, we contribute to its fulfillment.
Where feasible, ST readily enters into other voluntary agreements around the world.
| Reduce total energy consumed per million dollars of standard production value by at least 5% per year.. |
The implementation of energy efficiency measures has resulted in a decrease of several thousands of tons of CO2 each year.
In 1998, ST and 13 other microelectronics companies continued the energy projects undertaken by Sematech, the foremost American laboratory in microelectronics research and development.
Last year ST engaged a world class energy consultancy team to investigate more efficient use of energy in ST wafer fabs and thereafter to propose appropriate measures and programs.
The survey has been completed in six of our advanced facilities in France, Italy, Singapore and USA and will be relaunched in 1999.
 A simple example of energy consumption reduction comes from our Toa Payoh site in Singapore where a project was set up to keep the heat exchange surface of the chiller condenser clean from scale and other deposits. Scale deposit (biological film and sediment) on the condenser tube reduces the heat transfer efficiency of chillers by 34% and increases energy consumption of about 21%.By means of the Ball Technic System (BTS),™ a fully automated condenser cleaning system regularly circulates slightly oversized sponge balls to pass through the condenser to scour off all scales and fouling. The result: chiller energy consumption was reduced by an average of 20%, or 42,500 KWh per month and per chiller. (170,000KWh per month for the 4 chillers of the site with an energy saving of K$120 per year).
| Utilize alternative or renewable energy sources to a meaningful degree (at least 3 pilot plants by end 1999). |
Techniques which enable the use of commercially-viable, low-cost alternative energy sources are coming of age in industry in general.
Co-generation, as well as other alternate or renewable sources of energy are being thoroughly investigated.
Following a feasibility study at Catania in Sicily, a large co-generation facility is planned in the near future. In the semiconductor industry sector, it will be among the first plants of this type in the world. The high efficiency power station will burn methane to generate thermal and electrical power for the site, providing 24MW at full capacity.
The heat co-generated will be used to produce chilled water by the use of absorption chillers. The Catania plant will produce 190GWh of electrical energy per year and an equivalent amount of heat, thus saving some 65,000 tons of CO2 which would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere. All new sites will be supplied from co-generation plants and, where feasible, existing sites will be retrofitted.
ST is also making several feasibility studies on the use of renewable energy. Some projects are in the advanced phase such as the installation of a 1.5MW photovoltaic plant in Morocco, 200KW fuel cells in Italy, an 180KW thermal solar plant in Singapore and 500KW wind farm to supply our Headquarters in Saint Genis (France).
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