Google Among DOE’s New Signatories to Semiconductor Efficiency Pledge

The U.S. Department of Energy has expanded its Energy Efficiency Scaling for 2 Decades initiative with the addition of Google, Vital Integration of Environmental Electronics, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and the Florida Semiconductor Institute, bringing the total number of signatories to 65.

The collaborative effort, which already includes tech giants such as Intel, Microsoft and AMD, aims to significantly improve the energy efficiency of semiconductors over the next 20 years, targeting a 1,000-fold reduction in energy consumption, the DOE said.

Led by the DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, the EES2 initiative prioritizes reducing energy consumption across various stages of semiconductor production and development, guiding investments from the CHIPS and Science Act toward energy-efficient technologies and expanding the talent pool by attracting more STEM students to the field.

Another key aspect of the initiative is the development of a national semiconductor road map, expected for public release in May, that will detail strategies to improve energy efficiency as well as the sustainability and competitiveness of the American semiconductor industry.

The initiative comes amid concerns over the surging energy demands of the semiconductor industry and artificial intelligence technologies. Experts said that emissions linked to semiconductor production could increase by four times in 2030, posing significant environmental concerns.