To align with the global net-zero transition trend, GlobalWafers is actively advancing energy transformation across its worldwide sites and developing concrete implementation plans to fully achieve its RE100 commitment. Among these efforts, the company’s Italian site has taken the lead by initiating multiple on-the-ground actions that demonstrate its strong commitment and determination to address climate change.
The Italian site is participating in the government-led “Energy Release” program, which aims to support energy-intensive industries by reducing energy costs, simplifying access to renewable energy, and accelerating electrification through policy and financial incentives. Through this initiative, GlobalWafers will be able to procure approximately 42,000 MWh of renewable electricity annually, backed by Guarantees of Origin. The electricity prices are comparable to average market levels in Europe before the Russia-Ukraine conflict, helping to stabilize energy procurement costs.
In addition to the Energy Release program, the Italian site is also promoting renewable electricity through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and the installation of local photovoltaic systems. These efforts continue to expand green energy sources and enhance energy efficiency. In line with its broader sustainability commitments, GlobalWafers is ensuring that, with the expansion of its 300mm FAB, the MEMC team will power the entire new 300mm wafer and crystal supply chain with 100% renewable energy from the very start of High-Volume Manufacturing (HVM).
The Merano plant has already achieved a 34% renewable electricity share in 2024 and will continue to increase this proportion to progressively meet RE100 targets, while the Novara plant is powered by a trigeneration system that supplies electricity, hot water, steam, and chilled water required for operations.
To support energy transition and decarbonization, an integrated transformation plan has been launched. This plan focuses on improving energy efficiency and increasing the share of renewables while progressively reducing reliance on high-carbon energy sources. Key measures include:
- Electricity: Combined use of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs – Baseload and Pay-as-Produced), along with local photovoltaic installations to maximize renewable energy usage. In 2024, the Italy site’s use of renewable energy reached 34%.
- Heating/Cooling: Enhancing the performance of existing cogeneration systems and incorporating waste heat and steam recovery, together with absorption cooling systems, to improve overall energy efficiency.
- Decarbonization: Replacing natural gas step by step with biomethane and recovering hydrogen from process exhaust gases to effectively lower carbon dioxide emissions.
The decarbonization project at GlobalWafers’ Italian site
GlobalWafers’ Italian site is steadily progressing toward energy transition by implementing diversified strategies to gradually increase the use of renewable energy. The goal is to achieve 100 percent renewable electricity usage by 2031. The overall plan includes green energy procurement, onsite renewable energy generation, and measures to improve energy efficiency. Taking into account the specific energy configuration of each facility, the company aims to enhance the integration of power, thermal, and cooling systems. Low-carbon technologies such as biomethane and hydrogen recovery are being introduced to reduce operational carbon emissions. Through this pioneering effort in Italy, GlobalWafers will continue to optimize the energy structure across all its sites, strengthen the resilience of its low-carbon operations, and accelerate the global rollout of its energy transition strategy.