TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As semiconductors continue to advance, chipmakers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) could face future water shortages, an S&P Global Ratings report said on Monday (Feb. 26).The semiconductor sector uses massive amounts of water daily to cool down machinery and clean wafer sheets of dust and debris, according to CNBC. The amount of water usage has increased as chips get smaller and more advanced.“There is a direct line between water use and chip sophistication, as fabs use ultrapure water — freshwater processed to extremely high purity — to rinse wafers between each process. The more advanced the semiconductor, the more process steps, the more water consumed,” CNBC cited S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Hins Li as saying.TSMC’s water usage per unit increased by over 35% after it moved to 16 nm process nodes in 2015, according to data from S&P. “Given TSMC’s dominance in advanced chipmaking, potential water-related disruptions to operations could disrupt the global tech supply chain,” S&P said.However, because of TSMC’s leading position, S&P noted the company can “lock in end demand and compensate for lower unit sales with price rises.” It added, “Should the company be able to maintain its technology leadership, the impact on TSMC’s business profile and profitability from any output volatility is likely manageable,” according to S&P.The credit ratings agency also noted that TSMC could shift production to focus on more sophisticated chips over mature process semiconductors during water shortages, which could improve earnings.The S&P report said that water usage in the chip industry will likely increase by a mid- to high-single-digit percent each year, due to capacity expansion and the demands of cutting-edge chips. Global chipmakers already use as much water as Hong Kong, S&P found.Water security will become increasingly important for chipmakers. “Meanwhile, climate change is raising the rate of extreme weather, the frequency of drought, and the volatility of precipitation, limiting chipmakers’ abilities to manage production stability,” S&P said.By Eric Chang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer2024/03/01 17:28 (ICE TAIPEI)

Fonte notizia: Organi di Stampa - Taiwan News