Semiconductor firm goes carbon neutral

austriamicrosystems has announced plans to reach full carbon neutrality by 2015 and become the first semiconductor manufacturer in the world to do so.

The company has been reducing its carbon footprint since 2004, achieving a reduction of 50% of CO₂ equivalents or 31,000 tons by 2010 through its actions. Over the last two years, it has mapped the CO₂ generation of all company activities, including its employees. In 2011, the company will further reduce CO₂ emission equivalents by more than 9000 tons by switching to 100% green electricity based mainly on water-generated sources.

Programs in operation or in development include thermo-solar cooling, cleaning waste water and exhaust air, creating products for renewable energy applications,and biomass plant construction to enable the use of renewable fuel sources for heating and chilling.

The implementation of these programs has already reduced the company's use of coal- and oil-generated electricity and will soon free it from dependency on imported natural gas.