It was the morning of March 18, a shining new two-story plant, plastered with signs saying Hydrolysis Room and Oxygen Purification Room and plenty of triangular warning signs, sitting on a patch of land of the Tainan Technology Industrial Park (TTIP). At the first glance, the facility looks just like any other factory, but hidden behind its ordinary industrial facade is an essential raw material for advanced semiconductor manufacturing,

It is ALFE’s most recently commissioned ultra-high purity hydrogen electrolyzer plant, where the gas will be produced from electrolysis of ultra-pure water using renewable energy. A joint-venture between Air Liquide Group, the world’s second-largest maker of industrial gases, and Far Eastern New Century Group, ALFE is the biggest manufacturing company invested by French businesses in Taiwan.

Why does hydrogen matter? This paragraph in the press release for the plant’s inauguration says it all: “The equipment will help meet the emerging demand for ultra-high purity hydrogen for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) applications and advance the environmental and climate goals of Taiwan’s major semiconductor companies with a more eco-friendly hydrogen production process." 

Event graced with presence of representatives from TSMC and a US semiconductor company

Which “major semiconductor companies”? The answer doesn't take much imagination to figure out. At the ceremony, representatives from TSMC and a US chipmaker filled a full row of seats, which speaks for itself. 

Exactly why is hydrogen needed for EUV applications? And, why does it have to be ultra-pure?

Simply put, EUV light is created by hitting tin droplets with laser beams at 50,000 times per second. During the process, the tin is vaporized and easily deposited on the EUV reflector, which causes fogging and affects the results. Hydrogen is injected into the EUV chamber and reacts with tin to form gaseous tin-hydrides, before being drawn out.

Industry insiders estimated, by the time TSMC’s new Tainan fab fully ramps up next year, the output from the ALFE facility will be able to fulfill only part of its hydrogen demand.

Expecting demand to increase in the future, Linde LienHwa has also acquired land in the Tree Valley Park of the Southern Taiwan Science Park, with a plan to deploy two natural gas-based hydrogen production units. 

ALFE takes a different approach for the green hydrogen facility though. The ultra-high purity hydrogen produced there will be obtained through electrolysis of ultra-pure water using renewable electricity purchased from Taipower, yielding zero CO2 emissions in the process.

“Green hydrogen” helps supply chains cut emissions

ALFE President Olivier Blachier said at the inauguration ceremony that a hydrogen electrolyzer plant powered by renewable energy would cut carbon emissions by 8,000 tons a year, compared to the natural gas-based process. Upon the completion of the construction of the company’s planned five green hydrogen facilities, the carbon reduction effect achieved will be equivalent to planting 1 million trees.

Moreover, Air Liquide is committed to generating hydrogen solely from renewable energy in the group’s operations worldwide in three years, Blachier stressed.

ALFE expects to complete the process for securing renewable energy-based electricity for the electrolyzer plant in Tainan. The hydrogen generated then will be carbon-free "green hydrogen”, unlike the fossil fueled-based “blue hydrogen” (from natural gas) or “gray hydrogen” (from coal).

Why does this matter? Because “emission reduction” or “zero emission” has become an issue that the global technology supply chain cannot afford to ignore after the Paris Agreement entered into force. Apple has made a commitment to being 100% carbon neutral for its supply chain by 2030, meaning that every Apple product, including all iPhones and iPads, will need to have a net-zero carbon footprint. 

This is why Apple's suppliers around the world are scrambling to trim emissions in their manufacturing processes and energy consumption as much as possible. For instance, as of July 2020, TSMC had 1.2 GW of renewable energy capacity contracted under power purchase agreements, eliminating approximately 2.189 million tons of carbon emissions per year.

According to ALFE, once the entire hydrogen plant construction project is concluded and all the facilities are supplied with renewable energy, over 35,000 tons of emissions will be reduced annually, compared with conventional hydrogen production processes.

Hydrogen technology holds the key to Taipower’s energy transition future

In addition to semiconductor manufacturing, the appearance of another guest at the ceremony may point to the beginning of a new trend for hydrogen applications. 

“Energy transition is an imperative for Taiwan today,” Taipower chairman Yang Wei-fu stated in his remark. Many hot-debated issues surrounding energy transition, from nuclear power generation to the algal reef referendum, “all come down to how electricity is produced,” he added. 

Yang emphasized that hydrogen is the most critical piece in the world’s roadmap for zero-carbon electricity generation. As he so aptly noted, in recent years, hydrogen has been moved to the front of the energy agenda around the world. Japan, Korea, China, Germany, Australia and Scandinavian countries are all making tremendous investment in the research and development of hydrogen applications such as industrial manufacturing, energy storage and new energy vehicles, cementing its pivotal place in the path of energy transition. 

“As a state-owned electric power company and Taiwan’s top carbon emitter, Taipower must explore new technologies,” he said, expressing hopes for Taiwan and Taipower to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

Carbon emission reduction is a pressing priority for all, from Taiwan to the rest of the world, from semiconductor bigwigs to state-owned electricity utilities. As Bill Gates wrote in his latest book published in March, creating a zero-carbon future will not be easy but not impossible, and all people and businesses must make every effort to avoid a climate disaster.

Have you read?
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Uploaded by Penny Chiang