The Global Market for Sustainable Electronics and Semiconductor Manufacturing 2025-2035

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

• 1.1. Sustainable electronics & semiconductor manufacturing
• 1.2. Drivers for sustainable electronics
• 1.3. Environmental Impacts of Electronics Manufacturing
  • 1.3.1. E-Waste Generation
  • 1.3.2. Carbon Emissions
  • 1.3.3. Resource Utilization
  • 1.3.4. Waste Minimization
  • 1.3.5. Supply Chain Impacts
• 1.4. New opportunities from sustainable electronics
• 1.5. Regulations
  • 1.5.1. Certifications
• 1.6. Powering sustainable electronics (Bio-based batteries)
• 1.7. Bioplastics in injection moulded electronics parts

2. SUSTAINABLE ELECTRONICS & SEMICONDUCTORS MANUFACTURING

• 2.1. Conventional electronics manufacturing
• 2.2. Benefits of Sustainable Electronics manufacturing
• 2.3. Challenges in adopting Sustainable Electronics manufacturing
• 2.4. Approaches
  • 2.4.1. Closed-Loop Manufacturing
  • 2.4.2. Digital Manufacturing
    • 2.4.2.1. Advanced robotics & automation
    • 2.4.2.2. AI & machine learning analytics
    • 2.4.2.3. Internet of Things (IoT)
    • 2.4.2.4. Additive manufacturing
    • 2.4.2.5. Virtual prototyping
    • 2.4.2.6. Blockchain-enabled supply chain traceability
  • 2.4.3. Renewable Energy Usage
  • 2.4.4. Energy Efficiency
  • 2.4.5. Materials Efficiency
  • 2.4.6. Sustainable Chemistry
  • 2.4.7. Recycled Materials
    • 2.4.7.1. Advanced chemical recycling
  • 2.4.8. Bio-Based Materials
• 2.5. Greening the Supply Chain
  • 2.5.1. Key focus areas
  • 2.5.2. Sustainability activities from major electronics brands
  • 2.5.3. Key challenges
  • 2.5.4. Use of digital technologies

3. SUSTAINABLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) MANUFACTURING

• 3.1. Conventional PCB manufacturing
• 3.2. Trends in PCBs
  • 3.2.1. High-Speed PCBs
  • 3.2.2. Flexible PCBs
  • 3.2.3. 3D Printed PCBs
  • 3.2.4. Sustainable PCBs
• 3.3. Reconciling sustainability with performance
• 3.4. Sustainable supply chains
• 3.5. Sustainability in PCB manufacturing
  • 3.5.1. Sustainable cleaning of PCBs
• 3.6. Design of PCBs for sustainability
  • 3.6.1. Rigid
  • 3.6.2. Flexible
  • 3.6.3. Additive manufacturing
  • 3.6.4. In-mold elctronics (IME)
• 3.7. Materials
  • 3.7.1. Low-energy epoxy resins
  • 3.7.2. Metal cores
  • 3.7.3. Recycled laminates
  • 3.7.4. Conductive inks
  • 3.7.5. Green and lead-free solder
  • 3.7.6. Biodegradable substrates
    • 3.7.6.1. Bacterial Cellulose
    • 3.7.6.2. Mycelium
    • 3.7.6.3. Lignin
    • 3.7.6.4. Cellulose Nanofibers
    • 3.7.6.5. Soy Protein
    • 3.7.6.6. Algae
    • 3.7.6.7. PHAs
  • 3.7.7. Biobased inks
• 3.8. Substrates
  • 3.8.1. Halogen-free FR4
    • 3.8.1.1. FR4 limitations
    • 3.8.1.2. FR4 alternatives
    • 3.8.1.3. Bio-Polyimide
  • 3.8.2. Glass substrates
  • 3.8.3. Ceramic substrates
  • 3.8.4. Metal-core PCBs
  • 3.8.5. Biobased PCBs
    • 3.8.5.1. Polylactic acid
    • 3.8.5.2. Lignin-based Polymers
    • 3.8.5.3. Cellulose Composites
    • 3.8.5.4. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)
    • 3.8.5.5. Starch Blends
    • 3.8.5.6. Challenges
    • 3.8.5.7. Flexible (bio) polyimide PCBs
    • 3.8.5.8. Recent commercial activity
  • 3.8.6. Paper-based PCBs
  • 3.8.7. PCBs without solder mask
  • 3.8.8. Thinner dielectrics
  • 3.8.9. Recycled plastic substrates
  • 3.8.10. Flexible substrates
  • 3.8.11. Polyimide alternatives
• 3.9. Sustainable patterning and metallization in electronics manufacturing
  • 3.9.1. Introduction
  • 3.9.2. Issues with sustainability
  • 3.9.3. Regeneration and reuse of etching chemicals
  • 3.9.4. Transition from Wet to Dry phase patterning
  • 3.9.5. Print-and-plate
  • 3.9.6. Approaches
    • 3.9.6.1. Direct Printed Electronics
    • 3.9.6.2. Photonic Sintering
    • 3.9.6.3. Biometallization
    • 3.9.6.4. Plating Resist Alternatives
    • 3.9.6.5. Laser-Induced Forward Transfer
    • 3.9.6.6. Electrohydrodynamic Printing
    • 3.9.6.7. Electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs
    • 3.9.6.8. Green electroless plating
    • 3.9.6.9. Smart Masking
    • 3.9.6.10. Component Integration
    • 3.9.6.11. Bio-inspired material deposition
    • 3.9.6.12. Multi-material jetting
    • 3.9.6.13. Vacuumless deposition
    • 3.9.6.14. Upcycling waste streams
• 3.10. Sustainable attachment and integration of components
  • 3.10.1. Conventional component attachment materials
  • 3.10.2. Materials
    • 3.10.2.1. Conductive adhesives
    • 3.10.2.2. Biodegradable adhesives
    • 3.10.2.3. Magnets
    • 3.10.2.4. Bio-based solders
    • 3.10.2.5. Bio-derived solders
    • 3.10.2.6. Recycled plastics
    • 3.10.2.7. Nano adhesives
    • 3.10.2.8. Shape memory polymers
    • 3.10.2.9. Photo-reversible polymers
    • 3.10.2.10. Conductive biopolymers
  • 3.10.3. Processes
    • 3.10.3.1. Traditional thermal processing methods
    • 3.10.3.2. Low temperature solder
    • 3.10.3.3. Reflow soldering
    • 3.10.3.4. Induction soldering
    • 3.10.3.5. UV curing
    • 3.10.3.6. Near-infrared (NIR) radiation curing
    • 3.10.3.7. Photonic sintering/curing
    • 3.10.3.8. Hybrid integration

4. SUSTAINABLE INTEGRATED CIRCUITS

• 4.1. IC manufacturing
• 4.2. Sustainable IC manufacturing
• 4.3. Wafer production
  • 4.3.1. Silicon
  • 4.3.2. Gallium nitride ICs
  • 4.3.3. Flexible ICs
  • 4.3.4. Fully printed organic ICs
• 4.4. Oxidation methods
  • 4.4.1. Sustainable oxidation
  • 4.4.2. Metal oxides
  • 4.4.3. Recycling
  • 4.4.4. Thin gate oxide layers
  • 4.4.5. Substrate Oxidation
  • 4.4.6. Solution-Based Manufacturing
  • 4.4.7. MOSFET Transistors
  • 4.4.8. Silicon on Insulator (SOI) and Manufacturing
• 4.5. Patterning and doping
  • 4.5.1. Processes
    • 4.5.1.1. Wet etching
    • 4.5.1.2. Dry plasma etching
    • 4.5.1.3. Lift-off patterning
    • 4.5.1.4. Surface doping
  • 4.5.2. Photolithography
  • 4.5.3. Green solvents and chemicals
• 4.6. Metallization
  • 4.6.1. Evaporation
  • 4.6.2. Plating
  • 4.6.3. Printing
    • 4.6.3.1. Printed metal gates for organic thin film transistors
  • 4.6.4. Physical vapour deposition (PVD)
• 4.7. Packaging
  • 4.7.1. Sustainable Semiconductor Packaging Technologies
  • 4.7.2. Glass interposer technology
• 4.8. Water management
  • 4.8.1. Overview
  • 4.8.2. Ultra pure water (UPW)
  • 4.8.3. Semiconductor manufacturing water consumption
  • 4.8.4. Water Reuse

5. END OF LIFE

• 5.1. Legislation
• 5.2. Hazardous waste
• 5.3. Emissions
• 5.4. Water Usage

6. RECYCLING

• 6.1. Mechanical recycling
• 6.2. Electro-Mechanical Separation
• 6.3. Chemical Recycling
• 6.4. Electrochemical Processes
• 6.5. Thermal Recycling
• 6.6. Green Certification
• 6.7. PCB recycling
  • 6.7.1. Overview
  • 6.7.2. Metal recovery from PCB manufacturing
  • 6.7.3. Recyclable PCBs
  • 6.7.4. Excess electronic component inventory management
  • 6.7.5. Electronic waste management and reuse

7. SUSTAINABILITY IN DATA CENTERS

• 7.1. Overview
  • 7.1.1. Data center sustainability
  • 7.1.2. Carbon reductions
  • 7.1.3. Data center decarbonization
  • 7.1.4. Data center company sustainability activities
• 7.2. Green Energy
  • 7.2.1. Data centers power consumption
  • 7.2.2. Microgrids
  • 7.2.3. Energy storage systems
  • 7.2.4. Solar
  • 7.2.5. Wind power
  • 7.2.6. Geothermal
  • 7.2.7. Nuclear
    • 7.2.7.1. Large-scale nuclear reactors
    • 7.2.7.2. Small modular reactors (SMRs)
    • 7.2.7.3. Nuclear fusion
  • 7.2.8. Fuel cells
    • 7.2.8.1. PEMFCs and SOFCs
  • 7.2.9. Batteries
    • 7.2.9.1. UPS battery technologies
    • 7.2.9.2. BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems)
• 7.3. Improved Energy Efficiency
  • 7.3.1. Thermal efficiency
  • 7.3.2. IT efficiency
  • 7.3.3. Electrical efficiency
• 7.4. Carbon credits and CO2 offsetting
  • 7.4.1. CO2 emissions of data centers
  • 7.4.2. Carbon dioxide removal technology
  • 7.4.3. Low-carbon construction
    • 7.4.3.1. Green concrete
    • 7.4.3.2. Green Steel
• 7.5. Companies

8. GLOBAL MARKET AND REVENUES 2018-2035

• 8.1. Global PCB manufacturing industry
  • 8.1.1. PCB revenues
• 8.2. Sustainable PCBs
• 8.3. Sustainable ICs

9. COMPANY PROFILES (55 company profiles)

10. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• 10.1. Objectives of This Report

11. REFERENCES

List of Tables

• Table 1. Sustainability Index Benchmarking
• Table 2. Key factors driving adoption of green electronics
• Table 3. Key circular economy strategies for electronics
• Table 4. Regulations pertaining to sustainable electronics
• Table 5. Companies developing bio-based batteries for application in sustainable electronics
• Table 6. Benefits of Green Electronics Manufacturing
• Table 7. Challenges in adopting Sustainable Electronics manufacturing
• Table 8. Major chipmakers' renewable energy road maps
• Table 9. Energy efficiency in sustainable electronics manufacturing
• Table 10. Recycling and Reuse Initiatives in Sustainable Electronics
• Table 11. Composition of plastic waste streams
• Table 12. Comparison of mechanical and advanced chemical recycling
• Table 13. Example chemically recycled plastic products
• Table 14. Bio-based and non-toxic materials in sustainable electronics
• Table 15. Key focus areas for enabling greener and ethically responsible electronics supply chains
• Table 16. Sustainability programs and disclosure from major electronics brands
• Table 17. PCB manufacturing process
• Table 18. Challenges in PCB manufacturing
• Table 19. 3D PCB manufacturing
• Table 20. Comparison of some sustainable PCB alternatives against conventional options in terms of key performance factors
• Table 21. Sustainable PCB supply chain
• Table 22. Key areas where the PCB industry can improve sustainability
• Table 23. PCB Design Options and Sustainability
• Table 24. Improving sustainability of PCB design
• Table 25. PCB design options for sustainability
• Table 26. Sustainability benefits and challenges associated with 3D printing
• Table 27. Conductive ink producers
• Table 28. Green and lead-free solder companies
• Table 29. Biodegradable substrates for PCBs
• Table 30. Overview of mycelium fibers-description, properties, drawbacks and applications
• Table 31. Application of lignin in composites
• Table 32. Properties of lignins and their applications
• Table 33. Properties of flexible electronics-cellulose nanofiber film (nanopaper)
• Table 34. Companies developing cellulose nanofibers for electronics
• Table 35. Commercially available PHAs
• Table 36. Main limitations of the FR4 material system used for manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs)
• Table 37. Halogen-free FR4 companies
• Table 38. Bioplastics for PCBs
• Table 39. Properties of biobased PCBs
• Table 40. Applications of flexible (bio) polyimide PCBs
• Table 41. Sustainability in Patterning and Metallization Processes
• Table 42. Main patterning and metallization steps in PCB fabrication and sustainable options
• Table 43. Sustainability issues with conventional metallization processes
• Table 44. Benefits of print-and-plate
• Table 45. Sustainable alternative options to standard plating resists used in printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication
• Table 46. Applications for laser induced forward transfer
• Table 47. Copper versus silver inks in laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) for electronics fabrication
• Table 48. Approaches for in-situ oxidation prevention
• Table 49. Market readiness and maturity of different lead-free solders and electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs) for electronics manufacturing
• Table 50. Advantages of green electroless plating
• Table 51. Sustainability for Patterning and Metallization Materials
• Table 52. Comparison of component attachment materials
• Table 53. Comparison between sustainable and conventional component attachment materials for printed circuit boards
• Table 54. Comparison between the SMAs and SMPs
• Table 55. Comparison of conductive biopolymers versus conventional materials for printed circuit board fabrication
• Table 56. Comparison of curing and reflow processes used for attaching components in electronics assembly
• Table 57. Low temperature solder alloys
• Table 58. Thermally sensitive substrate materials
• Table 59. Limitations of existing IC production
• Table 60. Strategies for improving sustainability in integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing
• Table 61. Comparison of oxidation methods and level of sustainability
• Table 62. Sustainability Index for the Oxidation Processes
• Table 63. Stage of commercialization for oxides
• Table 64. Sustainable Oxidation Process Comparison
• Table 65. Wet and Dry Thermal Oxidation Comparison
• Table 66. Alternative doping techniques
• Table 67. Sustainability Index for Patterning
• Table 68. Sustainability Index for Metallization
• Table 69. Sustainability Index for Interconnection Techniques
• Table 70. Organic Substrates
• Table 71. UPW Specifications and Monitoring Methods
• Table 72. Water Management Techniques
• Table 73. UPW Upgrades and Reuse
• Table 74. Water Management Companies
• Table 75. Metal content mg / Kg in Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) from waste desktop computers
• Table 76. Chemical recycling methods for handling electronic waste
• Table 77. Electrochemical processes for recycling metals from electronic waste
• Table 78. Thermal recycling processes for electronic waste
• Table 79. Critical Semiconductor Materials and Recycling
• Table 80. Waste Reduction Techniques
• Table 81. Data Center Sustainability Metrics
• Table 82. Data Center CO2 Emissions
• Table 83. Total Carbon Emissions Breakdown
• Table 84. Global Data Center Hyperscalers
• Table 85. PUE and CUE metrics
• Table 86. Data Center Equipment Sustainability
• Table 87. Data center companies sustainability activity
• Table 88. Power sources for data centers
• Table 89. Benchmarking electricity sources
• Table 90. Decarbonization of Power
• Table 91 Renewable Energy Activities of Hyperscalers
• Table 92. Cost Comparison of Renewable Sources
• Table 93. Solar energy in data centers
• Table 94. Approaches to Wind-Powered Data Centers
• Table 95. Power Efficiency and Wind Turbine Models
• Table 96. Enhanced Geothermal Systems
• Table 97. Geothermal Power for Data Centers
• Table 98. SMR Projects
• Table 99. Fuel Cells for Data Centers
• Table 100. Battery Applications in Data Centers
• Table 101. Companies in Grid-scale Li-ion BESS
• Table 102. System Power Consumption and Metrics
• Table 103. Cooling Methods Overview
• Table 104. Power Demand
• Table 105. Power Forecast 2013-2035
• Table 106. Carbon Emissions by Type
• Table 107. GHG Emissions - Storage
• Table 108. CDR Credit Prices
• Table 109. Carbon credits Price range
• Table 110. Cement Decarbonization Technologies
• Table 111. Decarbonization Technologies for Steel
• Table 112. Global Data Center Lifecycle CO2e Forecast
• Table 113. Carbon-Free Energy Savings Forecast for Data Centers
• Table 114. Carbon Credits Forecast to 2035
• Table 115. Companies in sustainability for data centers
• Table 116. Global PCB revenues 2018-2035 (billions USD), by substrate types
• Table 117. Global sustainable PCB revenues 2018-2035, by type (millions USD)
• Table 118. Global sustainable ICs revenues 2018-2035, by type (millions USD)
• Table 119. Oji Holdings CNF products

List of Figures

• Figure 1. Closed-loop manufacturing
• Figure 2. Sustainable supply chain for electronics
• Figure 3. Flexible PCB
• Figure 4. Vapor degreasing
• Figure 5. Multi-layered PCB
• Figure 6. 3D printed PCB
• Figure 7. In-mold electronics prototype devices and products
• Figure 8. Silver nanocomposite ink after sintering and resin bonding of discrete electronic components
• Figure 9. Typical structure of mycelium-based foam
• Figure 10. Flexible electronic substrate made from CNF
• Figure 11. CNF composite
• Figure 12. Oji CNF transparent sheets
• Figure 13. Electronic components using cellulose nanofibers as insulating materials
• Figure 14. BLOOM masterbatch from Algix
• Figure 15. Dell's Concept Luna laptop
• Figure 16. Direct-write, precision dispensing, and 3D printing platform for 3D printed electronics
• Figure 17. 3D printed circuit boards from Nano Dimension
• Figure 18. Photonic sintering
• Figure 19. Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT)
• Figure 20. Material jetting 3d printing
• Figure 21. Material jetting 3d printing product
• Figure 22. The molecular mechanism of the shape memory effect under different stimuli
• Figure 23. Supercooled SolderingTM Technology
• Figure 24. Reflow soldering schematic
• Figure 25. Schematic diagram of induction heating reflow
• Figure 26. Fully-printed organic thin-film transistors and circuitry on one-micron-thick polymer films
• Figure 27. Types of PCBs after dismantling waste computers and monitors
• Figure 28. Global PCB revenues 2018-2035 (billions USD), by substrate types
• Figure 29. Global sustainable PCB revenues 2018-2035, by type (millions USD)
• Figure 30. Global sustainable ICs revenues 2018-2035, by type (millions USD)
• Figure 31. Piezotech-R FC
• Figure 32. PowerCoat-R paper
• Figure 33. BeFC-R biofuel cell and digital platform
• Figure 34. DPP-360 machine
• Figure 35. P-Flex-R Flexible Circuit
• Figure 36. Fairphone 4
• Figure 37. In2tec's fully recyclable flexible circuit board assembly
• Figure 38. C.L.A.D. system
• Figure 39. Soluboard immersed in water
• Figure 40. Infineon PCB before and after immersion
• Figure 41. Nano OPS Nanoscale wafer printing system
• Figure 42. PulpaTronics' paper RFID tag
• Figure 43. Stora Enso lignin battery materials
• Figure 44. 3D printed electronics
• Figure 45. Tactotek IME device
• Figure 46. TactoTek-R IMSE-R SiP - System In Package
• Figure 47. Eco-friendly NFC tag label (left) and paper-based antenna substrate (right)
• Figure 48. Illustration of the layer structures of an NFC tag label using PET film as the antenna substrate (left) and Toppan's new eco-friendly NFC tag label using a paper-based substrate (right)
• Figure 49. Verde Bio-based resins