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

1             INTRODUCTION          16

• 1.1        Sustainable electronics & semiconductor manufacturing              16
• 1.2        Drivers for sustainable electronics  17
• 1.3        Environmental Impacts of Electronics Manufacturing       18
  • 1.3.1    E-Waste Generation  18
  • 1.3.2    Carbon Emissions     18
  • 1.3.3    Resource Utilization  19
  • 1.3.4    Waste Minimization  19
  • 1.3.5    Supply Chain Impacts             20
• 1.4        New opportunities from sustainable electronics   20
• 1.5        Regulations     21
  • 1.5.1    Certifications 22
• 1.6        Powering sustainable electronics (Bio-based batteries)   22
• 1.7        Bioplastics in injection moulded electronics parts              23

2             SUSTAINABLE ELECTRONICS & SEMICONDUCTORS MANUFACTURING  25

• 2.1        Conventional electronics manufacturing   25
• 2.2        Benefits of Sustainable Electronics manufacturing             25
• 2.3        Challenges in adopting Sustainable Electronics manufacturing 26
• 2.4        Approaches    27
  • 2.4.1    Closed-Loop Manufacturing               27
  • 2.4.2    Digital Manufacturing              27
    • 2.4.2.1 Advanced robotics & automation    27
    • 2.4.2.2 AI & machine learning analytics        28
    • 2.4.2.3 Internet of Things (IoT)             28
    • 2.4.2.4 Additive manufacturing          28
    • 2.4.2.5 Virtual prototyping     28
    • 2.4.2.6 Blockchain-enabled supply chain traceability         28
  • 2.4.3    Renewable Energy Usage      29
  • 2.4.4    Energy Efficiency         30
  • 2.4.5    Materials Efficiency   31
  • 2.4.6    Sustainable Chemistry            31
  • 2.4.7    Recycled Materials    32
  • 2.4.7.1 Advanced chemical recycling             33
  • 2.4.8    Bio-Based Materials  36
• 2.5        Greening the Supply Chain   38
  • 2.5.1    Key focus areas            39
  • 2.5.2    Sustainability activities from major electronics brands    42
  • 2.5.3    Key challenges              42
  • 2.5.4    Use of digital technologies    42

3             SUSTAINABLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) MANUFACTURING          44

• 3.1        Conventional PCB manufacturing   44
• 3.2        Trends in PCBs              45
  • 3.2.1    High-Speed PCBs       45
  • 3.2.2    Flexible PCBs 45
  • 3.2.3    3D Printed PCBs          46
  • 3.2.4    Sustainable PCBs       47
• 3.3        Reconciling sustainability with performance            47
• 3.4        Sustainable supply chains   48
• 3.5        Sustainability in PCB manufacturing             49
  • 3.5.1    Sustainable cleaning of PCBs             49
• 3.6        Design of PCBs for sustainability     50
  • 3.6.1    Rigid    52
  • 3.6.2    Flexible               52
  • 3.6.3    Additive manufacturing          53
  • 3.6.4    In-mold elctronics (IME)         54
• 3.7        Materials           55
  • 3.7.1    Low-energy epoxy resins        55
  • 3.7.2    Metal cores     55
  • 3.7.3    Recycled laminates   55
  • 3.7.4    Conductive inks           55
  • 3.7.5    Green and lead-free solder   57
  • 3.7.6    Biodegradable substrates     58
    • 3.7.6.1 Bacterial Cellulose     58
    • 3.7.6.2 Mycelium          60
    • 3.7.6.3 Lignin  61
    • 3.7.6.4 Cellulose Nanofibers               63
    • 3.7.6.5 Soy Protein      66
    • 3.7.6.6 Algae   66
    • 3.7.6.7 PHAs   67
  • 3.7.7    Biobased inks                68
• 3.8        Substrates       68
  • 3.8.1    Halogen-free FR4        68
    • 3.8.1.1 FR4 limitations             68
    • 3.8.1.2 FR4 alternatives           69
    • 3.8.1.3 Bio-Polyimide 70
  • 3.8.2    Glass substrates         71
  • 3.8.3    Ceramic substrates   71
  • 3.8.4    Metal-core PCBs         72
  • 3.8.5    Biobased PCBs             72
    • 3.8.5.1 Polylactic acid              73
    • 3.8.5.2 Lignin-based Polymers            73
    • 3.8.5.3 Cellulose Composites             73
    • 3.8.5.4 Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)             73
    • 3.8.5.5 Starch Blends                74
    • 3.8.5.6 Challenges      74
    • 3.8.5.7 Flexible (bio) polyimide PCBs             74
    • 3.8.5.8 Recent commercial activity  75
  • 3.8.6    Paper-based PCBs     76
  • 3.8.7    PCBs without solder mask   76
  • 3.8.8    Thinner dielectrics      77
  • 3.8.9    Recycled plastic substrates 77
  • 3.8.10 Flexible substrates     77
  • 3.8.11 Polyimide alternatives              77
• 3.9        Sustainable patterning and metallization in electronics manufacturing 79
  • 3.9.1    Introduction    79
  • 3.9.2    Issues with sustainability      79
  • 3.9.3    Regeneration and reuse of etching chemicals         80
  • 3.9.4    Transition from Wet to Dry phase patterning             81
  • 3.9.5    Print-and-plate              81
  • 3.9.6    Approaches    82
    • 3.9.6.1 Direct Printed Electronics      82
    • 3.9.6.2 Photonic Sintering      83
    • 3.9.6.3 Biometallization          84
    • 3.9.6.4 Plating Resist Alternatives     84
    • 3.9.6.5 Laser-Induced Forward Transfer       85
    • 3.9.6.6 Electrohydrodynamic Printing            87
    • 3.9.6.7 Electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs    87
    • 3.9.6.8 Green electroless plating       88
    • 3.9.6.9 Smart Masking             89
    • 3.9.6.10            Component Integration           89
    • 3.9.6.11            Bio-inspired material deposition      90
    • 3.9.6.12            Multi-material jetting 90
    • 3.9.6.13            Vacuumless deposition          91
    • 3.9.6.14            Upcycling waste streams      91
• 3.10     Sustainable attachment and integration of components 92
  • 3.10.1 Conventional component attachment materials   92
  • 3.10.2 Materials           93
    • 3.10.2.1            Conductive adhesives             93
    • 3.10.2.2            Biodegradable adhesives      94
    • 3.10.2.3            Magnets            94
    • 3.10.2.4            Bio-based solders      94
    • 3.10.2.5            Bio-derived solders   94
    • 3.10.2.6            Recycled plastics       95
    • 3.10.2.7            Nano adhesives           95
    • 3.10.2.8            Shape memory polymers       95
    • 3.10.2.9            Photo-reversible polymers    96
    • 3.10.2.10         Conductive biopolymers        97
  • 3.10.3 Processes        97
    • 3.10.3.1            Traditional thermal processing methods     98
    • 3.10.3.2            Low temperature solder          98
    • 3.10.3.3            Reflow soldering          101
    • 3.10.3.4            Induction soldering    101
    • 3.10.3.5            UV curing          102
    • 3.10.3.6            Near-infrared (NIR) radiation curing 102
    • 3.10.3.7            Photonic sintering/curing       102
    • 3.10.3.8            Hybrid integration       103

4             SUSTAINABLE INTEGRATED CIRCUITS          104

• 4.1        IC manufacturing        104
• 4.2        Sustainable IC manufacturing           104
• 4.3        Wafer production        105
  • 4.3.1    Silicon 106
  • 4.3.2    Gallium nitride ICs     106
  • 4.3.3    Flexible ICs      106
  • 4.3.4    Fully printed organic ICs         107
• 4.4        Oxidation methods    108
  • 4.4.1    Sustainable oxidation              108
  • 4.4.2    Metal oxides   109
  • 4.4.3    Recycling          110
  • 4.4.4    Thin gate oxide layers                110
  • 4.4.5    Substrate Oxidation  111
  • 4.4.6    Solution-Based Manufacturing         111
  • 4.4.7    MOSFET Transistors  111
  • 4.4.8    Silicon on Insulator (SOI) and Manufacturing          112
• 4.5        Patterning and doping              113
  • 4.5.1    Processes        113
    • 4.5.1.1 Wet etching     113
    • 4.5.1.2 Dry plasma etching    113
    • 4.5.1.3 Lift-off patterning        114
    • 4.5.1.4 Surface doping             114
  • 4.5.2    Photolithography        115
  • 4.5.3    Green solvents and chemicals           116
• 4.6        Metallization  117
  • 4.6.1    Evaporation    118
  • 4.6.2    Plating 118
  • 4.6.3    Printing              118
  • 4.6.3.1 Printed metal gates for organic thin film transistors            118
  • 4.6.4    Physical vapour deposition (PVD)    119
• 4.7        Packaging        119
  • 4.7.1    Sustainable Semiconductor Packaging Technologies        119
  • 4.7.2    Glass interposer technology                120
• 4.8        Water management  121
  • 4.8.1    Overview           121
  • 4.8.2    Ultra pure water (UPW)           121
  • 4.8.3    Semiconductor manufacturing water consumption            122
  • 4.8.4    Water Reuse   123

5             END OF LIFE   124

• 5.1        Legislation       124
• 5.2        Hazardous waste        125
• 5.3        Emissions        126
• 5.4        Water Usage   126

6             RECYCLING    128

• 6.1        Mechanical recycling                129
• 6.2        Electro-Mechanical Separation         130
• 6.3        Chemical Recycling   130
• 6.4        Electrochemical Processes  130
• 6.5        Thermal Recycling      131
• 6.6        Green Certification     131
• 6.7        PCB recycling 132
  • 6.7.1    Overview           132
  • 6.7.2    Metal recovery from PCB manufacturing    132
  • 6.7.3    Recyclable PCBs         133
  • 6.7.4    Excess electronic component inventory management      133
  • 6.7.5    Electronic waste management and reuse   133

7             SUSTAINABILITY IN DATA CENTERS 135

• 7.1        Overview           135
  • 7.1.1    Data center sustainability     135
  • 7.1.2    Carbon reductions     135
  • 7.1.3    Data center decarbonization               136
  • 7.1.4    Data center company sustainability activities         138
• 7.2        Green Energy  139
  • 7.2.1    Data centers power consumption   139
  • 7.2.2    Microgrids        141
  • 7.2.3    Energy storage systems          142
  • 7.2.4    Solar    142
  • 7.2.5    Wind power     143
  • 7.2.6    Geothermal     144
  • 7.2.7    Nuclear              145
    • 7.2.7.1 Large-scale nuclear reactors               146
    • 7.2.7.2 Small modular reactors (SMRs)        146
    • 7.2.7.3 Nuclear fusion              147
  • 7.2.8    Fuel cells          147
    • 7.2.8.1 PEMFCs and SOFCs  148
  • 7.2.9    Batteries            149
    • 7.2.9.1 UPS battery technologies      149
    • 7.2.9.2 BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems)       150
• 7.3        Improved Energy Efficiency  151
  • 7.3.1    Thermal efficiency      152
  • 7.3.2    IT efficiency     152
  • 7.3.3    Electrical efficiency   155
• 7.4        Carbon credits and CO2 offsetting 156
  • 7.4.1    CO2 emissions of data centers          156
  • 7.4.2    Carbon dioxide removal technology               157
  • 7.4.3    Low-carbon construction      160
    • 7.4.3.1 Green concrete             160
    • 7.4.3.2 Green Steel      162
• 7.5        Companies     164

8             GLOBAL MARKET AND REVENUES 2018-2035        166

• 8.1        Global PCB manufacturing industry               166
  • 8.1.1    PCB revenues 166
• 8.2        Sustainable PCBs       167
• 8.3        Sustainable ICs            170

9             COMPANY PROFILES                172 (55 company profiles)

10          RESEARCH METHODOLOGY              224

• 10.1     Objectives of This Report       224

11          REFERENCES 225

List of Tables

• Table 1. Sustainability Index Benchmarking.            17
• Table 2. Key factors driving adoption of green electronics.              17
• Table 3. Key circular economy strategies for electronics. 20
• Table 4. Regulations pertaining to sustainable electronics.            21
• Table 5. Companies developing bio-based batteries for application in sustainable electronics.           23
• Table 6. Benefits of Green Electronics Manufacturing        25
• Table 7. Challenges in adopting Sustainable Electronics manufacturing.            26
• Table 8. Major chipmakers' renewable energy road maps.              30
• Table 9. Energy efficiency in sustainable electronics manufacturing.     30
• Table 10. Recycling and Reuse Initiatives in Sustainable Electronics.      32
• Table 11. Composition of plastic waste streams.  34
• Table 12. Comparison of mechanical and advanced chemical recycling.             34
• Table 13. Example chemically recycled plastic products.                35
• Table 14. Bio-based and non-toxic materials in sustainable electronics.              36
• Table 15. Key focus areas for enabling greener and ethically responsible electronics supply chains. 39
• Table 16. Sustainability programs and disclosure from major electronics brands.         42
• Table 17. PCB manufacturing process.        44
• Table 18. Challenges in PCB manufacturing.           44
• Table 19. 3D PCB manufacturing.    46
• Table 20.  Comparison of some sustainable PCB alternatives against conventional options in terms of key performance factors.      47
• Table 21. Sustainable PCB supply chain.    48
• Table 22. Key areas where the PCB industry can improve sustainability.               49
• Table 23. PCB Design Options and Sustainability. 50
• Table 24. Improving sustainability of PCB design. 51
• Table 25. PCB design options for sustainability.     52
• Table 26.  Sustainability benefits and challenges associated with 3D printing. 54
• Table 27. Conductive ink producers.              56
• Table 28.  Green and lead-free solder companies.               58
• Table 29. Biodegradable substrates for PCBs.         58
• Table 30. Overview of mycelium fibers-description, properties, drawbacks and applications.               60
• Table 31. Application of lignin in composites.          61
• Table 32. Properties of lignins and their applications.        62
• Table 33. Properties of flexible electronics‐cellulose nanofiber film (nanopaper).         64
• Table 34. Companies developing cellulose nanofibers for electronics.   64
• Table 35. Commercially available PHAs.     67
• Table 36. Main limitations of the FR4 material system used for manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs).              68
• Table 37. Halogen-free FR4 companies.      71
• Table 38. Bioplastics for PCBs.          72
• Table 39. Properties of biobased PCBs.       73
• Table 40. Applications of flexible (bio) polyimide PCBs.    75
• Table 41. Sustainability in Patterning and Metallization Processes.           79
• Table 42. Main patterning and metallization steps in PCB fabrication and sustainable options.            79
• Table 43. Sustainability issues with conventional metallization processes.        80
• Table 44. Benefits of print-and-plate.             81
• Table 45. Sustainable alternative options to standard plating resists used in printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication.     84
• Table 46. Applications for laser induced forward transfer 85
• Table 47. Copper versus silver inks in laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) for electronics fabrication.                86
• Table 48. Approaches for in-situ oxidation prevention.      86
• Table 49. Market readiness and maturity of different lead-free solders and electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs) for electronics manufacturing. 88
• Table 50. Advantages of green electroless plating.               88
• Table 51. Sustainability for Patterning and Metallization Materials.           92
• Table 52. Comparison of component attachment materials.        92
• Table 53. Comparison between sustainable and conventional component attachment materials for printed circuit boards              93
• Table 54. Comparison between the SMAs and SMPs.         95
• Table 55. Comparison of conductive biopolymers versus conventional materials for printed circuit board fabrication.       97
• Table 56. Comparison of curing and reflow processes used for attaching components in electronics assembly.        97
• Table 57. Low temperature solder alloys.    99
• Table 58. Thermally sensitive substrate materials.               99
• Table 59. Limitations of existing IC production.      104
• Table 60. Strategies for improving sustainability in integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing.         105
• Table 61. Comparison of oxidation methods and level of sustainability. 108
• Table 62. Sustainability Index for the Oxidation Processes.            109
• Table 63. Stage of commercialization for oxides.   110
• Table 64. Sustainable Oxidation Process Comparison.     111
• Table 65. Wet and Dry Thermal Oxidation Comparison.   112
• Table 66. Alternative doping techniques.     115
• Table 67. Sustainability Index for Patterning.            117
• Table 68. Sustainability Index for Metallization.      119
• Table 69. Sustainability Index for Interconnection Techniques.    120
• Table 70. Organic Substrates.             120
• Table 71. UPW Specifications and Monitoring Methods.  121
• Table 72. Water Management Techniques. 122
• Table 73. UPW Upgrades and Reuse.             123
• Table 74. Water Management Companies. 123
• Table 75.  Metal content mg / Kg in Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) from waste desktop computers.    129
• Table 76. Chemical recycling methods for handling electronic waste.    130
• Table 77.  Electrochemical processes for recycling metals from electronic waste          131
• Table 78. Thermal recycling processes for electronic waste.         131
• Table 79. Critical Semiconductor Materials and Recycling.            132
• Table 80. Waste Reduction Techniques.      134
• Table 81. Data Center Sustainability Metrics.           135
• Table 82. Data Center CO2 Emissions.        135
• Table 83. Total Carbon Emissions Breakdown.       136
• Table 84. Global Data Center Hyperscalers.              136
• Table 85. PUE and CUE metrics.        136
• Table 86. Data Center Equipment Sustainability.  137
• Table 87. Data center companies sustainability activity.  138
• Table 88. Power sources for data centers.  139
• Table 89. Benchmarking electricity sources.            140
• Table 90. Decarbonization of Power.              140
• Table 91 Renewable Energy Activities of Hyperscalers.     141
• Table 92. Cost Comparison of Renewable Sources.            141
• Table 93. Solar energy in data centers.          143
• Table 94. Approaches to Wind-Powered Data Centers.     143
• Table 95. Power Efficiency and Wind Turbine Models.        144
• Table 96. Enhanced Geothermal Systems. 145
• Table 97. Geothermal Power for Data Centers.        145
• Table 98. SMR Projects.           146
• Table 99. Fuel Cells for Data Centers.           148
• Table 100. Battery Applications in Data Centers.   149
• Table 101. Companies in Grid-scale Li-ion BESS.  150
• Table 102. System Power Consumption and Metrics.         151
• Table 103. Cooling Methods Overview.         152
• Table 104. Power Demand.   153
• Table 105. Power Forecast 2013-2035.        153
• Table 106. Carbon Emissions by Type.          153
• Table 107. GHG Emissions – Storage.            154
• Table 108. CDR Credit Prices.             159
• Table 109. Carbon credits Price range.         159
• Table 110. Cement Decarbonization Technologies.             161
• Table 111. Decarbonization Technologies for Steel.             162
• Table 112. Global Data Center Lifecycle CO2e Forecast. 163
• Table 113. Carbon-Free Energy Savings Forecast for Data Centers.          163
• Table 114. Carbon Credits Forecast to 2035.           163
• Table 115. Companies in sustainability for data centers   164
• Table 116. Global PCB revenues 2018-2035 (billions USD), by substrate types.               166
• Table 117. Global sustainable PCB revenues 2018-2035, by type (millions USD).           167
• Table 118. Global sustainable ICs revenues 2018-2035, by type (millions USD).             170
• Table 119. Oji Holdings CNF products.         204

List of Figures

• Figure 1. Closed-loop manufacturing.          27
• Figure 2. Sustainable supply chain for electronics.              39
• Figure 3. Flexible PCB.             46
• Figure 4. Vapor degreasing.  50
• Figure 5. Multi-layered PCB. 51
• Figure 6. 3D printed PCB.       53
• Figure 7. In-mold electronics prototype devices and products.   54
• Figure 8. Silver nanocomposite ink after sintering and resin bonding of discrete electronic components.                56
• Figure 9. Typical structure of mycelium-based foam.         61
• Figure 10. Flexible electronic substrate made from CNF. 64
• Figure 11. CNF composite.   65
• Figure 12. Oji CNF transparent sheets.         65
• Figure 13. Electronic components using cellulose nanofibers as insulating materials.               66
• Figure 14. BLOOM masterbatch from Algix.               66
• Figure 15. Dell's Concept Luna laptop.         76
• Figure 16.  Direct-write, precision dispensing, and 3D printing platform for 3D printed electronics.    82
• Figure 17. 3D printed circuit boards from Nano Dimension.          83
• Figure 18. Photonic sintering.             83
• Figure 19. Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT).  85
• Figure 20. Material jetting 3d printing.           90
• Figure 21. Material jetting 3d printing product.        91
• Figure 22. The molecular mechanism of the shape memory effect under different stimuli.     96
• Figure 23. Supercooled Soldering™ Technology.     100
• Figure 24. Reflow soldering schematic.        101
• Figure 25. Schematic diagram of induction heating reflow.             102
• Figure 26. Fully-printed organic thin-film transistors and circuitry on one-micron-thick polymer films.                108
• Figure 27. Types of PCBs after dismantling waste computers and monitors.      128
• Figure 28. Global PCB revenues 2018-2035 (billions USD), by substrate types. 167
• Figure 29. Global sustainable PCB revenues 2018-2035, by type (millions USD).            169
• Figure 30. Global sustainable ICs revenues 2018-2035, by type (millions USD).              171
• Figure 31. Piezotech® FC.       177
• Figure 32. PowerCoat® paper.             178
• Figure 33. BeFC® biofuel cell and digital platform.                180
• Figure 34. DPP-360 machine.             183
• Figure 35. P-Flex® Flexible Circuit.   185
• Figure 36. Fairphone 4.            187
• Figure 37. In2tec’s fully recyclable flexible circuit board assembly.          193
•  Figure 38. C.L.A.D. system. 195
• Figure 39. Soluboard immersed in water.    197
• Figure 40. Infineon PCB before and after immersion.         197
• Figure 41. Nano OPS Nanoscale wafer printing system.   200
• Figure 42. PulpaTronics' paper RFID tag.      207
• Figure 43. Stora Enso lignin battery materials.         213
• Figure 44. 3D printed electronics.    215
• Figure 45. Tactotek IME device.          216
• Figure 46. TactoTek® IMSE® SiP - System In Package.          217
• Figure 47. Eco-friendly NFC tag label (left) and paper-based antenna substrate (right).              218
• 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).        219
• Figure 49. Verde Bio-based resins.  222

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

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