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ENERGY Energy
Technology gives us all the resources to implement renewable energy, but the question, as El-Khoury
pointed out, is with what mindset we will use it and how we will reduce waste and consumption.
“Based on our current behavior, it makes little sense to employ renewable energy sources, so first,
we need to reset our behavior, i.e., how we use energy for our needs,” said El-Khoury. “And then
once we’ve done that, let’s take the next step and figure out what our footprint is. How do we
offset that with renewable energy? Also, what type of renewable energy lends itself well to our
consumption and geographic location? In my home, I went with solar panels. But before I did that,
what I did for a year was to have energy meters throughout the house and assess consumption and
then figure out how to reduce it.”
It’s not just about installing a solar system. You have to identify your own behaviors and reduce or
optimize them in order to offset your energy consumption and allow the solar system to operate at
maximum efficiency. As El-Khoury mentioned, we would all prefer to have a long battery life, have
the ability to charge as fast as possible, and have more charging stations, in a similar way to electric
vehicles. Someday, that will be possible, and that’s thanks to silicon carbide.
Taking Our First ONSEMI’S 2040 EMISSIONS TARGET
Steps Toward a More Onsemi has pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2040. Before purchasing offsets equal to the
emissions that cannot be avoided, net-zero pledges require an ambitious 1.5˚C-aligned science-
Sustainable Future based target for emission reductions across the whole value chain. To reach net-zero emissions,
companies must invest in renewable energy in an amount that is proportional to the emissions
connected with their energy consumption. Onsemi’s plan is to use 50% renewable energy by 2030
and 100% by 2040, and its strategy is focused on three main pillars: capitalization on efficiency,
By Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio, editor-in-chief of Power Electronics News and
EEWeb renewable energy, and offsets and influence. According to the company, emissions will be recorded
on a Scope 1, 2, and 3 basis. The first scope describes the type of emission and how it relates to
business operations. Onsemi will remove and/or offset Scope 1 emissions as part of this net-zero
A greener future has become one of our planet’s most essential goals. As the global population goal by capitalizing on efficiencies and offsets.
increases, the need for a new approach to energy is pushing toward more sustainability. To slow
down the effects of climate change, we must reduce our emissions to zero, a task that requires us Scope 2 will focus on the production of indirect emissions from the generation of purchased
to revolutionize our energy system. energy, whereas Scope 3 will focus on indirect emissions that occur in the company’s value chain,
including both upstream and downstream emissions.
“Taking the first step is the most important thing to do,” said Hassane El-Khoury, CEO, president,
and member of the board of directors at onsemi, in an interview with Power Electronics News. SECURING SiC SUPPLY
“Many people delay taking the initial step because they do not want to learn how to do this. We SiC is an important technology for EVs because of its high efficiency at high voltage. El-Khoury
live in a world where knowing and solving problems is essential. The first step is to say: This is argued that the agreement to acquire GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) aims to fund and invest
important, this is the right thing to do, and we’re going to do it. This means that thinking about more in SiC research and development.
every decision we make provides awareness and impact on our climate mission. What tradeoffs do
we need to make? And what is their sustainability? What are our suppliers doing for us that we can The deal could help onsemi better secure and increase SiC supply, as well as satisfy the
do more for our customers?” rapidly rising customer demand for SiC-based solutions in the sustainable ecosystem, such as
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