Water consumption of TSMC 2016-2023, by user

In 2023, the Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer TSMC consumed around 101 million metric tons of water. In the chip manufacturing process, water plays an integral role, and its high consumption volume can result in tensions with external stakeholders as well as a threat to the stability of production. Washing wafers and saving waterWater is used for washing the wafers after etching away excess material, revealing the silicon wafer circuits. Because small impurities can impact the chip's functionality, manufacturers need high quantities of highly purified water. To reduce water-related risks, TSMC has emphasized its determination to save water and increase the water recycling rate. According to the company, the volume of water saved doubled since 2016. However, due to the increase in chip demand, the absolute volume of water consumption increased regardless. Competing for waterHigh demand for water and ongoing drought causes tensions with the surrounding community and threatens semiconductor production. In the south of Taiwan, the world’s leading semiconductor fabrication plants exist next to many of the region's farmers. After three years of drought, residents were subjected to water restrictions, and local rice farmers were barred from planting their crops. As chip manufacturers like TSMC expand their production facilities, the farmland of local producers becomes arid, conflicts arise about who has the right to the precious resource.

于2023年，台湾半导体制造商台积电消耗了约1.01亿吨水资源。在芯片制造过程中，水扮演着至关重要的角色，其高消耗量可能引发与外部利益相关者的紧张关系，并对生产的稳定性构成威胁。在去除多余材料、揭示硅晶圆电路之后，水被用于清洗晶圆，以节约水资源。由于微小的杂质可能会影响芯片的功能，制造商需要大量的高纯度水。为降低与水资源相关的风险，台积电强调了节约用水和提升水资源回收率的决心。据公司所述，自2016年以来，节约的水量已翻倍。然而，由于芯片需求的增加，水资源的绝对消耗量仍然有所上升。水资源争夺战在高需求与持续干旱的影响下，加剧了与周边社区的紧张关系，并对半导体生产构成威胁。在台湾南部，全球领先的半导体制造工厂紧邻众多地区的农民。经历了三年的干旱之后，居民面临水资源限制，而当地水稻种植户被禁止种植作物。随着台积电等芯片制造商扩大生产设施，当地生产者的农田变得干旱，关于珍贵资源所有权的冲突随之产生。

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

该数据集统计了台积电（TSMC）2016-2023年按用户分类的年度用水量（百万公吨），反映了芯片制造对水资源的高需求及其引发的环境与社会问题。