Taiwanese suppliers for Apple, HP, Google failing in renewable energy ranking

Taiwanese global electronics giants are failing to transition to renewable energy use, despite committing to their largest customers including Apple, Google, and HP to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their global supply chain.

“Up to 80% of carbon emissions over a device’s lifecycle occurs during manufacturing. If Taiwanese manufacturers do not move forward and transition to renewable energy, the international tech industry will never truly go green,” said Chih An Lee, Program Manager at Greenpeace East Asia.

In a ranking compiled by Greenpeace East Asia, 10 leading Taiwanese electronics manufacturers were scored based on transparency, commitment, performance, and advocacy in two areas critical to putting the sector on a sustainable path: reduction of emissions and renewable energy use. The 10 companies – TSMC, ASE, Pegatron, Quanta, Compal, Wistron, Inventec, AUO, Innolux, and Hon Hai/Foxconn – all remain slow on transitioning to renewable energy.

TSMC, the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, ranks first in the report because of better information transparency, but only powered 5.4% of its operations with renewables and received B- as its overall grade. Hon Hai/Foxconn, Pegatron, and Quanta scored the lowest as D-. In 2017 the renewable energy use of all 10 companies only made up 11.9% to 0.17% in their total electricity consumption.

“Taiwan is the world’s electronics manufacturing center and the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry accounts for 12% of the electricity use around the globe. We need to hold tech companies and their suppliers accountable for climate change and transition from dirty to clean sources of electricity,” said Lee.

Among the recommendations, Greenpeace East Asia is calling for Taiwanese electronic manufacturers to propose an ambitious renewable energy goal and a thorough plan to achieve such a goal in the long-term; and proactively seek to purchase local renewable energy to create real environmental impact.

Executive summary (English) and full report (Chinese) available here