Fluorinated Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Regulatory Update

Tim Higgs
(CH2M Hill)

You must log in to view the full proceedings.

Recent studies have suggested that reported emissions of some greenhouse gases used in the semiconductor industry are inconsistent with measured atmospheric concentrations of those gases, suggesting that there is a gap between reported emissions and actual emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions calculation and reporting is complex, and there are many factors that may influence the apparent inconsistencies mentioned in these studies. There are multiple emission calculation methods in use in the industry, with variations in emission factors as well as different assumptions about the operation and performance of abatement equipment. This paper will evaluate the different results that could be obtained from typical operating fabs, depending upon the calculation method used (e.g. Tier 1, Tier 2, U.S. EPA GHG RR) and the assumptions made about performance and uptime of abatement equipment. The intent of this analysis is to determine whether such differences are a potential contributor to the observed gap between reported emissions and measured atmospheric concentrations. This paper will also provide an update on the status of worldwide actions to limit the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that are important to the industry.

Back to SESHA 40th Annual Symposium (2018)