Edwards, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of integrated vacuum and abatement solutions, and GlobalFoundries Singapore, a full-service semiconductor design, development, fabrication and innovation company, were recognized by Singapore’s National Environment Agency in the Best Practices category at the 2016 Energy Efficiency National Partnership (EENP) Awards. The agency uses the awards to foster a culture of sustained energy efficiency improvement in industry and encourage companies to adopt a proactive approach towards energy management by identifying and sharing best practices for other companies to emulate.

The joint project between GlobalFoundries and Edwards involved a redesign of 35 abatement units to reduce liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) consumption. Thermal abatement units are used to break down process gases for safe disposal into the atmosphere. The two companies worked together to reduce gas consumption while maintaining destruction efficiency and total abatement capacity by designing and retrofitting smaller, more efficient chambers and nozzles along with a longer weir. The changes reduced annual LPG consumption by 31%, carbon emissions by 640 tons, and annual energy costs by $200,000 USD.

“Reducing energy use is an important priority for GlobalFoundries. We carefully studied our energy cost allocation and identified LPG as a major cost contributor. We also noted that different size combustion chambers on our abatement systems consume different amounts of LPG. We then worked with our strategic partner, Edwards, to reduce the LPG consumption,” states Gu Zhi Min, GM and VP of Fab Management for GlobalFoundries Singapore.

According to Kirel Tang, Applications Knowledge Management Director at Edwards Singapore, “This award is recognition of Edwards’ initiatives in the area of controlling emissions and promoting energy efficiency. It validates the focus and efforts that we have put in so far, and confirms that we are making real progress.”