Part 8/12:
TSMC states that they use each drop of water 3.5 times, turning tap water into ultrapure water, then recycling and reusing it within processes. By 2030, TSMC aims for over 60% of its water to be reclaimed, significantly reducing freshwater demand.
The Water Footprint of Advanced Nodes
The push for more powerful and efficient chips—particularly at the 2-nanometer node—comes with increased water demands. These advanced nodes involve thousands of process steps; for example, the transition from 3-nanometer to 2-nanometer involves over 2,000 steps, with over 500 dedicated solely to gate-all-around transistors.