Advantest’s Gunma Factory Achieves 100% Renewable Energy Use

2021/04/08 Sustainability

TOKYO, Japan – April 8, 2021 – Leading semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Corporation (TSE: 6857) today announced that from April 2021, all power used at its primary production plant, the Gunma Factory in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, will be sourced from renewables.

The renewable energy used at the plant is a net-zero source of carbon emissions. It is locally produced for local consumption at a hydroelectric power plant owned by the Gunma prefectural government. The environmental added value obtained from electricity fees collected (surplus to operating costs) is used by the prefecture for future-oriented projects.

The Gunma Factory consumes about 12.8 million kWh of electricity per year, and it is expected that by switching entirely to renewables, the factory's CO2 emissions will be reduced by about 5,000 tons of CO2 per year, equivalent to the amount of CO2 that about 360,000 cedar trees absorb annually. (A single Japanese cedar absorbs approximately 14kg of CO2 per year, according to the Japanese Forestry Agency.)

Advantest has previously achieved 100% renewable energy usage at its subsidiaries in the United States and Europe. With this new announcement, the company estimates that the renewable energy adoption rate for the entire Advantest Group will increase from 28% in 2019 to 44% in 2021.

As a part of Advantest's contribution to the goal of "decarbonizing society", the company aims to raise its renewable energy adoption rate to 60% or greater by 2030. It is promoting the introduction of solar generators and other renewable energy sources at its Japanese facilities, and also planning the switch to renewables at its subsidiaries in Asia, based on the availability of renewable energy sources in each region. In addition, Advantest is working together with its suppliers and partners to reduce CO2 emissions across its supply chain.

Advantest's Renewable Energy Usage in Japan: Status & Plans

From April 2020
:
30% renewable energy adoption across three facilities: Gunma Factory, Gunma R&D Center, and Saitama R&D Center
From April 2021
:
Gunma Factory switched to 100% renewable energy. RE100 achieved
From 2021
:
Solar power generation system to be installed at Gunma R&D Center

Advantest's Renewable Energy Usage Overseas: Status & Plans

From 2012
:
Started purchasing green power certificates at a US subsidiary. RE100 achieved
From 2019
:
Started purchasing green power certificates at a European subsidiary. RE100 achieved
From 2021
:
Asian subsidiaries to start purchasing green power certificates

About Advantest Corporation

Advantest (TSE: 6857) is the leading manufacturer of automatic test and measurement equipment used in the design and production of semiconductors for applications including 5G communications, the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, smart medical devices and more.  Its leading-edge systems and products are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the world.  The company also conducts R&D to address emerging testing challenges and applications, produces multi-vision metrology scanning electron microscopes essential to photomask manufacturing, and offers groundbreaking 3D imaging and analysis tools.  Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest is a global company with facilities around the world and an international commitment to sustainable practices and social responsibility.  More information is available at www.advantest.com.

Note: All information supplied in this release is correct at the time of publication, but may be subject to change.