Infineon Switches Semiconductor Production to Green Hydrogen

The semiconductor manufacturer Infineon has commissioned an electrolysis plant to supply its site in Villach. To complete the transition from grey to green hydrogen, the plant is powered exclusively by electricity from renewable energy sources. It was constructed by the industrial group Linde, which will also continue to operate the facility.

Thomas Reisinger, Executive Board Member for Operations, Infineon Technologies Austria: “Securing our hydrogen supply has both a strategic and sustainable impact for us. With the electrolysis plant, we ensure our hydrogen supply for the future and minimize supply chain dependencies. At the same time, we are replacing the hydrogen previously obtained from fossil sources with green hydrogen. This reduces CO₂ emissions in the supply chain and makes another contribution from Villach towards the Infineon Group’s CO₂ neutrality target.”

Hydrogen with a purity level of over 99 percent is required in the semiconductor industry as a process gas to precisely treat material layers and manufacture microchips. Until now, hydrogen based on natural gas was delivered by truck from Germany to Villach. With the two-megawatt electrolysis plant, high-purity hydrogen is now being produced and used locally without CO₂ emissions.

Richard Hagenfeldt, Managing Director of Linde Electronics: “With this PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) electrolysis plant, we are setting a milestone for industrial processes and demonstrating how innovative technology and strong partnerships can drive decarbonization forward. Together with Infineon and our research partners, we are making green hydrogen a fixed component of semiconductor production and thus strengthening Austria’s position as an industrial hub for the future.”

Using certified green electricity, the electrolysis plant can produce around 290 tons of clean hydrogen per year. This fully covers the production needs in Villach. Local hydrogen production also reduces CO₂ emissions in semiconductor manufacturing.