Report Links Taiwan's AI Chip Boom to Pollution and Health Risks
REPORTER:
A new report by Greenpeace and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air says pollution linked to electronics manufacturing could lead to around 90 premature deaths and 500 million US dollars in losses by 2030, among other severe impacts.
Lena Chang (GREENPEACE):
The research also reveals international growing concern about electricity consumption related to AI. If this electricity still comes from polluting sources, like coal-fired or natural gas power generation, it has a close and direct impact on public health.
REPORTER:
Their findings come as power use from AI chip manufacturing surged 350% in 2023. Electronics manufacturing now accounts for about a quarter of Taiwan’s total electricity demand.
REPORTER:
Around 42% of the energy mix is from oil, 29% from coal, and 22% from gas as of 2024. Renewables make up only a modest share of the mix.
REPORTER:
Demand is driven by a huge and growing global appetite for AI chips. And the most sought-after of those are made by Taiwanese firms like TSMC, UMC, and Micron. These companies also face pressure from their customers to decarbonize.
Lena Chang (GREENPEACE):
So suppliers in Taiwan, like companies like TSMC, UMC, micron, they are selling their chips to the American customers such as Nvidia, Apple, Google. And those companies actually are under great pressure of carbon reduction. For example, Apple and Google said their suppliers should use 100% renewable by 2030.
REPORTER:
TSMC has not yet responded for comment on the new report.
REPORTER:
Researchers say setting closer renewable targets — including moving to 100% clean energy by 2030 — could quickly cut pollution, delivering public health benefits. They’re urging tech firms to find ways to offset the negative impacts of the uptick in production. Demand for AI is only expected to grow.
