Fairchild CEO Addresses Company’s New Green Focus; Energy Efficiency Opportunities For Semiconductor Manufacturers
Fairchild Semiconductor held a three-day celebration (October 4th - 6th) of the 50th anniversary of its founding (and 10th anniversary since controlling interest in the company was purchased back from National Semiconductor in 1997) at Stanford University and the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. The event included an opening-day presentation and panel discussion involving some of the original founders of the company, as well as exhibits featuring applications that have a positive impact on the environment – such as CFL lighting, home appliances, plasma and LCD panels, industrial motors and power supplies – with examples of Fairchild products that make these applications more energy efficient.
Whereas the celebration of the company’s "golden" anniversary was the window dressing of the festivities – drawing assorted founders and alumni to reminisce and discuss Fairchild’s history – the talk given by President and CEO Mark Thompson on "Green Economic Factors Creating Opportunities for Semiconductor Manufacturers." was the "meat and potatoes", focusing on what was described as the "new," environmentally-focused Fairchild.
Focusing on the role that semiconductor companies in general play in promoting energy efficiency, Thompson placed Fairchild’s technology innovations and its own energy-efficiency initiatives in the background during the main media presentation. Beginning with the juxtaposition of the increasing global demand for energy (noting that, at the current rate, energy consumption is expected to increase over 50% by 2030) and the existing low levels of energy efficiency in several key power/energy market segments (such as the current state of predominantly incandescent lighting, which only achieves about 10% efficiency), Thompson went on to outline several key areas in which he thinks semiconductor companies such as Fairchild are well positioned to lead the way in enabling greater energy efficiency. Among the areas that show the greatest potential for success in terms of conversion to more energy efficient semiconductor solutions are electronically commutated motors, lighting, power supplies, computers, automobiles, and renewables.
Another key component of Thompson’s presentation was his emphasis on the need for further governmental creation of energy consumption/efficiency standards, hopefully to be initiated by the United States. He noted that global programs such as the One Watt Initiative and the 80+ program have been accelerating energy reduction efforts, and that further initiatives are needed to continue pushing companies to address consumption/efficiency challenges. In terms of U.S. leadership in this arena, he gave the example of the United States taking the lead in creating fuel efficiency/carbon emissions standards during the 1970s, and noted that now every government in the world has adopted the American standards, giving the automobile industry a universal standard in terms of emission levels.
Thompson gave an on-camera interview (which can be viewed today) to PowerPulse.Net following the presentation, in which he summarizes some of the main topics of his talk.
