Years before green became the new black, Advanced Micro Devices began setting greenhouse gas reduction targets. Today the computer chip maker released its seventh annual Global Climate Protection Plan, announcing it had reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50 percent between 2002 and 2007 – exceeding its 40 percent goal – and setting a new target of cutting emissions another 33 percent between 2006 and 2010. AMD (AMD) also aims to slash energy use 40 percent by 2010. Planet-warming emissions fell a whopping 68 percent between 2005 and 2006, largely due to AMD’s spin-off of its Spansion flash memory chip subsidiary, which allowed the company to cease counting its CO2 contributions.
In the long run, AMD’s biggest impact on global warming will come from its focus on making energy-efficient chips that power computers and servers. But AMD’s detailed disclosure of its greenhouse gas emissions and plans for operating in a carbon-constrained world are road map of sorts for companies that increasingly will find themselves under regulatory pressure to do what AMD now does voluntarily. It’s a tricky issue – companies like Google (GOOG) and AMD arch-rival Intel (INTC) have embraced corporate sustainability but are leery of the competitive impact of detailing their carbon footprints. Others, like Sun Microsystems (SUNW), have been more forthcoming. With California and other states imposing greenhouse gas caps and a national limit on emissions looming, transparency will be the new green. Companies will not only reap the public relations benefits of such disclosures and any carbon credits that might be associated with big greenhouse gas reductions but may even learn a thing or two from each other.
In that spirit, here’s a few highlights from this year’s AMD climate change report:
- AMD’s global operations emitted total 94,062 metric tons of greenhouse gas equivalents in 2006.
- Eighty-nine percent of the emissions came from energy use.
- The company analyzed the distribution of some of its products and relocated facilities to reduce the distance goods must be transported to buyers. For instance, AMD discovered that half the buyers for its "processor-in-a-box" were on the East Coast, and so this year will move the distribution center for that product from California to Florida, eliminating an estimated 676,000 air miles used for product transportation. Relocating another distribution center from California to Texas will save an estimated 124,800 air miles.
- AMD is incorporating green building design into its new campuses and manufacturing plants and retrofitting old ones to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. It’s also locating those facilities near public transportation to reduce commute-related emissions. AMD’s new Austin campus will be powered by renewable energy purchased through utility Austin Energy’s GreenChoice program.
Green Wombat 
I’ve recently decided to purchase AMD chips because of an ever so slight higher value than its competitors. After reading this article, I was surprised to learn of the initiative taken by a chip-maker, whose under relatively little pressure compared to larger polluters, to reduce its pollution output. Fantastic ethical decisions made at the top of AMD. I will do my part to support AMD because of this. From now on, I’m buying AMD because of their efforts.
Planet-warming emissions fell a whopping 68 percent between 2005 and 2006, largely due to AMD’s spin-off of its Spansion flash memory chip subsidiary, which allowed the company to cease counting its CO2 contributions.
Spin-off is a legal term to separated one company into two.
What is their real CO2 contribution if we add Spansion to AMD?
thats great considering AMD uses foundries instead of there own factories, how hard can that be?
olaws, AMD does use its own fabs. Some of its products are made in foundaries (it’s ATI graphics chips, for example), but the majority of its products are made in-house, at its own fabs.
I don’t think AMD has a single fab in US. Its fab is in Germany. It plans to setup a fab in NY sometime by 2010.
Intel has upto 6 fabs in US.
It probably will be easy to hit the new 33% reduction target when AMD loses most of their market share.
I will Always use AMD chips
LOVE U AMD
AMD chips have always used less power than their Intel equivelents. That’s why they are so easy to overclock: less power means less heat, so they can be cracked up to more heat-producing speeds. This is no news to modders.
Ecologists need to get involved and openly support AMD and push their sales, over competition. This is the only way of saying to the world, we like this effort.