Beaverton semiconductor fab takes energy efficiency leap

Maxim Integrated Products Inc. overhauled the energy consumption at its Beaverton wafer fabrication plant, completing 10 energy-efficiency projects, decreasing annual energy costs by about $253,687 and are saving enough energy to power 372 homes every year.

Energy-saving efforts at the Beaverton site are part of Maxim’s overall corporate push for energy efficiency. Engineers from Maxim’s four fabrication sites, including Beaverton, meet twice monthly to compare utility bills, challenge each other and share ideas about how to reduce the company’s energy expenses and carbon footprint. In fiscal year 2009, the four sites accomplished a combined 12.8 percent reduction in Maxim’s top four utility expenses.

At Maxim Beaverton, the lion’s share of energy savings resulted from replacing the plant’s chilled water plant with a high-performance chiller with variable frequency drive and adding controls for variable chilled water temperature reset. Those projects are saving an estimated 1.46 million kilowatt hours annually.

Another project — replacing a 75-horsepower, single-fan, air supply unit with a “fan wall” composed of six small fans with variable frequency drive — proved so successful that Maxim decided to replace two additional air supply units with fan walls.

For more information about this effort, download the announcement from the Energy Trust of Oregon.