The Government of Spain has proposed Build semiconductor factories in Spain as a solution to current supply problems, and although the first attempt to make this idea a reality has not been successful, the new change of strategy could achieve a much better result. And it is that Your next car will need chips, not as advanced as those in your mobile phone, and those could indeed be manufactured in Spain.
Making use of European recovery funds, The Government of Pedro Sánchez launched an ambitious plan to attract semiconductor manufacturers to build factories in Spain. This plan, with a budget of 12,250 million euros, had the objective of producing 5-nanometer semiconductors in our territory, or what is the same, the latest and most modern generation of this type of microchip. The problem is that this battle to attract giants in this sector such as TSMC or Intel has ended with announcements of new plants, but in countries like the United States or Germany.
Car manufacturing does not need the latest chips and that is an opportunity for Spain
Faced with this paucity of interest, Pedro Sánchez has announced today a change in strategy with respect to the PERTE of microelectronics and semiconductorsnow focusing on another semiconductor type that would require less investment to start up factories, but that still have a high demand from industries such as the automobile industry. These microchips would be manufactured in sizes from 10 to 24 nanometers, thus being less powerful and efficient.but still very necessary for all electronic systems that do not need the latest in semiconductors.
Europe has set out to reach 20% of the world’s share of microchip manufacturing before 2030, and there Spain intends to be one of the main manufacturers to achieve it. Bearing in mind the supply problems suffered by the European car industry due to its dependence on China, PERTE’s change in strategy to manufacture less capable and more affordable microchips makes perfect sense, especially if we take into account that Spain is the second largest European car manufacturer.
After getting a agreement with Cisco Systems for the establishment of a microchip design center in Barcelonathe next great challenge for the Government of Spain is to attract one of the giants in the production of these components. Samsung Electronics is today the most likely candidate to build a factorywith ongoing talks and confirming negotiations for its landing in our country, however in Europe there are several countries that aspire to achieve this manufacturing agreement and it will not be until at least 2023 when the location of this plant is announced.
Font: AutomotiveNews
