On Friday 31 May, the European Commission announced that it had authorised an Italian measure with a budget of €2 billion to support the global high-tech STMicroelectronics in the construction and operation of a plant in Catania, Sicily, to produce semiconductors for silicon carbide power devices, also known as SiC power devices.
These high-performance chips are mounted on 200 mm diameter wafers. They will be transformed into modules and other devices used in a variety of industrial applications.
The production infrastructure is described as integrated, meaning that it will cover all stages of production.
Italy will provide a direct grant to STMicroelectronics of around €2 billion, which will support STMicroelectronics' total investment of €5 billion.
The facility should be fully operational by 2032.
STMicroelectronics has made a number of commitments to ensure that the measure proves positive in other respects too.
STMicroelectronics will supply priority orders in the event of supply shortages. The company will also contribute to the development of the next generation of SiC technology. STMicroelectronics will be committed as well to education and vocational training to develop a skilled workforce.
The European Commission stresses that this project is based on technologies that have been and will be developed as part of an important project of common European interest (IPCEI) for research and innovation in the field of microelectronics (see EUROPE 13197/17). In addition, this measure will contribute to the objectives of the Communication on European action on semiconductors (see EUROPE 12886/1). (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)