Intel has announced a new plan to reduce the environmental impact of CPU companies and their products by 2030. The new 2030 goal is part of the company's broader RISE strategy, which "explores a sustainability roadmap that includes enabling sensor technologies that reduce power usage, partnering with material vendors on recyclable packaging, and developing longer-term, energy-efficient architectures,"

The plan outlines ways to plan to counteract environmental impacts, including.

One promise of the plan is to create "the world's most sustainable and energy-efficient PCs - PCs that eliminate carbon, water, and waste in their design and use." This is an admirable and laudable goal, but also a vague one.

In an interview with CRN, Gregory Bryant, Intel's GM of client computing, confirmed that the sustainability roadmap will affect "various product lines."

"We have created a series of global challenges that we believe mark a new era or a new chapter in corporate responsibility," Bryant said. 'We recognize that these global challenges obviously have a lot to do with Intel's actions. But we also recognize that even a large company like Intel cannot fully achieve these goals without the cooperation of other companies, customers, partners, and government agencies around the world."

So what does this mean for gaming CPUs? And is it more than the usual power efficiency improvements that all semiconductor manufacturers seek to implement in their new architectures?

One way to improve power efficiency is through the use of advanced process node technologies, such as the shift from 22nm to 14nm. Intel's product lineup has been stuck at the 14nm process node for much longer than originally planned due to 10nm process issues, and as a result, significant efficiency gains through this method have been halted.

Process node efficiency is often negligible in the final chip, as performance gains are prioritized. For example, Intel's upcoming Core i9 10900K is said to be one of the most power-hungry desktop chips in some time.

"The good news is that we've already made real progress in these important areas," Bryant continues. 'But there is still a lot of work to be done. We're just getting started."

Intel has committed to further component and partner efforts to reduce environmental impact beyond silicon. Intel is challenging itself to use more net water, use 100% renewable electricity, send zero waste to landfills, practice sustainable chemistry, and further reduce its carbon footprint both on its own and through its supply chain. In addition, it provides a framework of guidelines to the industry, including competitors, aimed at promoting greater sustainability in materials.

Environmental measures such as those in Intel's latest Corporate Responsibility Report [PDF warning] are undoubtedly a step in the right direction. However, one can't help but feel that this commitment to exploring a roadmap for sustainability is a bit vague.