Because we have global manufacturing operations, including wafer fabrication and assembly and test, we recognize the importance of using renewable electricity to power our facilities around the world. It is also an important component of our roadmap toward carbon neutrality.
We purchase renewable electricity when available, and continue to purchase electricity from fossil-fuel sources in jurisdictions where reliable and abundant alternative energy sources are not available.
Semiconductor manufacturing is an electricity-intensive process, with wafer fabrication requiring more electricity than assembly and test. Electricity consumed at our non-manufacturing sites accounts for 3% of NXP's total consumption.
We produce increasingly complex products that involve many more processing steps, requiring greater electricity consumption.
Our ongoing efforts to conserve electricity and optimize our manufacturing processes have helped us use electricity more efficiently. Compared to 2012, our normalized electricity consumption has decreased by 10%, and decreased by 3% compared to 2021.
In 2022, we continued our expansion of our Systems on Silicon Manufacturing Company (SSMC) wafer fab in Singapore, as well as a remote facility in Tianjin, China. This, coupled with an increase in product demand, resulted in our absolute electricity consumption increasing by 6% compared to 2021, and increasing by 7% compared to 2012.
Our manufacturing sites continually optimize processes and replace or upgrade equipment. We continue to look for new ways to increase our use of renewable electricity sources through power purchase agreements.
Electricity is generated from a variety of energy resources in the grid, and these resources vary depending on region and country. Currently, we use a mix of energy sources because of its availability, stability and reliability. However, our ambition is to transition to 100% renewable electricity.
The sum of percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
Since 2015, we have steadily increased our use of electricity that comes from renewable sources. In 2022, 35% of our overall electricity use was from renewable energy sources. Our Nijmegen wafer fab, in the Netherlands, runs on 100% renewable electricity.
Electricity at our offices and R&D sites represents 3% of our total consumption. In 2022, our absolute non-manufacturing electricity consumption increased by 7% compared to 2021 as a result of team members returning to the office in sites where COVID-19 pandemic conditions improved. Since 2012, our non-manufacturing electricity consumption has decreased by 64%.
In addition to electricity, we consume minimal energy from sources such as natural gas, diesel fuel and other fossil fuels.
We mostly use natural gas to heat buildings, generate steam for humidity and run our emissions-abatement equipment. Due to colder weather and increased production, our 2022 absolute natural gas consumption increased 3% from 2021. Compared to 2012, our consumption has decreased 3%.
In case of power interruptions, we have diesel-driven emergency generators that support essential safety systems. We used 52% less diesel in 2022 compared to 2021. The significant decrease reflects the 2021 winter storm in Austin, Texas, which affected two of our manufacturing facilities and required extended use of our emergency generators.
Other fossil fuels includes gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and town gas. In 2022, our consumption of other fossil fuels increased by 36% from 2021, and has increased by 123% since 2012.
Aligning NXP’s products, operations and engagements with the UN Sustainable Development Goals to combat global challenges related to economic, social and environmental sustainability.
We are here to answer any inquiry regarding our corporate sustainability efforts, including EHS and environmental product compliance.