The global artificial intelligence (AI) boom is not only driving demand for AI servers and AI data center hardware construction but also pushing high-voltage direct current (HVDC) to become the future mainstream in power supply due to the AI sector's massive energy consumption. This shift is accelerating investments from power grids, heavy electrical equipment, and power supply manufacturers, while the technical and capital barriers are expected to trigger a new round of market shakeouts.

Energy storage system and battery module manufacturer Ritwin has secured a 410MWh energy storage system order from Taiwan Power Company (Taipower), with shipments expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025 and continue through 2026. Additionally, Ritwin is optimistic about new power applications driven by AI, with plans to expand the scale of its three main product lines.

Hyundai Motor Group recently participated in the 16th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM16), emphasizing the necessity of establishing a hydrogen energy ecosystem and reinforcing its position as a global leader in the hydrogen sector. However, with South Korea's hydrogen budget reduced for two consecutive years and infrastructure investment still insufficient, how businesses and the government overcome these challenges has become a focal point.

Taiwan's semiconductor automated test equipment (ATE) maker Chroma ATE has filed a lawsuit against Good Will Instrument (GW Instek), accusing the rival instrument maker of infringing on its intellectual property by copying the name and interface of its self-developed automated test system, ATS 8000. The case was submitted to Taiwan's Intellectual Property and Commercial Court on September 1, 2025, under the Fair Trade Act.

During his visit to South Korea, Microsoft founder Bill Gates met with President Lee Jae-myung and SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won to explore business cooperation in small modular reactors (SMRs). President Lee underscored South Korea's readiness to become a leading SMR nation, citing the country's competitiveness in both domestic and international markets.

The 2025 Meet Greater South, held August 22-23 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center, brought together 300 startup teams from nine countries. Centered on the themes of semiconductors, AI, and sustainability, the event underscored how these sectors are becoming the core drivers of industrial upgrading and international integration in southern Taiwan.

As Meta Platforms Inc. and OpenAI prepare to launch gigawatt-scale AI data centers by 2026, the surging electricity demand raises concerns over existing energy infrastructure capacity. Industry analysis suggests future data centers will increasingly adopt decentralized, low-carbon energy systems to achieve 100% carbon-free energy.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping energy systems by enhancing their resilience, efficiency, and sustainability. The relationship between AI and energy is reciprocal: AI relies on reliable and clean electricity, while energy infrastructure increasingly depends on AI for improved forecasting, maintenance, and operational control. This evolving synergy is providing competitive advantages to industries and governments globally.

GUS Technology is targeting the rapidly growing drone market with its proprietary battery cell technology and system design capabilities, which will be officially showcased in September this year. As GUS Technology notes, the company has already secured a drone project in Vietnam and will continue its collaborative efforts in Taiwan's industrial ecosystem to further propel the visibility of Taiwan's drone industry.

History shows that past productivity improvements have always been accompanied by high-density energy conversion and industrial efficiency enhancements: from hydropower, steam, electrification, automobiles and oil, to IT and the internet, and now AI.

Samsung SDI recently emerged victorious in a large-scale energy storage system (ESS) tender in South Korea, marking a significant milestone in its business transformation as the electric vehicle (EV) market faces a downturn.

A fire at Molicel's lithium ternary battery factory, a subsidiary of TCC, revealed serious failures in its firefighting system, which did not activate any of its key safety protocols. The incident has prompted TCC to prepare legal action against the equipment supplier.

Formosa Smart Energy's (FSET) battery cell factory in Changbin Industrial Park is Taiwan's largest LFP battery manufacturer, with a capacity of 2.1GWh. The facility emphasizes sustainable construction and energy-efficient operation.

South Korean battery equipment manufacturers are positioning themselves to benefit from India's accelerating push into advanced battery production, with Tata Group's battery subsidiary Agratas emerging as a major potential customer.

Smart energy brand HD Renewable Energy's (HDRE) business footprint covers Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, with an overseas total target capacity reaching 6GW. As the group rapidly expanded its scale, HDRE announced an organizational upgrade on August 5, 2025.

Giga Storage announced a partnership with electric bus manufacturer Tron-e on August 5, 2025, to co-develop the Xinpu Tron-e Smart Industrial Park. This initiative marks Giga Storage's strategic diversification efforts while the company expands into renewable energy and high-efficiency cooling technologies for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) applications.

Amid US sanctions on China, South Korean battery production has attracted significant attention. With LG Energy Solution (LGES) recently securing a large contract for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, the company is officially entering competition with Chinese manufacturers. However, in a global market without sanctions, South Korean firms still face challenges related to pricing and technological capabilities when competing against their Chinese counterparts.

China's leading GaN semiconductor firm, Innoscience, is at the center of a high-stakes global confrontation that intertwines geopolitics, patent disputes, and market strategy. In a single quarter, the company has experienced both triumphant breakthroughs and legal setbacks that could shape the future of the third-generation semiconductor race.

Global competition is intensifying over rare and critical mineral resources. South Korea's relatively slower progress in comparison to the US, Japan, and China has raised concerns across academia and various industries. To mitigate raw material disruptions and geopolitical risks, technological independence, diversified supply chains, and strategic stockpiling policies are becoming urgent priorities.

Japanese utility firm Kyushu Electric Power has entered a strategic partnership with Taiwan-based ProLogium to jointly develop superfluid inorganic all-solid-state lithium battery 24V modules.

LG Energy Solution (LGES) has signed a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery supply deal worth KRW5.94 trillion (approx. US$4.25 billion). Although the customer was not named due to a confidentiality clause, industry sources widely identify Tesla as the likely buyer.

Cold Electric, a Taiwanese lithium iron phosphate battery manufacturer, is capitalizing on growing international demand for non-Chinese energy storage systems as it expands production capacity eight-fold and targets markets in Japan and the United States.

Reliance Industries, led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, expects its much-anticipated clean energy gigafactories in Jamnagar, Gujarat, to become operational over the next four to six quarters.

As the era of commercial quantum computing inches closer, the United States and China are accelerating efforts to secure the digital world against quantum threats. In July 2024, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) finalized its selection of cryptographic standards designed to withstand quantum attacks — a pivotal milestone in global cybersecurity.