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Wednesday 24 December 2025

Softstar rebrands as Star Fusion Group in major pivot toward chips and power tech beyond gaming

On December 23, 2025, Softstar Entertainment held an extraordinary shareholders' meeting to approve its official name change to Star Fusion Group, signaling a decisive transformation into a technology- and energy-focused conglomerate. Chairman David Tu said the group now employs around 3,600 people across 11 subsidiaries and more than 30 affiliated companies, spanning gaming, semiconductors, cybersecurity, dining, third-party payments, and heavy electrical equipment.

Tuesday 23 December 2025

Alphabet's Intersect acquisition underscores rising power constraints on AI and cloud expansion

Alphabet has agreed to acquire Intersect, a provider of data center and energy infrastructure solutions, in a cash deal valued at US$4.75 billion plus the assumption of debt, the company said on December 22, 2025. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to customary regulatory and closing conditions.

Tuesday 23 December 2025

Star Charger accelerates EV charging network with first 1 MW dedicated station

Star Charger, a charging operator under HD Renewable Energy (HDRE), has announced it has achieved 159 operational stations across Taiwan. To meet the growing electric vehicle (EV) charging demand, Star Charger launched its first 1 MW-class high-power fast-charging dedicated station in Taichung City, and plans to bring online 10 more large-scale dedicated stations by 2026.

Monday 22 December 2025

Under 'power couple' push for AI data centers, Taipower lays out grid resilience principles

Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) is drafting a new set of guidelines aimed at safeguarding grid stability as electricity demand from AI data centers accelerates.

Monday 22 December 2025

Taipower pivots to small-scale green power as carbon pressure tightens on exporters

Corporate demand for green electricity is accelerating as Taiwan prepares to implement carbon fees in 2026 and as the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) reshapes export requirements. Data from Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) show that direct supply of green power has risen sharply in recent years, a trend the utility expects to continue as net-zero pressures intensify across supply chains.

Friday 19 December 2025

US tech firms join DOE's Genesis Mission to accelerate AI-driven scientific discovery

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced agreements with 24 organizations to participate in the Genesis Mission, a national initiative leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to advance scientific research, strengthen national security, and drive energy innovation. The mission, established under President Trump's Executive Order on AI leadership and America's AI Action Plan, aims to remove barriers to domestic innovation and expand US competitiveness in AI-driven research.

Friday 19 December 2025

Taiwan advances hydrogen power generation system to support net-zero goals

Taiwan's Academia Sinica is pushing forward its public infrastructure project launched in 2025, focused on a megawatt-scale mixed hydrogen power generation system using decarbonized natural gas. The initiative aims to produce clean energy while addressing Taiwan's pressing green energy shortfall through innovative hydrogen technology.

Thursday 18 December 2025

Taiwan advances low-energy hydrogen production, cutting down rare earth use

Researchers from Academia Sinica, National Central University (NCU), and Yuan Ze University announced significant advancements in hydrogen electrolysis technology at a December 17 press conference held at Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). The team detailed the development of new core materials for proton-conducting solid oxide electrolysis (P-SOEL), aiming to reduce energy consumption and lower costs in hydrogen production.

Thursday 18 December 2025

US-China AI rivalry shifts to the power front

Texas has become one of the world's leading regions for AI data center construction. However, this trend has put its power grid under dangerous pressure, exceeding what realistic power supply conditions can support. Texas is only one example; several other states are facing similar problems of aging and fragmented power grids, lacking a cross-regional, large-scale power dispatch system.

Wednesday 17 December 2025

15 nuclear reactors expected to be added in 2026 to fuel AI data centers

A recent report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) states that the global nuclear industry is expected to commission fifteen nuclear reactors in 2026, adding approximately 12GW of fission-based electricity capacity. This expansion will reverse the decline seen in 2025, when global nuclear capacity decreased by about 1.1GW. BNEF statistics show that only two new reactors became operational globally by November 2025, while seven reactors were permanently shut down.

Wednesday 17 December 2025

Energy efficiency: The new battleground for AI servers

AI is inevitably driving innovation in global server architecture. AI servers differ significantly from traditional servers in design philosophy and operational mode. This reflects not only innovations in computing architecture but also emerging challenges in energy consumption and thermal management driven by rapidly increasing computational demands.

Wednesday 17 December 2025

AI data centers' sky-high electricity bills spark public backlash

AI data centers (AIDCs) in the US are reshaping power dynamics between energy and technology sectors. Although they were once considered a cornerstone of cloud services and AI, it has become clear that their unrelenting power consumption has caused electricity bills to skyrocket. According to January 2025 statistics from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), the national average electricity bill in the US has risen by around 11%, roughly three times the overall inflation rate. In the first half of 2025, approximately 14 million people nationwide were behind on their electricity bills, with average debts reaching US$789, an increase of about 30% year-over-year compared with 2022.

Wednesday 17 December 2025

Nvidia seeks solutions as AI data centers push power supply limits

As artificial intelligence applications and model scales continue their rapid expansion, the technology industry faces a mounting infrastructure crisis: power supply cannot keep pace with demand. Time Magazine has declared there is no turning back from AI's unrelenting growth, yet this advancement comes at a steep cost—massive energy consumption that is pushing data centers to the limits of existing power grids.

Tuesday 16 December 2025

Fuel cells and SMRs emerge as possible alternatives to AI data center power shortage

The US government is beginning to grow cautious of AI data centers (AIDCs) because of their enormous pressure on power grids. In facing the hard limits of energy resources, policymakers will be forced to reallocate resources and shift priorities. If an AIDC cannot present a comprehensive power generation and consumption plan and relies solely on access to the public grid, the project is almost impossible to pass approval.

Monday 15 December 2025

South Korea's nuclear fusion ambitions face regulatory roadblock

As South Korea accelerates its push to advance nuclear fusion research and move toward commercialization, experts are warning that the country's existing regulatory framework—largely designed for nuclear fission—could slow progress and undermine competitiveness.

Monday 15 December 2025

Japan's Sumitomo to invest US$13B in Indian renewables

Japanese trading house Sumitomo Corp. plans to double its investment in India's renewable energy sector, committing a total of JPY2 trillion (about US$13 billion) through a joint venture with local clean energy developer AMPIN Energy Transition, underscoring its growing focus on India as a key market for energy transition and industrial growth.

Monday 15 December 2025

CPC and Linde LienHwa launch Taiwan's first hydrogen stations

On December 11, 2025, Taiwan officially inaugurated its first hydrogen refueling infrastructure with the simultaneous opening of CPC Corporation's Nanzi station in Kaohsiung and Linde LienHwa Group's Shugu demonstration station in Tainan. The milestone signals a new chapter for Taiwan's hydrogen energy supply chain and practical use in transportation.

Monday 15 December 2025

Kentec eyes Japan with 2.5MW liquid-cooled CDU for AI data centers

As global artificial intelligence (AI) computing demand surges from the megawatt (MW) to gigawatt (GW) scale, traditional data centers are facing cooling and energy challenges. This shift is driving the industry from air cooling technology to high-efficiency liquid cooling, with "waste heat" increasingly seen as a key asset for the next wave of the energy revolution.

Monday 15 December 2025

Offshore wind key to Taiwan energy autonomy, with developers calling for third-party info platform

Despite rising offshore wind installation costs due to the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, with some projects experiencing delays, offshore wind remains a critical option supporting Taiwan's energy independence and corporate green power demand. Developers emphasize strong industrial demand for green electricity but note that market information is insufficient. They call for establishing an independent, credible, and transparent third-party information platform to help buyers assess pricing and timing.

Saturday 13 December 2025

South Korea races to scale nuclear fusion with compact reactors

Amid a global push for carbon neutrality and soaring electricity demand, nuclear fusion is moving back into the spotlight—not as a distant scientific aspiration, but as a potential near-term solution. With major reactor projects delayed and energy needs growing, countries are reassessing the traditional Tokamak-based R&D path and seeking faster, more agile alternatives.

Saturday 13 December 2025

Taiwan drills deeper in search of clean, reliable power

Academia Sinica, the highest academic institution in Taiwan, announced on December 10 that it has successfully discovered a deep geothermal heat source nearly 4,000 meters underground in a northeastern region of the country in collaboration with the state-owned CPC oil and gas company.

Friday 12 December 2025

China's transformer makers expand capacity in green energy upgrades

The global power equipment supply chain is facing a transformer shortage due to the unrelenting AI data center construction and demand for renewable energy. Delivery times for key equipment have been significantly extended, with some large transformers requiring as long as 24 months. This not only tests grid resilience but also creates challenges for major tech firms urgently seeking new power capacity.

Friday 12 December 2025

Taiwan weighs nuclear restart as solar sector hits regulatory roadblocks

Taiwan has set a goal for 30% of its energy to come from renewable sources by 2030, but the solar power sector is encountering mounting policy and public pressure that could slow its growth. After the Legislative Yuan passed three legal amendments regarding new solar power developments, foreign investors and local developers alike are concerned that the tighter regulations will increase uncertainty and hinder development in the solar industry in 2026.

Friday 12 December 2025

Linde LienHwa and CPC launch Taiwan's first hydrogen refueling stations

Linde LienHwa, Taiwan's largest industrial gas supplier, opened two hydrogen refueling stations with CPC Corporation as the government prepares new incentives to build out hydrogen infrastructure and support early pilot projects. The LLH Tree Valley Demonstration Hydrogen Refueling Station in Tainan and CPC's Nanzih station in Kaohsiung are the first facilities of their kind to enter operation in Taiwan and are expected to anchor the country's initial hydrogen mobility trials.

Thursday 11 December 2025

China's polysilicon glut triggers US-backed supply chain realignment

China's dominance of the global polysilicon market is forcing the industry into two divergent paths: domestic consolidation to manage a swelling glut, and US-backed overseas production to diversify supply chains. The trend highlights a deepening geopolitical divide over a material essential to both solar manufacturing and high-purity semiconductor applications.

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