The South Korean government is accelerating the development of its hydrogen economy, focusing on three key policy directions: demand market expansion, supply planning, and infrastructure support. The goal is to become a global leader in the hydrogen economy by 2030, capturing emerging market opportunities.

Chinese wind turbine manufacturers are stepping up their presence in India's wind power sector, but government measures aimed at strengthening domestic players are set to raise costs and complicate operations.

The Indian government is pushing ahead with its national green hydrogen initiative, aiming to meet nearly 10% of the world's renewable hydrogen demand and position itself as a major exporter. Power and Renewable Energy Minister Shripad Naik said that 19 companies have been authorized to produce an annual capacity of 862,000 tons of hydrogen, while 15 firms have been allocated 3,000MW of electrolyzer manufacturing capacity, according to Nikkei.

The global market for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) has slowed in recent years, with overall sales declining and many multinational automakers scaling back their hydrogen investments. However, Hyundai Motor has been bucking the trend, driven by its industry-leading EV technology, proprietary technological heritage, and confidence in the long-term potential of hydrogen.

Sinbon Electronics, a Taiwanese electronics component design and connector manufacturer, announced on September 2 its strategic collaboration with Berlin-based climate technology startup Swobbee through equity investment. The partnership reflects their shared vision of promoting sustainable urban transportation and accelerating the global transition toward a green market economy.

A group of 12 Japanese companies, including Mitsubishi Corporation, NTT, and Kansai Electric Power, announced on September 2, 2025, an investment in Massachusetts-based nuclear fusion energy startup Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), the first time Japanese firms have invested in CFS, with the intent to acquire construction and operational technologies to expedite nuclear fusion power commercialization in Japan.

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.

Sony has announced plans to encourage its key component suppliers to use 100% renewable energy in their production processes by the fiscal year ending March 2031. According to Nikkei Asia, this goal is part of Sony's new environmental action guidelines, which include mid-term targets from fiscal 2026 to 2030.

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 global surge in energy demand has brought a turnaround to South Korea's once-stagnant nuclear power industry. However, at the beginning of 2025, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) faced scrutiny for signing an unequal agreement with US-based Westinghouse Electric Corporation (WEC) while competing for the Czech Republic's nuclear power plant project. The medium- to long-term implications of the agreement have raised significant concerns.

Greenet, the electricity retail arm of green energy investment group J&V Energy Technology, signed a green energy purchase agreement with Capital Securities on August 26. The three-year deal will see Greenet supply more than one million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy to Capital Securities.

South Korean and US companies signed a total of 11 agreements across various sectors, including shipbuilding, nuclear energy, aviation, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and minerals, during the recent Korea-US Business Roundtable in Washington, D.C. Four of these deals focused on nuclear energy, marking it as the largest category of cooperation.

South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung's three-day trip to Washington began with a flurry of business deals, as companies from both countries signed 11 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) to expand cooperation across strategic industries.

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.

South Korea will allocate a record KRW35.3 trillion (approx. US$25.2 billion) to R&D in 2026, up 19.3% from a year earlier. The budget shift underscores a decisive break from the spending cuts under former President Yun Seok-yeol and highlights Seoul's renewed focus on artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, and other strategic technologies.

During his recent visit to South Korea, Microsoft founder Bill Gates met with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won to discuss future cooperation in the energy sector, particularly small modular reactors (SMRs). The two sides agreed to deepen their business ties and strategic partnerships, drawing significant attention from the global nuclear industry.

China has introduced fresh regulatory measures to reinforce state control over its rare earth sector, further cementing its position as the world's dominant supplier of the strategic materials used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and advanced electronics.

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.

South Korean academics are calling for further reforms of the country's New Southern Policy, stressing the need to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN, already home to many South Korean enterprises, as US-China rivalry intensifies. This approach, they argue, not only helps reduce economic dependence on China and the US but also positions ASEAN as a natural strategic partner due to its geographic proximity, abundant resources, cultural affinity, and the soft power of the Korean Wave.

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.

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.

Giga Solar Materials, a leading solar conductive paste manufacturer in Taiwan, announced on August 19 that its renewable energy arm, Whole Sun Green Power, has begun construction of the 60-megawatt (MW) Taysan solar power plant in Batangas Province, Philippines. The project is being developed in partnership with Wyn Power Corporation and Edward Marcs Philippines Inc.

The impact of reciprocal tariffs on Taiwanese industries continues to mount, with concerns spreading across key sectors. Young Liu, Chairman of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (Foxconn) and head of the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (TEEMA), said during a board meeting on August 18, 2025, that roughly 25% of the association's members are experiencing significant disruption.

Following South Korea's shocking announcement to invest US$350 billion in the US, with 90% of the profits staying in the US, Nvidia and AMD reportedly have agreed to pay 15% of their chip sales revenue from China to the US government. This equally astonishing arrangement secures export licenses from the US government for Nvidia's H20 and AMD's MI308 chips shipping to China.