Chinese officials have held early-stage discussions on potential restrictions on exports of advanced solar panel manufacturing equipment and technology to the US, Reuters reported, citing five people familiar with the matter. The reported move remains under consideration and has not been finalized, underscoring that it is still at a preliminary and potentially fluid policy stage.
China is preparing to shift the focus of its energy strategy from building power plants to transforming how energy is consumed, as leaders seek to reduce reliance on imported fuels and strengthen national security.
India's push to build a domestic advanced manufacturing ecosystem is facing renewed pressure from China's tightening control over critical technologies, particularly in the battery and electric vehicle (EV) supply chain, according to Bloomberg.
Japan dominates the global market for semiconductor equipment and materials — a strategic chokepoint that its neighbors and partners have long sought to learn from, not just rely on. Taiwan, home to the world's most advanced chip fabrication ecosystem, has spent years building closer ties with Tokyo in materials science. Now, that partnership is entering a more ambitious phase.
AUO has announced that its Board of Directors has approved a restructuring plan for its energy business's organization and investment framework, aiming to consolidate internal and external energy-related resources within the group. By corporatizing the energy business into a more specialized and focused platform, AUO seeks to enhance operational efficiency and market competitiveness.
Rising geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran in late February 2026 drove a sharp rally in global crude oil and petrochemical feedstock prices, including ethylene and propylene, lifting prices across the petrochemical chain. Against expectations of potential supply disruptions, customers moved quickly to rebuild inventories, boosting first-quarter revenues for Taiwan's major petrochemical producers, according to earnings releases on April 10.
A blockage of the Strait of Hormuz following conflict between the US and Iran is raising energy supply risks for Southeast Asia, with import-dependent economies most exposed. If the conflict continues, the region's recent gains from supply chain shifts could begin to erode.
EVE Energy, one of China's largest battery makers, has reported strong profit growth expectations for the first quarter of 2026, as rising demand for energy storage — fueled in part by the expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure — continues to reshape the industry.
As concerns over energy security converge with the push for low-carbon transition, energy storage has emerged as a central arena in the global energy shift—and China's companies are moving quickly to claim a larger role.
South Korea has been actively advancing the development of small modular reactor (SMR) technology in recent years. The government, together with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), is moving forward with next-generation i-SMR standard design certification and site selection for the first plant. Private-sector player Doosan Enerbility is taking the lead in positioning itself in the global SMR contract manufacturing market, backed by its largest-ever order volume.
Industry sources report that the recent supply concerns over semiconductor-grade helium triggered by the US-Iran conflict have eased, as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix secured long-term contracts ensuring stable access to the critical gas.
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