China is ramping up its nuclear fusion drive with the launch of a new state-backed firm. China Fusion Energy Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), was founded in Shanghai in July 2025 and made its public debut on September 24, 2025, at the 25th China International Industry Fair (CIIF), emerging as the nation's newest "national team" player in the fusion race.
As the global demand for AI chips skyrockets, a new challenge is emerging for the semiconductor industry: how to balance explosive growth with environmental responsibility. The production of advanced chips requires massive amounts of energy, driving up both electricity consumption and carbon emissions. TSMC, the world's leading contract chipmaker, is tackling this head-on with a new strategy it calls the "three arrows" to manage its carbon footprint.
AiSails, a subsidiary of Wistron, has announced a strategic partnership with Germany's SkySails Power to deepen collaboration on kite-based airborne wind energy technology and integrate artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities across multiple applications.
Japan and European countries are strengthening their collaboration to mitigate geopolitical tensions and supply chain vulnerabilities stemming from tensions between the US and China. On September 15, 2024, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced expanded cooperation with the European Union (EU), particularly focusing on the battery supply chain, as reported by Yomiuri Shimbun and Nikkei Asia. This move is part of broader partnerships aimed at advancing technology industries, green energy, and satellite sectors.
The Yongin Semiconductor Cluster in South Korea, which is anchored by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, is currently under development. However, experts caution that there are unresolved power grid issues, mainly due to the massive energy demands of the cluster. Additionally, the current energy supply plan may conflict with the national goals for carbon neutrality.
The Taiwan Expo in the Philippines opened on September 17, 2025 in Manila after a six-year hiatus. James Huang, chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), noted that Taiwan's return to the Philippines comes amid drastically changed international supply chains and geopolitical dynamics. Both the Philippine government and business sectors now have stronger trust in the technological solutions Taiwan offers.
The South Korean government recently announced several industrial growth plans, including support programs for the localization of silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors. The SiC power semiconductor market relies heavily on the electric vehicle (EV) sector. Although current growth has slowed, medium- to long-term expansion is expected to accelerate. Therefore, whether South Korea can leverage more advanced technologies to compete with Chinese manufacturers on price will be a critical factor.
Leading European carmakers have called on the EU to ease strict CO2 emission rules and support various powertrain technologies like hybrids to meet market needs. However, the EU has responded cautiously, postponing any decisions on loosening the targets.
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.
AI giants are shifting the global competition in large language models (LLMs) away from benchmark dominance toward sustainability and real-world applicability, signaling a new phase in how artificial intelligence performance is measured. The move highlights rising concerns about energy use, environmental impact, and user experience as essential evaluation metrics.
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.
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