CONNECT WITH US
Thursday 3 September 2026
SB Energy eyes US listing as Nvidia commits US$1.5 billion
SB Energy, the data center and power infrastructure company under SoftBank Group, filed for an IPO with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on September 1, planning to list under the ticker "SBE" on Nasdaq and Nasdaq Texas. The deal could value the company at more than US$50 billion, while Nvidia's promised US$1.5 billion investment has emerged as the most prominent backing for the offering.
Wednesday 2 September 2026
Energy and water: How to tackle the fab resource crunch
As artificial intelligence demand drives astronomical growth in advanced chip manufacturing, the semiconductor industry is hitting critical resource bottlenecks. Speaking at SEMICON Taiwan 2026, leaders from Ecolab and Edwards Vacuum warned on September 2 that continuing with current water and energy practices is unsustainable.
Tuesday 1 September 2026
LG Energy Solution secures long-term US lithium supply
LG Energy Solution has signed a long-term supply agreement with Smackover Lithium for battery-grade lithium carbonate, a move that could strengthen supply chains for energy storage systems and electric vehicles at a time when global demand for critical minerals remains tight.
Tuesday 1 September 2026
Buima returns to profit in the second quarter on battery module demand
Buima swung back to profitability in the second quarter of 2026 as a recovery in its battery module shipments and gains from asset disposal lifted results. The company said demand tied to low Earth orbit satellites, wearable devices, and other applications helped improve profitability, while margin measures and earnings per share reached quarterly records.
Monday 31 August 2026
Shanghai's 15th Five-Year Plan bets on chips, AI, advanced packaging
On August 26, the Shanghai municipal government released its 15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Strategic Emerging Industries, setting a target for added value in strategic emerging industries to reach CNY2.1 trillion (approx. US$312.5 billion) by 2030. The plan puts ICs, biopharmaceuticals, and artificial intelligence (AI) at the center of the city's industrial strategy, while shifting policy focus from expansion to higher-value areas such as advanced chips, advanced packaging, industrial software, and critical materials.
Thursday 27 August 2026
Trump declares emergency over foreign grid equipment, likely eyeing Chinese power hardware
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 26 declaring a national emergency over the security of America's electrical grid. It restricts the purchase, import, and installation of certain foreign-made "bulk-power system" equipment on cybersecurity and national-security grounds.
Thursday 27 August 2026
Nvidia Vera Rubin drives 800VDC, lifts BBU demand
Nvidia's GPU roadmap is pushing 800VDC into the spotlight as a key next-generation breakthrough, with battery backup modules (BBUs) set to gain in both quality and volume as high-density AI factories shift toward the new power architecture.
Thursday 27 August 2026
Taiwan plans higher power growth to meet AI demand, officials say
Taiwan's government said it will raise electricity supply capacity as it responds to rising demand from AI and industry. The comments came on August 26 at the opening of the 2026 New Energy International Forum in Taipei, where officials also pointed to gaps in public understanding of the island's power mix.
Wednesday 26 August 2026
LGES weighs US drone battery push against brand risk
LG Energy Solution (LGES) is weighing whether to expand into the US defense supply chain as the EV market remains sluggish and the company broadens into energy storage systems (ESS). The possible move has drawn attention because LG Group has long stayed away from defense businesses since its split with LIG Group.
Wednesday 26 August 2026
Star Trade to highlight power services for chips and AI at Semicon Taiwan 2026
Star Trade, a unit of HD Renewable Energy, is set to debut at Semicon Taiwan 2026 next week, offering power trading and energy management services for semiconductor and AI infrastructure. The move underscores how global chipmaking and data center growth is increasing pressure on grids, renewable integration, and electricity pricing.
Tuesday 25 August 2026
Eva Air green transport pact to cut Microsoft freight emissions by 15,000 tonnes
Eva Air and AIT Worldwide Logistics have signed a memorandum of understanding to launch a green transport program that will use sustainable aviation fuel from Formosa Petrochemical for Microsoft cloud equipment shipments. The Taiwan-based collaboration is expected to reduce Microsoft's Scope 3 emissions by 15,000 tonnes in its first year.
Tuesday 25 August 2026
Energy law amendments lift AI data center storage demand in Taiwan
AI data centers will increasingly rely on energy storage because of its fast response and grid impact mitigation capabilities, according to Recharge Power, a Taiwan-based battery energy storage system integrator (BESSI) which has seen overseas project revenue gradually bearing fruit. In Taiwan, the energy storage market has also received a major boost following amendments to the Energy Administration Act requiring heavy users to strengthen their electricity self-sufficiency.
Tuesday 25 August 2026
Samsung SDI cashes out Samsung Display stake to fund battery expansion

Samsung SDI said it will sell about one-third of its stake in Samsung Display for KRW4.45 trillion (US$3.2 billion), converting part of its affiliate holding into cash as it prepares to invest in future battery businesses.

Tuesday 25 August 2026
Inergy server share hits 47% on cooling, BBU demand

Inergy Technology said strong demand for AI server cooling and power management pushed the share of server-related applications to 47% of revenue in the second quarter of 2026, with shipments of system-on-chip (SoC) cooling fan driver ICs set to ramp up in the second half of 2026 and battery backup unit (BBU) demand expected to keep rising as AI moves toward high-voltage direct current power architectures.

Monday 24 August 2026
USITC opens cylindrical battery probe as China-Korea competition intensifies

The US International Trade Commission (USITC) has opened a trade investigation into certain cylindrical batteries and related products. This case could affect battery supply chains spanning Asia, Europe, and North America. The move adds uncertainty for manufacturers, automakers, and consumers worldwide who depend on imported energy-storage components.

Saturday 22 August 2026
Column: Lessons in supply chain resilience from China Huadian's power-compute coordination model
As AI develops rapidly, data centers are driving equally rapid growth in electricity demand. The stability of future energy supplies will directly determine whether AI computing capacity can continue to expand.
Friday 21 August 2026
China's new solid-state battery standards could reshape the industry
China has introduced the world's first national standards for automotive solid-state batteries, setting off market speculation that most of the country's more than 320 players may ultimately fail to meet the new bar. The rules tighten definitions, safety testing, and mass-production expectations, shifting competition from concept claims to engineering proof and industrial readiness.
Friday 21 August 2026
Column: Is 800V really 'high voltage'? —AI data centers revive an old power debate
High-voltage direct current (HVDC) is currently one of the hottest areas of technology and product development for AI data centers. It is not only the first layer of what Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has described as the industry's "five-layer cake," but also a concrete manifestation of the idea that computing power ultimately depends on electrical power.
Thursday 20 August 2026
LG Energy Solution starts production at US$2B Michigan plant, pivoting to energy storage boom
LG Energy Solution has officially kicked off production of energy storage batteries at its nearly US$2 billion battery facility in Lansing, Michigan. The long-planned plant, originally announced in 2022 as a joint venture with General Motors, was eventually acquired entirely by LG Energy Solution in 2025 after GM scaled back its EV strategy.
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Tatung to complete self-built AI data center PoC by September, secures edge AI order
Taiwan's Tatung held an earnings call on August 18, during which company president Sung-pin Chang stated that the group's self-built artificial intelligence (AI) data center proof of concept (PoC) has entered the manufacturing stage, with units being sent to project sites for testing starting this month. The overall build is expected to be completed in September 2026, with further results related to its AIDC revealed at a later time. The group also announced it has successfully secured an order from an edge AI customer.
Tuesday 18 August 2026
Nvidia swaps credit support for exclusive chip sales in OpenAI's Ohio data center campus

Nvidia has reached a deal with OpenAI to provide up to US$105 billion in credit guarantees for the AI startup's upcoming 8GW data center campus in Ohio. The support will help OpenAI to secure a lease from SB Energy, while Nvidia will be the facility's exclusive chip supplier.

Tuesday 18 August 2026
Nvidia's Taipei hub pushes power demand to 240MW, triggering scramble to keep lights on

Nvidia's new Taiwan headquarters will be located in the Beitou-Shilin Technology Park, with construction expected to begin by the end of 2026. As the AI and high-tech ecosystem takes shape around the project, power supply has emerged as a key concern—and one closely watched by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

Monday 17 August 2026
Tata succession clouds outlook for chips, clean energy, data centers

Tata's leadership transition may shape the pace of one of India's biggest industrial bets. The group's planned spending on chips, clean energy, and AI data centers is entering a critical stage, but a shift toward tighter capital discipline could slow expansion and alter priorities worldwide.

Sunday 16 August 2026
HDRE reports first-half growth as Japan and Australia projects expand
HD Renewable Energy (HDRE) reported first-half 2026 consolidated revenue of NT$3.078 billion (approx. US$95.7 million), along with gross profit of NT$758 million, a gross margin of 24.63%, and operating profit of NT$112 million. The Taiwanese energy group said some second-quarter transactions were delayed, pushing recognition of several 2MW battery storage projects in Japan into the third quarter.
Friday 14 August 2026
Kaori Heat Treatment to invest NT$3 billion in Taiwan and Thailand expansion
Kaori Heat Treatment has approved a major capacity expansion in Taiwan and Thailand as demand rises for AI cooling components and fuel cells. The heat-treatment maker said its board agreed to buy land and buildings in Taoyuan's Zhongli District for NT$2.38 billion and to build a new plant in Thailand with an investment cap of 700 million baht, bringing the two projects to about NT$3 billion.