The global rare earth supply chain is undergoing a restructuring as countries actively invest in the sector to reduce their reliance on China, especially for permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and drones.
Energy saving and carbon reduction are pivotal trends in today's automotive industry, encompassing both four-wheelers and two-wheelers. Ching-Yue Lee, senior project specialist in the Power and System Business Group at Delta Electronics, shared his insights on the impact and development trends of carbon neutrality on electric two-wheelers at the "D Forum 2024" smart vehicle forum hosted by DIGITIMES.
Taiwan Fertilizer, the island's largest ammonia supplier, has inaugurated its Advanced Business Research Center at its Miaoli plant, marking a significant pivot towards clean energy.
As global tech behemoths ramp up investments in Taiwan, establishing R&D centers and operational hubs, the focus on power supply sources and stability has intensified, especially in alignment with the net-zero emission trend.
The global economic landscape is shifting from an era of globalization towards one of de-globalization, where geopolitics and borders are regaining importance. This is being driven by political factors, with recent European elections indicating a potential move towards more protectionist, inward-looking policies focused on competitiveness rather than free trade agreements.
SoftBank Group Corp. founder Masayoshi Son declared he's ready to swing for the fences when he makes his next big tech bet, suggesting the Japanese conglomerate is on the cusp of making a major investment in AI.
Taiwan is making significant strides towards its net-zero emissions goal by implementing a comprehensive carbon pricing mechanism. At a recent forum, officials and industry experts highlighted the country's efforts in advancing its carbon market through strategic partnerships and regulatory updates. Key announcements included the launch of innovative carbon credit projects and updates on Taiwan's integration with international carbon pricing mechanisms.
After identifying 30 critical minerals essential for national security, India intensified its efforts to secure cobalt, given its increasing importance in the global shift towards EVs and green energy initiatives.
Chairman of Sino-American Silicon Products (SAS) and Taiwan Photovoltaic Industry Association, Hsiu-Lan Hsu, confirmed that the new cabinet's solar energy strategy remains opaque. Coupled with Taiwan's green energy shortage, the influx of solar modules imported from Southeast Asian countries poses an existential threat to local manufacturing.
The solar cell sector in China has swiftly shifted from P-type PERC to N-type TOPCon technology over the past two years, leading to an oversupply situation. The industry's woes were mirrored at the recently concluded International Photovoltaic Power Generation and Smart Energy Conference & Exhibition in Shanghai, which turned into a venue for desperate sales tactics and debt collection struggles.
Big technology companies including Microsoft Corp. and Google are eager to see more nuclear energy feeding their power-hungry data centers but are far less willing to provide the capital needed to pay for a growing interest in reactors.
To support Taiwan's ambitious energy transition goals, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) is calling for increased government and financial sector support to complete power purchase agreements for its Fengmiao offshore wind farm. Marina Hsu, Managing Director of CIP Taiwan, recently highlighted the project's progress and challenges in securing corporate power purchase agreements (CPPAs) for the remaining half of the 500MW wind farm.
Highlighting Taiwan's strategic plan for achieving net zero emissions by 2050, Dr. Hsing-Juh Lin, an expert in marine ecology at National Chung Hsing University, emphasized the significance of nature-based solutions like mangrove restoration.
At the forefront of Taiwan's renewable energy revolution are the island's escalating energy needs and the imperative shift from fossil fuels to cleaner alternatives. Taiwan's ambitions to establish a thriving hydrogen energy industry remain an uphill battle, hampered by an inadequate renewable energy supply, lack of infrastructure, and policy gaps.
The global solar industry is on the brink of a significant transformation as the transition from P-type PERC to N-type TOPCon solar modules gains momentum.
The soaring valuations of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies that characterized the last decade have come crashing down, according to Jerry Yang, general partner at Paris-based VC firm HCVC. Speaking at InnoVEX 2024, Yang outlined the end of the SaaS valuation bubble and its implications for hardtech investments and Taiwan's tech industry.
South Korea's semiconductor industry is warning that a future power shortage could cripple the capital region's sprawling semiconductor hub, which represents a total investment of KRW622 trillion(US$454 billion). Compounding the issue, there is still no concrete plan to transfer substantial power from the East Coast and Honam region.
On June 3, Google announced the completion of its latest data center and cloud region campus expansion in Singapore. This milestone brings the company's total investments in technical infrastructure in the country to US$5 billion, up from US$850 million in 2018.
According to Maruti Suzuki's press release on June 5, the company announced a commitment to increase its investments in renewable energy projects from INR1.2 billion (US$14.48 million) in fiscal 2024 (April 2023 to March 2024) to INR4.5 billion (US$53.96 million) over the three years starting in fiscal 2025.
The Government of Gujarat, India, has dispatched a delegation to Taiwan for the India-Taiwan Semiconductor Summit, while also seizing the opportunity to glean knowledge from Taiwanese partners at Hsinchu Science Park.
