Demand for green talent in Taiwan has surged to unprecedented levels. The pending implementation of carbon fees, continued growth in the green technology sector, and rising demands for net-zero emissions in global supply chains have created a massive workforce gap. Statistics show that Taiwan's green workforce shortfall neared 30,000 in 2025, marking a new record high at nearly 300% the level eight years ago. The electronics, IT, and semiconductor industries show the strongest hiring needs. AI skills have also become highly sought after, with employers favoring expertise in software engineering and R&D.
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are drawing significant attention because of their flexible and rapid deployment capabilities as AI's electricity demand continues to skyrocket. Kaori Thermal Technology, a key supplier to SOFC fuel cell leader Bloom Energy, stated that customer demand remains strong, enabling both capital and workforce expansion. The company said its 2026 capex will be the largest since its founding, and its headcount is set to increase by more than 40%.
Taiwan's energy transition is facing unprecedented challenges. In 2025, domestic solar power grid connection capacity plunged to an all-time low, squeezed by the dual pressures of policy instability and tightening regulations. Industry leaders warn that if the current administrative stalemate continues, achieving 2026 policy targets will be unrealistic, risking not only a single sector downturn but also international doubts about Taiwan's energy resilience as a whole.
On December 23, 2025, Softstar Entertainment held an extraordinary shareholders' meeting to approve its official name change to Star Fusion Group, signaling a decisive transformation into a technology- and energy-focused conglomerate. Chairman David Tu said the group now employs around 3,600 people across 11 subsidiaries and more than 30 affiliated companies, spanning gaming, semiconductors, cybersecurity, dining, third-party payments, and heavy electrical equipment.
As trade tensions between the US and China intensify, accompanied by tighter technology restrictions, Wanshih Electronic says it is doubling down on precision manufacturing as the cornerstone of its innovation strategy while reshaping its global footprint to navigate mounting geopolitical risk.
The rapidly increasing electricity demand from global artificial intelligence (AI) data centers is placing significant pressure on power grids worldwide. Chinese battery, energy storage, and transformer manufacturers are well-positioned to benefit from their technological expertise, cost efficiency, and rapid delivery capabilities. As data center operators seek solutions to upgrade aging power infrastructure, the reliance on Chinese suppliers is growing sharply.
Alphabet has agreed to acquire Intersect, a provider of data center and energy infrastructure solutions, in a cash deal valued at US$4.75 billion plus the assumption of debt, the company said on December 22, 2025. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to customary regulatory and closing conditions.
Star Charger, a charging operator under HD Renewable Energy (HDRE), has announced it has achieved 159 operational stations across Taiwan. To meet the growing electric vehicle (EV) charging demand, Star Charger launched its first 1 MW-class high-power fast-charging dedicated station in Taichung City, and plans to bring online 10 more large-scale dedicated stations by 2026.
Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) is drafting a new set of guidelines aimed at safeguarding grid stability as electricity demand from AI data centers accelerates.
Corporate demand for green electricity is accelerating as Taiwan prepares to implement carbon fees in 2026 and as the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) reshapes export requirements. Data from Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) show that direct supply of green power has risen sharply in recent years, a trend the utility expects to continue as net-zero pressures intensify across supply chains.
As AI workloads reshape data center design, performance is no longer defined solely by computing power. Thermal management has emerged as an equally decisive battleground. Unlike traditional CPU-centric systems, modern AI servers rely heavily on GPUs and specialized accelerators, each drawing hundreds of watts per chip. The resulting thermal density far exceeds the limits of conventional air-cooling, turning heat dissipation into a core infrastructure challenge rather than a peripheral engineering concern.
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