Driven by global net-zero commitments and China's "dual carbon" goals of peaking carbon emissions before achieving carbon neutrality, Inner Mongolia is rapidly transforming from a traditional resource-based economy into a strategic hub for renewable energy and AI computing infrastructure.
On August 5, Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council said it had completed the central government's 2027 budget plan, with NT$182.3 billion (US$5.7 billion) earmarked for technology spending, up about 9.5% from 2026. The biggest increase goes to sovereign AI computing power and infrastructure as Taipei pushes ahead with its Smart Nation 2.0 initiative.
The Trump administration is preparing to impose a 15% tariff and minimum import prices on polysilicon and selected derivative products, placing an upstream material shared by solar panels and semiconductor chips at the center of efforts to reduce US exposure to Chinese supply.
China's State Council has launched a new recommendation program for "leader" companies in energy efficiency and carbon efficiency, with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly issuing the notice on August 4, 2026. The program is designed to push heavy industry to cut energy use and emissions, as low-carbon certification increasingly becomes a key credential for future market competition.
Taiwan's government has recently begun classifying the semiconductor and AI industries as high-energy consumption industries in recent documents. This marks a notable development, as the manufacturing sector in general moves toward improving energy efficiency and eliminating toxic materials and waste products in pursuit of more eco-friendly measures to lessen the impact of climate change.
Factorial Energy and SK On have agreed to study whether existing battery plants could be adapted for solid-state cells, a move that could affect how next-generation batteries reach global markets. The deal underscores a broader industry push to scale cleaner, denser energy storage through established manufacturing networks, rather than entirely new factories.
J&V Energy announced on August 3, 2026, that it had completed the acquisition of a portfolio of operational solar projects in Taiwan held by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), the global infrastructure investment arm of BlackRock. With a total installed capacity of 187MW, the portfolio marks the largest domestic solar asset transaction by installed capacity in 2026.
