As global net-zero efforts intensify, governments and major technology companies are investing in emerging nuclear technologies to meet the huge electricity demand from AI data centers and the semiconductor industry. Because nuclear power offers zero-carbon emissions, small modular reactors (SMRs) are drawing growing attention as a potential new power solution in the AI era.

A move by SpaceX to manufacture turbine blades in-house could ease a global bottleneck in AI infrastructure, where power equipment is now as constrained as chips. If successful, the plan could speed data center buildouts, shift supply chains, and strengthen Musk's control over the timing of new energy capacity.

Shinkong Synthetic Fibers Corporation (SSFC) is taking a cautiously optimistic view of operations in the second half of 2026. Despite geopolitical volatility and disruption to Middle East oil supply keeping international crude prices elevated in the short term, the company said its business should gain support from the US market's relative tariff advantage, gradual ramp-up of new higher-value products, recycled materials, AI applications, and the group's diversified investments.

Buried in 238 pages of targets and inventories are the things nobody puts in a press release: a formal corporate policy on shoe soles, a fish that lives in a fab, a lizard evacuation in Germany, and a workforce that is quietly out-reproducing the rest of Taiwan by a factor of four. Nine small stories from the world's most important chipmaker.

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.

South Korea and the United States are at odds over which reactor design to build — and who runs the project — in the nuclear power component of Seoul's US investment package, according to industry sources cited by Korean outlet Edaily.

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.

The Taiwan-based National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC), supported by top scientists including Nobel chemistry laureate Yuan-tseh Lee, held a celebration event on August 25 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Taiwan Photon Source (TPS).

Taiwan's circular economy has entered a new stage as the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said the sector's output has surpassed NT$1 trillion (US$31.4 billion), while calling for AI and related technologies to help narrow the pay and working-conditions gap with the semiconductor industry. The ministry made the remarks on August 25 at a joint press conference for the 2026 Taiwan Circular Economy Week with the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of the Interior, and the Public Construction Commission.

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.

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.