With the advent of the AI era and the concurrent influence of geopolitical developments, Taiwan's semiconductor industry continues to play a pivotal role in the global supply chain. In addressing a range of challenges, Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association (TSIA) chairman and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) senior vice president and co-COO Cliff Hou responded to questions about key issues, including the complexities of establishing fabs in the US, strategies for green energy and power, raw material controls, talent, and policy support.

Taiwan's offshore wind maritime engineering firm Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) is set to transition from the over-the-counter (OTC) market to the Taiwan Stock Exchange mainboard in mid-November 2025. The company is rapidly expanding its fleet to capture strong growth opportunities in AI-fueled undersea communication cable demand.

Advancing RE100 commitments has become a critical goal for the global tech industry, but South Korean companies face complex processes and steep costs in power purchase agreements (PPAs), pushing many toward simpler green premium schemes with limited carbon reductions. Industry and academia are now looking to Taiwan's offshore wind auction strategy as a successful model that reduces corporate procurement pressure.

Taiwan's low-carbon energy solution provider United Renewable Energy (URE) announced on October 20 a new senior management structure, initiating an upgraded corporate governance and operational transformation phase. The changes aim to enhance the company's agility and innovation in decision-making amid intense market competition.

China's rare earth exports plunged in September 2025, reflecting deepening tensions between Beijing and Washington as the world's dominant supplier of strategic minerals tightens its grip on resources essential to electric vehicles, defense equipment, and advanced technologies.

To support the development of Samsung and SK Hynix's Yongin Semiconductor Cluster, the South Korean government has promoted a nationwide "energy expressway" to increase renewable energy infrastructure. However, the initiative has faced criticism for lacking consultation, increasing inequalities, and proving inefficient. Some experts have argued that the entire Yongin project should be halted and that the national power transmission policy should be restructured.

Gigastorage has taken a significant step forward in its clean energy strategy. Its wholly owned subsidiary, GEG, has signed a three-year corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA) with Taiwan Cooperative Bank, marking a milestone in the company's effort to expand its green electricity business. Under the deal, Giga Energy will supply six million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy beginning in 2025.

The Taiwan Innotech Expo (TIE) opened on October 16, spotlighting over 1,000 innovative technologies with a strong focus on AI. The event continues the theme of major 2025 exhibitions by emphasizing Taiwan's critical role in the global technology value chain.

On October 9, 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce issued its No. 61 and No. 62 notices, expanding export controls on rare earths. The scope now extends from raw materials to equipment, technology, and assemblies containing rare earth elements. Additionally, the notices include extraterritorial application mechanisms.

The global AI wave is driving rapid expansion of data centers worldwide, with server computing density and power consumption rising in tandem. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global data center electricity demand could double by 2030, while load growth from AI training and inference may far exceed current expectations.

Memory module manufacturer Apacer Technology has, in recent years, been actively expanding into full-color cholesteric liquid crystal electronic paper (ChLCD ePaper). Recognizing that Japan has a strong demand for sustainable solutions, the company has joined forces with IRIS Optronics for CEATEC 2025 in Japan, showcasing the latest applications that combine low power consumption, reflective display, and outdoor visibility.

On October 9, 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce issued Announcements No. 61 and 62, expanding export controls on rare earths. The scope now extends beyond raw materials to include equipment, technology, and assemblies containing rare earth elements. An extraterritorial clause was also introduced, stating that foreign products containing a certain proportion of Chinese-origin rare earths or manufactured using Chinese technology must also apply for export licenses. China emphasized that this clause was intended to improve the regulatory system; in response, the US raised tariffs.

Sino-American Silicon Products (SAS) is demonstrating resilience in the semiconductor and renewable energy sectors through a series of strategic initiatives. Its subsidiary, GlobalWafers (GW), continues to respond proactively to the US market's urgent demand for local sourcing by advancing R&D in third-category semiconductor materials such as gallium nitride (GaN) and expanding renewable energy business lines, strengthening competitive advantages with diversified momentum.

Tatung's revenue momentum continued to strengthen in September 2025, sustaining the company's overall growth trajectory. The company benefited from strong performance in its electronics manufacturing business, particularly with new mini-PC products, as well as growing collaboration with international brands and industry peers. Robust ODM order shipments in its electronics manufacturing division, along with active deliveries from its power and renewable energy systems business in alignment with customer timelines, were key drivers supporting steady revenue growth.

The Philippines has, in recent years, taken a proactive stance on energy transition, aiming to increase the share of renewable energy in its domestic grid to 35% by 2030, 50% by 2040, and beyond 50% by 2050. With the massive renewable energy gap in these aggressive targets, Taiwanese firms are eagerly vying for a slice of this new, emerging market.

MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation, a subsidiary of MiTAC Holdings, has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Belgian innovator Tonomia, which focuses on distributed AI renewable energy solutions. This partnership marks an important milestone in advancing sustainable AI infrastructure.

Pahal Solar, an Indian startup integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into solar manufacturing, plans to invest INR170 million (approx. US$1.91 million) to double its production capacity.

The global rare earth market has long been dominated by China, encompassing everything from ore extraction to separation and refining, and even magnet manufacturing. Although the US possesses rare earth resources, high costs, strict environmental regulations, and China's low-price supply led the US to virtually exit the industry after the 1990s, becoming reliant on imports from China.

Taiwan's annual energy efficiency improvement rate has hit 5.1%, surpassing the international benchmark of 4%. This achievement supports the island country's goal of reaching a 20% renewable energy share by 2026, according to the Executive Yuan.

Chih-Wei Wu, deputy director general of the Energy Administration (EA) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), showed journalists around the Maritime Technology Innovation Center (MTIC) in Kaohsiung on October 2. Current tenants include Thunder Tiger, the Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) under the National Institute of Applied Research (NIAR), Fugro IOVTEC, Maca Tech, Lung Hwa Electronics, and GOAT Engineering.

Amid the semiconductor supply chain's ongoing push for green transformation, Sustainable Energy Solution, a renewable power sales company under the Sino-American Silicon Products (SAS) group, held a signing ceremony on October 2 with global advanced packaging and testing services supplier Amkor Technology for a 10-year corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA).

Taiwan is set to surpass South Korea in per capita GDP a year ahead of schedule, reaching the US$40,000 target by 2026. This is fueled by record-breaking exports, robust semiconductor and AI industries, and proactive energy and infrastructure initiatives. Despite global uncertainties, the island's economy demonstrates remarkable resilience and strategic foresight.

As demand for renewable energy accelerates, grid stability has become a critical challenge shaping the future of the energy storage system (ESS) market. China-based Sungrow Power Supply has positioned itself as a strong competitor to Tesla by focusing on safety and delivering fully integrated ESS solutions.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced that its Loan Programs Office (LPO) has restructured a financing deal with Lithium Americas Corp. (LAC), with participation from General Motors (GM), to support the development of a domestic lithium carbonate production facility. The facility, located at Thacker Pass, Nevada, is expected to produce approximately 40,000 tonnes per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate once fully operational.