Leading Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) maker BYD grabbed market headlines in the first quarter of 2025 with the unveiling of its megawatt-level flash charging technology. Silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors played an instrumental role in this technological advancement, as key advantages of the wide bandgap material, including high voltage and temperature resistance and low energy loss, help enhance the efficiency and reliability of electric drive systems to support high-voltage charging.

Benefiting from strong end-market demand for foundry products and early chipset procurement, coupled with a significant increase in demand from major customers for high-end motherboards, the shipment of USB4 host controller chips has surged. Asus subsidiary ASMedia delivered an impressive operational performance in the first quarter of 2025, achieving an earnings per share (EPS) of NT$16.39 (US$0.54), marking a record high for a single quarter.

GlobalWafers has officially launched its US$3.5 billion silicon wafer manufacturing facility in Sherman, Texas, marking the first fully integrated 12-inch wafer production line built in the United States in over two decades. Chairman Doris Hsu announced plans for an additional US$4 billion expansion, bringing the company’s total US investment to US$7.5 billion.

Although Taiwan’s corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA) for offshore wind energy has offered a steady channel for green energy for industrial use, much attention has turned to rising prices due to inflation and increasing production costs. While prices during Round 3.1 were below NT$6 per kilowatt-hour (US$0.18), Phase 3-2 prices are now projected to rise beyond NT$6.5 per kilowatt-hour. With inflation remaining a persistent issue, developers assert that construction costs will only continue to grow, making price drops unlikely.