AI surge accelerates Asia's energy storage race

Rising power needs from AI data centers drive massive investments in battery storage.

As artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure expand across Asia, the region faces surging demand for renewable energy and energy storage capacity.

“In Taiwan, Japan and Australia, our biggest three markets, we see there's a big demand for renewable energy due to the increase in AI data centers,” said Edward Hsieh, Chairman of HDRE. “With that explosive increase, then there's a need for renewable energy, and the problem with the intermittency of renewable energy is that we need battery storage.”

Hsieh said HDRE is “heavily invested in batteries projects, not only in Taiwan but Japan and Australia,” adding that the company’s development pipeline totals 10 gigawatts of battery storage. “We intend to build that out within the next three to five years,” he said, with a total investment of around US$10 billion through joint ventures with Taiwanese, Japanese, and Australian investors.

He added that Australia’s leadership in energy transition offers a model for regional expansion. “We see the Australian market as one of the most leading in the energy transition,” Hsieh said. “We hope to replicate that in the Japanese market and eventually in Taiwan.”

Organised by TAITRA and the Green Energy and Sustainability Alliance (GESA) under SEMI, Energy Taiwan & Net-Zero Taiwan 2025 was held from 29 to 31 October 2025 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.