Sector Signals
JA/EN/ZH

Sector Signals

Research Notes

Sector analysis of market structure, technology shifts, and corporate strategy — grounded in verified facts.

Power SemiconductorsSustainabilitylongtailnewspillar
Paid Reports →
17 results — category: pillar Clear filter

pillar

Practical Impact Guide to CSRD and CSDDD — Actions Japanese Companies Should Take Now

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) are beginning to directly affect Japanese companies from 2025 to 2026. This guide systematically covers the revised scope following the Omnibus I amendment, the cascading obligations through supply chains, practical response steps, and alignment with SSBJ standards.

SustainabilityCSRDCSDDD

pillar

Next-Generation Power Device Technology Outlook — Design and Procurement Strategies Beyond SiC and GaN

As SiC and GaN become mainstream for industrial and automotive power semiconductors, three next-generation candidates — Ga₂O₃ (gallium oxide), GaN-on-GaN (native substrate), and diamond semiconductors — are at the forefront of R&D. This article maps the technology maturity, mass-production timelines, and business impact of each material, and outlines the steps designers and procurement managers should take today.

Power SemiconductorsGaNSiC

pillar

BRSR Core: A Practical Guide for Procurement — What Indian Mid-Cap Manufacturers Are Preparing

BRSR Core's phased rollout expands to the top 1,000 listed companies in FY26-27. Procurement professionals need to understand what disclosures Indian listed mid-caps are required to make — and what they are actually preparing. This article outlines the framework structure and real-world corporate responses.

SustainabilityBRSRIndia

pillar

GaN-on-Si and the Next Decade of Industrial Power Electronics

GaN-on-Si is displacing silicon in low-to-mid voltage applications below 650V. Having gained an early foothold in EV on-board chargers, this technology is now extending its reach into industrial motor control, telecom power supplies, and industrial UPS. This article examines adoption trends by application and the key procurement considerations.

Power SemiconductorsGaNPower Semiconductors

pillar

Human Rights Due Diligence in Practice: Key Issues for Japanese Manufacturers

Against the backdrop of Japan's National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (2021–2025) and pressure from the EU's CSDDD, supply chain-wide human rights due diligence has become a practical challenge for Japanese manufacturers. This article outlines the basic structure — what to identify, how to respond, and what to disclose — and clarifies response priorities.

SustainabilityHuman Rights DDSupply Chain

pillar

The IGBT Market Shifts — How Chinese Manufacturers Are Changing the Procurement Landscape

Chinese IGBT manufacturers such as BYD Semiconductor, Starpower Semiconductor, and CRRC Times are rapidly increasing domestic self-sufficiency and accelerating their entry into global markets. Intensifying price competition and concerns about oversupply are reshaping the competitive landscape against European and Japanese suppliers. This article examines the procurement implications.

Power SemiconductorsIGBTChinese Semiconductors

pillar

PCF Calculation in Practice: Where to Start and Where to Stop

Requests from customers for PCF (Product Carbon Footprint) data are increasing. This article maps the structure of calculations based on ISO 14067 and the GHG Protocol Product Standard, how to set practical priorities, and common stumbling points.

SustainabilityPCFLCA

pillar

Scope 3 for Manufacturers: Practical Category Measurement and How to Set Priorities

The GHG Protocol classifies Scope 3 into 15 categories. When manufacturers disclose their value chain emissions, the categories that should be prioritized depend on their industry and supply chain structure. This article organizes a prioritization approach based on emissions weight and measurement difficulty.

SustainabilityScope 3GHG Protocol

pillar

SSBJ Disclosure Standards: A Practical Overview of What Japan-Listed Companies Need to Prepare

Japan's sustainability disclosure standards finalized by SSBJ in 2024 will be phased in starting with Prime Market companies. This article organizes the differences from ISSB standards, the implementation schedule, and key points for building a disclosure framework — from the perspective of procurement, IR, and ESG teams.

SustainabilitySSBJESG Disclosure

pillar

TCFD Climate Risk Financial Impact Assessment: Quantifying Transition and Physical Risks for Manufacturers

TCFD framework-based climate risk disclosure requires estimating the financial impact of transition and physical risks on financial statements. This work — which is also essential for compliance with SSBJ and ISSB standards — involves organizing the conceptual approach and the specific impact pathways for manufacturers.

SustainabilityTCFDClimate Risk

pillar

AI Data Center Power: A Comprehensive Overview of Design Trends

Power consumption for a single rack of servers running GPT-4 has surged from an average of 10-15kW in 2020 to over 100kW for racks equipped with the latest AI accelerators, with NVIDIA H100-dense racks approaching 70kW individually, and further increases anticipated with the next-generation Blackwell architecture.

Power SemiconductorsAI serverdata center

pillar

EV Power Semiconductor Application Selection Matrix

The cost of SiC power modules per inverter is 2 to 3 times higher than traditional Si-based modules, yet EV manufacturers are accelerating their transition to SiC because the increased efficiency and reduced size of the overall system offset this higher component cost; however, it is not simply a matter of "using SiC," as EV power conversion systems are divided into multiple applications, each with its own...

Power SemiconductorsEVpower module

pillar

Are IGBTs Still Relevant in the Age of SiC and GaN Silicon?

The long-heralded transition of power in the power conversion market is underway, with the SiC power device global market projected for rapid expansion towards the 2030s, and GaN adoption broadening from home appliances to data center power supplies. This raises the question about Silicon IGBTs...

Power SemiconductorsIGBTSiC

pillar

Power Semiconductor Market Restructuring Map 2026

While the SiC power semiconductor market is projected to reach approximately $3 billion in 2025 and exceed $10 billion by 2030 according to multiple research firms, the current industry focus has shifted from "growth" to "realignment," with the question now being less about who will capture the market and more about who will survive.

Power SemiconductorsGaNSiC

pillar

Foundations for Power Semiconductor Supplier Evaluation

A design team preparing for high-volume production of EV inverters faced an initial hurdle in selecting SiC MOSFET suppliers: "We don't know which datasheets to compare." Simply juxtaposing spec sheets proved insufficient as measurement conditions altered the meaning of figures, and reliability data was presented in inconsistent formats across different companies.

Power SemiconductorsSiCproduction

pillar

Comparing Investment Strategies for SiC, GaN, and IGBT by Major Semiconductor Manufacturers

As multiple demand waves surge simultaneously—including the shift in EV inverter dominance, pressure for higher efficiency in industrial equipment, and soaring power density in data centers—major semiconductor manufacturers face critical choices regarding where to invest, defend, and divest among SiC, GaN, and IGBT technologies.

Power SemiconductorsGaNIGBT

pillar

SiC and GaN Business Opportunities: Evaluation Criteria

SiC or GaN: The next-generation power semiconductor question, while frequently asked in the industry, is somewhat simplistic; though both are wide bandgap semiconductors, SiC and GaN differ in their optimal voltage ranges, switching domains, and cost structures, meaning the answer depends on the application, voltage range, and timeframe under consideration, rather than a simple 'which is superior' approach.

Power SemiconductorsGaNSiC