By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 13: SMD Semiconductor Sdn Bhd (SMD) and Jiangsu Linyang Energy Co. Ltd (Linyang Energy) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to establish a strategic collaboration for the adoption and supply of SMD power semiconductor solutions, including Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, for Linyang Energy’s smart metering and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) product platforms in global markets.
The agreement was signed today during the Sarawak Investment Mission to Shanghai, China, led by Deputy Premier of Sarawak and Minister for International Trade, Industry and Investment (MINTRED) Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
According to a media release, the collaboration marks a significant step in SMD’s efforts to bring semiconductor technologies developed in Sarawak into high-volume energy products for international markets.
Under the MoA, SMD and Linyang Energy will work together to identify, qualify and integrate SMD semiconductor technologies into selected Linyang product platforms.
The initial focus will include power semiconductor devices, GaN-based power solutions and intelligent power technologies for applications such as smart meters, power conversion systems, energy storage and other advanced energy infrastructure.
Linyang Energy’s established global presence in smart metering, renewable energy and energy storage is expected to provide SMD with a pathway to international customers while accelerating the transition of its technologies from development and qualification to commercial deployment.
Speaking at the ceremony, Awang Tengah said the collaboration reflected the growing convergence between Sarawak’s semiconductor ambitions and its development as a major clean energy hub in the region.
“Partnerships such as this are important because the semiconductor industry is closely connected to the transformation of energy systems, from smart metering and power management to energy storage.
“By bringing together Sarawak’s semiconductor capabilities with Linyang Energy’s expertise in these areas, we are strengthening the link between two strategic sectors that will shape the future of industry.
“This is consistent with Sarawak’s approach of developing high-value industries around our strengths in technology, renewable energy and talent,” he said.
For SMD, the partnership represents an important validation of its strategy to build a globally competitive semiconductor company from Sarawak through technology development, strategic original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partnerships and access to high-growth international markets.
SMD Semiconductor chairman Dato Sri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar said the partnership demonstrated how Sarawak could participate meaningfully in the global semiconductor value chain by connecting locally developed technologies with international industrial partners and markets.
“Our ambition is to position SMD as a strategic technology platform for Sarawak, creating intellectual property, high-value industries and global commercial opportunities.
“The collaboration with Linyang Energy is an important milestone towards that ambition and supports Sarawak’s broader aspiration to develop a competitive, innovation-led semiconductor ecosystem,” he said.
SMD chief executive officer Shariman Jamil said the agreement went beyond a conventional semiconductor supply arrangement by creating a pathway for technology developed in Sarawak to be incorporated into products deployed globally.
“Through Linyang’s global smart meter and energy storage platforms, we have the opportunity to take SMD’s power semiconductor and GaN technologies from design and qualification into high-volume commercial applications.
“This is precisely how we intend to build SMD — by developing differentiated semiconductor technology in Sarawak and connecting it directly to global markets,” he said.
The partnership will initially focus on technical evaluation, product matching, design-in, qualification and commercialisation.
Joint technical teams from both companies will identify suitable semiconductor replacement opportunities as well as new-product applications across Linyang Energy’s portfolio.
Particular emphasis will be placed on applications where next-generation power semiconductors can improve energy efficiency, power density, system miniaturisation, reliability and intelligent power management.
The collaboration will also provide a platform for SMD to introduce its next generation of intelligent GaN solutions, combining high-performance power switching with sensing, protection and device-level intelligence.
Through the partnership, SMD aims to establish a scalable route to market spanning China, the Asia-Pacific region and Linyang Energy’s wider international customer network.
The collaboration is also expected to strengthen Sarawak’s participation in the global semiconductor and clean-energy value chains.
Linyang Group president and Linyang Energy chairman Lu Yonghua said the collaboration was a significant milestone for both companies and reflected the Sarawak Government’s commitment to and expectations for the partnership.
“We are fully committed to supporting Sarawak in achieving its new energy installation targets, and to jointly advancing Sarawak as a dual-core industrial hub in Southeast Asia powered by green energy and semiconductors,” he said.
The MoA underscores the shared ambition of SMD and Linyang Energy to accelerate innovation at the intersection of semiconductors, digital energy and intelligent power infrastructure.
The partnership is expected to further SMD’s efforts to transform semiconductor innovation developed in Sarawak into technologies deployed in global energy markets. — DayakDaily
