TCTI PLANS TO USE PERAK PROJECT TO EXPAND ITS OPERATIONS OVERSEAS

By Kamarul Ariffin Md Yasin

BOSTON, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- Twin Creeks Technologies Inc (TCTI), a Silicon
Valley-based solar energy company, will use the joint venture to set up a plant
in Malaysia's northern state of Perak, as a stepping stone to expand its
operations overseas.

The joint venture between TCTI and The Red Solar (M) Sdn Bhd is known as
Twin Creeks (M) Sdn Bhd (TCMSB).

TCTI founder and chief executive officer, Dr Siva Sivaram said so far, the
company only had plants in the United States -- one in Silicon Valley at San
Jose, California and another one here -- as it only started business in January
last year.

He also disclosed that at present, TCTI had customers in the United States,
India and also Malaysia on a small scale, through The Red Solar (M) Sdn Bhd.

"Right now, the joint venture in Perak is at the pioneering stage
and we want to go on to high volume production," he said during the visit by
Perak Chief Minister Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and his delegation to the TCTI
Research and Design Centre here on Thursday.

According to Siva, he expects that by 2011 the company can begin high volume
production to reach 100 MW and probably, 400MW subsequently.

"We expect 70 per cent of production to be for the export market with 30
per cent locally," he said.

Asked why he chose Malaysia to launch into the overseas market, Siva
explained that the country had advantages in human capital through the
availability of skilled workers, business environment, quick execution and tax.

He said the ground breaking for the Perak project will take place by June
next year with an initial investment of US$250 million (RM887 million).

Asked as to how the company can compete with the top three solar companies
in the world -- First Solar, Q-Cell and Sun Power -- already operating in
Malaysia, he said, TCTI employees are not new to the industry and he believed
they can do so with the breakthrough technologies in hand.

"We have a superior cast of products. We can secure our dominance in the
solar energy market. At TCTI, we have assembled scientists who can take on the
established technology.

"We are very optimistic about solar and green technology. I believe
the technology that TCTI has developed, can revolutionise the energy sector in
Malaysia," he highlighted.

Meanwhile, The Red Solar executive chairman and chief executive officer,
Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff said that under the joint venture with TCTI, the
company wants to build a solar farm and participate in renewable energy
production at 10 localities.

"It will involve 200 hectares of land at Bidor and Kampar. It will be linked
to the national grid managed by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB). We will discuss
the production with TNB.

"We are also in the midst of moving into the Asean market," he said.
-- BERNAMA