Forward Water Technologies Corp. (TSXV:FWTC) (the "Company" or "FWTC") is pleased to announce a collaboration with CleanTech Lithium PLC ("CleanTech Lithium") and Conductive Energy Inc. in the supply of their industrial forward osmosis (iFOTM) system for use in the hyper-concentrating of CleanTech Lithium's eluate and its conversion into battery grade lithium carbonate by use of Conductive Energy's Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE") conversion process. The large-scale production volume of battery grade lithium carbonate is intended to validate CleanTech Lithium's DLE process design and its commercial scalability. The produced battery grade lithium carbonate is expected to be supplied to battery and automotive manufacturing companies as part of the evaluation process within their long-term offtake agreements. The collaboration between FWTC and CleanTech Lithium signals CleanTech Lithium's progression towards full-scale commercialization as the need for sustainable lithium production supply increases on a global scale due to the transition to electric mobility worldwide
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Forward Water Technologies:Innovative Technology Supporting the Quest for Clean Water
Forward Water Technologies (TSXV:FWTC)) helps in the reduction of environmental impact of lithium mining companies and other industries through innovative wastewater treatment technology that enables industrial operations to reduce liquid waste volume by up to 95 percent.
Transformative wastewater technologies are critical for both businesses and the world’s population. In fact, unless sufficient progress is achieved, UNICEF and WHO estimate that 1.6 billion people will be without access to safe drinking water by 2030, and 2.8 billion will be without access to safe sanitation and hygiene. Water treatment technologies can disrupt current trends and improve global access to safe drinking water.
Company Highlights
- Forward Water Technologies has developed a patented wastewater treatment technology that reduces wastewater volume and improves reusability across multiple industries, including mining and food manufacturing.
- The company’s Forward Osmosis technology disrupts the traditional method of wastewater disposal by reducing the amount of waste that must be transported and disposed of, directly reducing costs.
- The FO technology also improves water reusability by up to 95 percent, reducing the expense of importing water for industrial processes.
- The Forward Water Technologies Li-FO™ process is applicable in the lithium mining sector by improving concentration by up to 20 times, allowing organizations to improve extraction efficiency.
- The company has partnered with a lithium-brine extraction operation to evaluate its Li-FO™ technology.
- An experienced management team with a blend of relevant technical expertise leads the company toward refining and marketing its technology.
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Forward Water Technologies
Overview
Forward Water Technologies (TSXV:FWTC) is helping lithium mining companies and other industries reduce their environmental impact through its innovative wastewater treatment technology that enables industrial operations to reduce liquid waste volume by up to 95 percent.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings continue to be a key business strategy for organizations as they impact public perception and partnership possibilities. For water-intensive industries, such as mining, sustainable wastewater management is critical.
Transformative wastewater technologies are critical for both businesses and the world’s population. In fact, unless sufficient progress is achieved, UNICEF and WHO estimate that 1.6 billion people will be without access to safe drinking water by 2030, and 2.8 billion will be without access to safe sanitation and hygiene. Water treatment technologies can disrupt current trends and improve global access to safe drinking water.Through its Forward Osmosis (FO) technology, Forward Water is providing an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional wastewater disposal. Traditionally, wastewater disposal requires transporting untreated wastewater for deep well disposal or high-intensity thermal treatment.
Forward Water’s FO system is installed at the client site, and wastewater is treated to reduce waste volume and produce valuable clean water for reuse in the manufacturing process. Then, the significantly reduced volume of wastewater is transported and disposed of, significantly saving on transportation and disposal costs.
The FO technology targets three massive sectors: industrial wastewater, mining and food manufacturing. Forward Water’s unique and patented FO technology achieves high-rate water extraction within a low-energy continuous process. The process reduces waste and allows up to 95 percent water recovery, ready for reuse.
Forward Water’s Li-FO™ technology is ideal for lithium-brine mining operations, allowing mines to “fine tune” brine sources to improve concentration by up to 20 times. This results in improved recovery and makes lower-concentration brines economically viable. Forward Water is currently embarking on an early development testing project to further evaluate and refine the technology’s viability in lithium mining.
In 2023, the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Forward Water Technologies Inc., licensed specific intellectual property from FUJIFILM Corporation to solidify the protection of its water treatment technology platform.
CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL,Frankfurt:T2N,OTC:CTLHF) has contracted FWT to provide advisory services for the support and development of CleanTech Lithium's direct lithium extraction (DLE) process in Chile. The collaboration will use FWT’s industrial forward osmosis system in the hyper-concentrating of CleanTech Lithium's eluate and its conversion into battery-grade lithium carbonate through Conductive Energy's DLE process.
Howie Honeyman, CEO, explained in an interview how the company’s technology can improve lithium mining operations. “A lot of lithium being mined today around the world is coming from underground aquifers that store the lithium brine. The challenge is that the lithium is surrounded by other minerals and salts, requiring chemical ‘tweezers’ to pluck out that lithium. What we can do is, at multiple places in that process, we can concentrate that lithium-containing water stream, which makes it far easier for these miners to handle the volumes they need to extract that lithium.”
An experienced management team with technical expertise leads the company towards further refining and deploying its technology. The team includes experts in materials science, chemistry and engineering. Additional experts in corporate administration and financing round out the leadership team to lead the company toward its goals.
Company Highlights
- Forward Water Technologies has developed a patented wastewater treatment technology that reduces wastewater volume and improves reusability across multiple industries, including mining and food manufacturing.
- The company’s Forward Osmosis (FO) technology disrupts the traditional method of wastewater disposal by reducing the amount of waste that must be transported and disposed of, directly reducing costs.
- The FO technology also improves water reusability by up to 95 percent, reducing the expense of importing water for industrial processes.
- The Forward Water Technologies Li-FO™ process is applicable in the lithium mining sector by improving concentration by up to 20 times, allowing organizations to improve extraction efficiency.
- The company has partnered with a lithium-brine extraction operation to evaluate its Li-FO™ technology.
- Forward Water Technologies is in early negotiations to deliver an FWTC forward osmosis pilot system on-site in Chile to support a customer's lithium extraction process.
- Forward Water Technologies has licensed specific intellectual property from FUJIFILM Corporation to solidify the protection of its water treatment technology platform.
- The company has been contracted by CleanTech Lithium to provide advisory services for the support and development of CleanTech Lithium's direct lithium extraction processes in Chile.
- An experienced management team with a blend of relevant technical expertise leads the company toward refining and marketing its technology.
Key Project
Forward Osmosis Water Treatment
Forward Osmosis is a naturally occurring process in which water is spontaneously drawn across a membrane when one solution is higher in salt concentration than the other. The difference in salinity, known as the osmotic gradient, creates a low-energy water treatment process.
Forward Water Technologies has leveraged the naturally occurring process to innovate its patented, three-step FO technology, enabling a 95 percent wastewater reduction and 95 percent water recovery.
Project Highlights:
- Patented Three-Step Process: Forward Water Technologies FO process achieves low-energy and high-rate water extraction with a unique three-step design:
- Water Extraction: Water is drawn across the FO membrane into a salt draw solution. The combination of the patented draw solution and unique membrane “locks” the draw solution on one side of the membrane, creating a true closed-loop process.
- Water/Salt Separation: Next, a switchable water salt (SWS) achieves water/salt separation as low-grade heat is applied, and it phases from liquid to gas. As the gas leaves the solution, clean water is left behind. The energy necessary for this step is often found in many facilities in the form of waste heat.
- Salt Draw Reconcentration: Finally, as the gas leaves the solution, it is captured within the closed-loop system and is passively cooled, causing it to phase back into liquid form as an SWS. The SWS liquid is collected and recycled back to the front of the membranes in the water extraction step, creating a continuous process.
- Widely Applicable Water Treatment: The low-energy process allows organizations across several industries to improve water reclamation and reduce wastewater by up to 95 percent. Additionally, the process allows for up to 20 times concentration, making the process amenable to lithium-brine extraction and other potential applications.
- Significant Cost Savings: The primary value proposition for the FO process is cost reduction in wastewater transportation and disposal. With the process in place, more water is reclaimed for reuse in manufacturing, which reduces the raw volume of wastewater that must be transported and disposed of.
Management Team
Howie Honeyman - Chief Executive Officer and President
Dr. Howie Honeyman has 20 years of experience commercializing new technologies at Xerox, Cabot, E Ink, Natrix Separations and as former CTO of GreenCentre Canada. Honeyman commercialized high-capacity, high-throughput membranes for bioprocessing as SVP of Natrix Separations, which has since been acquired by Millipore-Sigma. Since 2015, Honeyman has been leading Forward Water to become a premier wastewater treatment solution. Honeyman is also an inventor of record on over 50 US patents and holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of Toronto.
Michael Willetts - Chief Financial Officer
Michael Willetts has over 25 years in financial leadership roles primarily in manufacturing, from large multinational businesses to startups, both public and private. He previously worked as an engineer in the automotive industry before entering into finance at Ford Motor Company. Willets went on to progressively larger finance roles in several international automotive suppliers (Textron, GKN, DSM) and Canadian manufacturers (Armtec, Stronach International, AirBoss of America). Willetts is currently providing fractional CFO services through WD Numeric Corporate Services in the manufacturing, SaaS and cannabis industries. Willetts graduated with a BASc, BComm and MBA from the University of Windsor.
Wayne Maddever - Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Wayne Maddever received his Ph.D. in materials science engineering from the University of Toronto. Since 1985, he has held senior executive management positions with technically based businesses in start-up, turnaround or acquisition situations where his skills in change management have brought considerable success in the commercialization of new technologies. His experience in both private and public companies, domestically and internationally, spans a broad variety of industries, including bio and advanced materials, precision manufacturing, recycling, waste-to-energy and medical devices. He holds a number of patents in several fields. He is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. In addition to his duties as COO of Forward Water, he is currently portfolio manager at Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, one of the major shareholders of Forward Water.
Grant Thornley - VP Engineering Solution Sales
Grant Thornley is a business strategist with more than 25 years of experience. He has developed and grown international water/wastewater markets through innovative growth hacking techniques and processes, synergized with product development and positioning, data analytics and acceleration of go-to-market strategies through alliances and partnerships. Having expertise in chemical, mechanical and biological treatment processes as well as designing hundreds of municipal and industrial applications, Thornley brings a knowledge-to-action approach to helping clients solve problems and realize new opportunities in water reuse, energy conservation and CO2 reduction.
Leonard Seed - Director of Engineering & Operations
Leonard Seed has over 18 years of experience developing and commercializing new water and wastewater treatment technologies, primarily in a start-up environment. Seed is named as an inventor on over seven patents and has authored several publications. Seed is a professional engineer and has an MSc in environmental engineering from the University of Guelph. Leonard holds inventorship on seven US patents and is an instructor at Mohawk College teaching aspects of water treatment technologies and leading research efforts on forward osmosis.
Philip Jessop - Executive Research Director
Dr. Philip Jessop is a professor and Canada Research Chair of Green Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He also serves as the technical director of GreenCentre Canada and executive research director at Forward Water Technologies. After his Ph.D. (British Columbia, 1991) and a postdoctoral appointment (Toronto, 1992), he became a contract researcher in Japan working for R. Noyori (Nobel Prize 2001). As a professor at the University of California-Davis (1996-2003) and since then at Queen’s, he has studied green solvents and the chemistry of carbon dioxide. Distinctions include the NSERC Polanyi Award (2008), Killam Research Fellowship (2010), Canadian Green Chemistry & Engineering Award (2012), Eni Award (2013), Fellowship in the Royal Society of Canada (2013), a Canada Research Chair Tier 1 (2013 to 2020), and the NSERC Brockhouse Prize (2019). He serves as chair of the editorial board for the journal Green Chemistry, has chaired three international conferences, and helped create GreenCentre Canada, a national center of excellence for the commercialization of green chemistry technologies. Forward Water is a spin-off company based on Dr. Jessop’s switchable solvents.
Forward Water Technologies Corp. Collaborates With CleanTech Lithium PLC in Pilot Plant for Lithium Chloride Eluate Production
Grant Thornley, VP Engineering Sales for FWTC says, "Use of iFO™ in the hyper-concentrating of DLE eluate delivers operating simplicity to CleanTech Lithium's DLE process while realizing improved economics in lithium plant yield when compared to processes still using conventional thermal evaporation."
Furthermore, FWTC's CEO C. Howie Honeyman says, "We are proud to be a part of CleanTech Lithium's strategy of providing high quality materials to the market while simultaneously producing the target materials with the best-in-class sustainable methods from the onset of production."
About CleanTech Lithium
CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF) is an exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition. Committed to net-zero, CleanTech Lithium's mission is to produce material quantities of battery grade lithium using Direct Lithium Extraction technology, powered by renewable energy. The Company plans to be a leading supplier of 'green' lithium to the EV and battery manufacturing market.
For further information, please visit www.ctlithium.com/
About Forward Water Technologies Corp.
Forward Water Technologies Corp. (TSX.V: FWTC) is a publicly traded Canadian company dedicated to saving the earth's water supply using its patented Forward Osmosis technology. The Company was founded by GreenCentre Canada, a leading technology innovation centre supported by the government of Canada. The Company's technology allows for the reduction of challenging waste streams simultaneously returning fresh water for re-use or surface release. The Company's mandate is to focus on the large-scale implementation of its technology in multiple sectors, including industrial wastewater, oil and gas, DLE, mining, agriculture and ultimately municipal water supply and re-use market sectors. In addition, the Company has initiated early-stage R&D for the treatment of food and beverage process streams.
For more information, please visit www.forwardwater.com.
Contact Information
For more information or interview requests, please contact:
C. Howie Honeyman - Chief Executive Officer
howie.honeyman@forwardwater.com
(519) 333-5888
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws including statements regarding expansion and uptake of the Company's technology and the ability for the Company to achieve its growth strategy and business plan. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, the ability to scale the technology and the adoption of the technology by potential customers.
Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; unanticipated operating events; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
SOURCE:Forward Water Technologies Corp.
View the original press release on accesswire.com
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
Forward Water Technologies to Participate at the PDAC Conference in Toronto, ON
Forward Water Technologies Corp. ("Forward Water" or the "Company") (TSXV:FWTC) today announced that Grant Thornley, Vice-President of Engineering Solutions will be attending PDAC in Toronto from March 3 to March 6, 2024 and meeting with Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) and mining clients at this event
Date: March 3-6, 2024
Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Link: https://www.pdac.ca/convention
The PDAC offers unparalleled opportunities to engage with the global mining and exploration community and stay abreast of the latest trends and technologies driving the sector, thanks to its comprehensive programming. Forward Water is excited in the increased growth of our patented industrial forward osmosis (iFO™) technology in global markets, signaling increased acceptance of thermal evaporation technology replacement with iFO™. The ability to extract and deliver up to 95% clean water for process reuse and the concentrating of critical minerals such as lithium >20X have been the main drivers in our market growth, while the ability of iFO™ to be operated with alternative energy sources such as geothermal and solar thermal has aided in our growth as well. Mr. Grant Thornley, Vice President of Engineering Solutions commented, "Participating in PDAC is a great opportunity for us in learning and discussing the needs and challenges of the DLE and mining markets and how we can deliver solutions to them".
About Forward Water Technologies Corp.
Forward Water Technologies Corp. is a publicly traded Canadian company dedicated to saving the earth's water supply using its patented Industrial Forward Osmosis (iFO™) technology. The Company was founded by GreenCentre Canada, a leading technology innovation centre supported by the government of Canada. The Company's technology enables the extraction of clean water from challenging process and waste streams that conventional technologies can not be operated on. Due to its high-water extraction ability, iFO™ is used in DLE processes for the hyper-concentrating of lithium prior to conversion. The Company's mandate is to focus on the large-scale implementation of its technology in multiple sectors, including industrial wastewater, oil and gas, mining, agriculture and ultimately municipal water supply and re-use market sectors.
For more information, please visit www.forwardwater.com.
About PDAC
The PDAC is the world's premier mineral exploration and mining convention for people, governments, companies, and organizations within the mineral exploration industry. The convention takes place annually in Toronto and was first founded in 1932, it is currently the largest mining and exploration event in Canada. The show attracts exhibitors from all over the world with an international reputation for its networking, deal-making and discussion of current issues, trends and technologies shaping the industry today. For more information, please visit www.pdac.ca/convention.
Contact Information
For more information or interview requests, please contact:
C. Howie Honeyman - Chief Executive Officer
howie.honeyman@forwardwater.com
519-333-5888
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws including statements regarding expansion and uptake of the Company's technology and the ability for the Company to achieve its growth strategy and business plan. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, the ability to scale the technology and the adoption of the technology by potential customers.
Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; unanticipated operating events; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
SOURCE: Forward Water Technologies Corp.
View the original press release on accesswire.com
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
Forward Water Technologies Announces Fiscal Year Q3, 2024 Financial Results
Forward Water Technologies Corp. (TSXV:FWTC) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has filed its condensed consolidated audited financial statements and related management's discussion and analysis for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2023. Copies of these financial statements and related management's discussion and analysis can be found on the Company's issuer profile at www.sedarplus.ca. All financial information in this news release is reported in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated
Operating Highlights and Recent Corporate Developments
- On October 5, 2023, the Company issued a total of 452,000 common shares with a deemed value of $22,600 in settlement of compensation to AGORA Internet Relations Corp., for certain advertising services provided to the Company.
- On October 23, 2023, the Company completed a non-brokered private placement of 9,240,000 units at a price of $0.05 per unit for gross proceeds of $462,000. Each unit consisted of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant. Each common share purchase warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.075 per share at any time on or before October 20, 2026.
- In December 2021, the Company began the building of a mobile demonstration unit which can be placed on a customer's site to allow for a longer term (6-8 month) performance of the FO technology at industrial throughput that is not achievable in a laboratory setting. This revenue-generating unit was completed in November, 2023 and is now available to be used by or sell to our customers.
- On January 11, 2024, the Company announced that it has been contracted by CleanTech Lithium PLC to provide advisory services for the support and development of their Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE") processes in Chile.
- On January 16, 2024, the Company issued a total of 452,000 common shares with a deemed value of $22,600 in settlement of compensation to AGORA Internet Relations Corp. for certain advertising services provided to the Company.
Management Commentary
"Over the last quarter we have been pleased with the response from investors to the non-brokered private placement and we continue to pursue further financing initiatives to ensure support of all commercial activities. As important, we continue to provide guidance in the water treatment needs for our clients especially in the lithium resource sector which is vital to sustainable energy management."
Summary of Financial Results
Income Statement
Balance Sheet
Statement of Cash Flows
About Forward Water Technologies Corp.
Forward Water Technologies Corp. is a publicly traded Canadian company dedicated to saving the earth's water supply using its patented Forward Osmosis technology. The Company was founded by GreenCentre Canada, a leading technology innovation centre supported by the government of Canada. The Company's technology allows for the reduction of challenging waste streams simultaneously returning fresh water for re-use or surface release. The Company's mandate is to focus on the large-scale implementation of its technology in multiple sectors, including industrial wastewater, oil and gas, mining, agriculture and ultimately municipal water supply and re-use market sectors. In addition, the Company has initiated early stage R&D for the treatment of food and beverage process streams.
For more information, please visit www.forwardwater.com.
Contact Information
For more information or interview requests, please contact:
C. Howie Honeyman - Chief Executive Officer
howie.honeyman@forwardwater.com
(519) 333-5888
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws including statements regarding financing initiatives, expansion and uptake of the Company's technology and the ability for the Company to achieve its growth strategy and business plan. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, the ability to scale the technology and the adoption of the technology by potential customers.
Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; unanticipated operating events; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
SOURCE: Forward Water Technologies Corp.
View the original press release on accesswire.com
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
Forward Water Technologies Chosen to Advise CleanTech Lithium on Development of Lithium Extraction Process
Forward Water Technologies Corp (TSXV:FWTC) ("Forward Water Technologies" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has been contracted by CleanTech Lithium PLC ("CleanTech Lithium") to provide advisory services for the support and development of CleanTech Lithium's Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) processes in Chile, this agreement was signed December 31st, 2023
CleanTech Lithium is a pioneering company in the field of lithium extraction from brine, with a focus on sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. The DLE process targeted by CleanTech Lithium aims to revolutionize the lithium extraction industry by efficiently isolating and converting lithium brine into high-purity, battery-grade lithium carbonate, a critical component in the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
As part of the agreement, Forward Water Technologies will leverage its expertise in water treatment and process optimization to advise and support CleanTech Lithium on the design, and implementation of water treatment solutions within their DLE processes.
"We are excited to partner with CleanTech Lithium and contribute our technical knowledge and experience to the development of their innovative DLE processes," said Grant Thornley, Director Engineering Solutions of Forward Water Technologies "This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to the development and delivery of sustainable solutions for critical mineral extraction and underscores the importance of water management in the lithium production supply chain." said C. Howie Honeyman, CEO of Forward Water Technologies.
Forward Water Technologies and CleanTech Lithium are committed to advancing sustainable practices in the lithium extraction industry and are achieving significant milestones in the development of DLE processes.
About CleanTech Lithium
CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL),(Frankfurt:T2N),(OTCQX:CTLHF) is an exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition. Committed to net-zero, CleanTech Lithium's mission is to produce material quantities of battery grade lithium using Direct Lithium Extraction technology, powered by renewable energy. CleanTech Lithium plans to be a leading supplier of 'green' lithium to the EV and battery manufacturing market.
For further information, please visit www.ctlithium.com
About Forward Water Technologies Corp.
Forward Water Technologies (TSXV:FWTC) is a publicly traded Canadian company dedicated to saving the earth's water supply using its patented Forward Osmosis technology. The Company was founded by GreenCentre Canada, a leading technology innovation centre supported by the government of Canada. The Company's technology allows for the reduction of challenging waste streams simultaneously returning fresh water for re-use or surface release. The Company's mandate is to focus on the large-scale implementation of its technology in multiple sectors, including industrial wastewater, oil and gas, DLE, mining, agriculture and ultimately municipal water supply and re-use market sectors. In addition, the Company has initiated early-stage R&D for the treatment of food and beverage process streams.
For more information, please visit www.forwardwater.com.
For more information or interview requests, please contact:
C. Howie Honeyman - Chief Executive Officer
howie.honeyman@forwardwater.com
519 333 5888
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws including statements regarding the the ability for the Company to achieve its growth strategy and business plan. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, the ability to scale the technology and the adoption of the technology by potential customers. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; unanticipated operating events; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
SOURCE:Forward Water Technologies Corp.
View the original press release on accesswire.com
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
CORRECTION: Forward Water Technologies Announces Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Results
Correction of all tables in the Summary of Financial Results
Forward Water Technologies Corp. (TSXV:FWTC) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has filed its condensed consolidated audited financial statements and related management's discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended September 30, 2023. Copies of these financial statements and related management's discussion and analysis can be found on the Company's issuer profile at www.sedar.com. All financial information in this news release is reported in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated
Operating Highlights and Recent Corporate Developments
- On July 4, 2023, the Company issued a total of 410,909 common shares in settlement of compensation to AGORA for certain advertising services provided to the Company.
- On July 25, 2023, the Company announced that it had signed a Heads of Agreement for the potential lease- to-own of the Forward Osmosis ("FO") equipment with a leading developer of battery grade lithium sourced from aquifers using direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology.
- On August 31, 2023, the Company announced that it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent with Alborg CSP to access their flat panel and parabolic solar thermal solution offerings for integration into the Company's FO technology systems, specific to direct lithium extraction applications and where the use of solar thermal integration provides beneficial use to the client.
- On October 5, 2023, the Company issued a total of 452,000 common shares in the amount of $22,600 in settlement of compensation to AGORA Internet Relations Corp., for certain advertising services provided to the Company.
- On October 23, 2023, the Company completed a non-brokered private placement of 9,240,000 units at a price of $0.05 per unit for gross proceeds of $462,000. Each unit consisted of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant. Each common share purchase warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.075 per share at any time on or before October 20, 2026.
- On October 31, 2023, the Company announced a brokered private placement (the "Offering") of a minimum of 20,000,000 units ("Units") and a maximum of 40,000,000 Units, on a commercially reasonable efforts agency basis, at a price of $0.05 per Unit (the "Issue Price") for gross proceeds of between $1 million to $2 million. The Offering may consist of up to 26,525,774 units issued pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption available under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106") for maximum gross proceeds of $1,326,288.70 (the "LIFE Offering").
- In addition, the Company is proposing to complete, concurrent with the LIFE Offering, a brokered private placement of up to 40,000,000 Units on the same terms as the LIFE Offering, for gross proceeds of up to $2,000,000 (the "Concurrent Private Placement"). The Units sold under the Concurrent Private Placement will be sold pursuant to applicable exemptions under NI 45-106 other than the listed issuer financing exemption.
- In no case will the aggregate amount raised under the LIFE Offering and Concurrent Private Placement be more than $2,000,000 and no more than $1,326,288.70 will be raised though the sale of Units under the LIFE Offering. The closing of the LIFE Offering is conditional upon the raising of at least $1,000,000 in gross proceeds under the LIFE Offering and Concurrent Private Placement.
- Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Share") and one Share purchase warrant of the Company (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one Share (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.075 per Warrant Share at any time on or before the date which is 36 months after the issuance of the Warrant, subject to adjustment in certain events.
- In December 2021, the Company began the building of a mobile demonstration unit which can be placed on a customer's site to allow for a longer term (6-8 month) performance of the FO technology at industrial throughput that is not achievable in a laboratory setting. This revenue-generating unit was completed in November, 2023 and is now available to be used by our customers.
Management Commentary
"We are pleased with the strong commercial groundwork that has been accomplished in the last quarter and by using this foundation, FWTC expects to complete several of the commercial opportunities it has developed."
Summary of Financial Results
Income Statement
Balance Sheet
Statement of Cash Flows
About Forward Water Technologies Corp.
Forward Water Technologies Corp. is a publicly traded Canadian company dedicated to saving the earth's water supply using its patented Forward Osmosis technology. The Company was founded by GreenCentre Canada, a leading technology innovation centre supported by the government of Canada. The Company's technology allows for the reduction of challenging waste streams simultaneously returning fresh water for re-use or surface release. The Company's mandate is to focus on the large-scale implementation of its technology in multiple sectors, including industrial wastewater, oil and gas, mining, agriculture and ultimately municipal water supply and re-use market sectors. In addition, the Company has initiated early stage R&D for the treatment of food and beverage process streams.
For more information, please visit www.forwardwater.com.
Contact Information
For more information or interview requests, please contact:
C. Howie Honeyman - Chief Executive Officer
howie.honeyman@forwardwater.com
416-451-8155
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws including statements regarding expansion and uptake of the Company's technology and the ability for the Company to achieve its growth strategy and business plan. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, the ability to scale the technology and the adoption of the technology by potential customers.
Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; unanticipated operating events; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
SOURCE: Forward Water Technologies Corp.
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Appendix 4C
Carbonxt Group Ltd (ASX:CG1) (“Carbonxt” or “the Company”) has released its Quarterly Cash Flow Report.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Carbonxt Group, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Carbonxt Group Limited – March 2024 Quarterly Update
Carbonxt Group Ltd (ASX:CG1) (“Carbonxt” or “the Company”) has released its Appendix 4C Report for the March 2024 Quarter and provides the following update on the key areas of activity for the period -- all numbers are in A$.
Highlights
- Customer receipts for the March quarter were $3.6m – an increase of 8% on the prior quarter.
- Sales of Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) were consistent q/q and up 56% on the prior comparative period due to increased sales in non-coal fired power station channels. This outcome has been a deliberate effort of the Company to improve manufacturing efficiencies and increase gross margins.
- Sales of Activated Carbon Pellets (ACP) were up 37% on the prior quarter.
- Construction of the flagship Activated Carbon production facility in Kentucky, USA is now focused on commissioning activities, with operations expected to commence early in Q3 CY2024.
- Post quarter-end, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an important update on PFAS regulation, with the introduction of legally enforceable rules that limit PFAS levels to 4 parts per trillion (ppt) in US drinking water.
Carbonxt is a cleantech company that develops and manufactures environmental technologies to maintain compliance with air and water emission requirements and to remove harmful pollutants. The Company’s primary operations are in the US and include a significant R&D focus as well as manufacturing plants for activated carbon pellets and powder activated carbon. Carbonxt continues to expand its pellet product portfolio to address numerous industrial applications.
Managing Director Warren Murphy commented: “The March quarter marked another busy period for Carbonxt’s US team, as final construction activity at the flagship Kentucky facility approaches completion ahead of commissioning and first production. The new facility will provide the Company with a significantly expanded production capacity for Activated Carbon products in both granular and pellet form, marking an important step forward as part of our commitment to play a key role in the provision of market-ready products to improve the quality of US water supplies. The industry continues to enjoy strong policy and regulatory support at the federal government level, highlighted by the latest EPA announcement confirming the new legally enforceable standard for PFAS levels in US drinking water. We look forward to providing consistent updates on Kentucky in the June quarter as final construction works are completed ahead of the commencement of full production operations which are scheduled for early in the September quarter.”
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Carbonxt Group, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Cleantech Market Update: Q1 2024 in Review
The first quarter of 2024 brought a robust performance from the stock market, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) achieving a notable 10 percent gain — its largest Q1 advance since 2019.
Investor confidence during this period appeared to be buoyed by expectations that the US Federal Reserve will lower interest rates this year. However, reports on gross domestic product, job growth and consumer pricing indicate inflation may be persistent, contributing to Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s cautious approach to lowering interest rates.
On the cleantech side, BloombergNEF reported that clean energy investment surged 17 percent last year, and the industry’s performance in Q1 demonstrates its resilience and adaptability amid evolving economic conditions and a heightened focus on sustainability. Notably, a Ceres report from the end of March shows that a record number of climate-related shareholder resolutions had been filed in 2024 for the annual meetings of companies in North America.
“In Q1 of 2024 we saw more of the ‘new normal’ in venture and growth investing — following the explosive years of financing during the pandemic, equity financing levels have essentially leveled out, but have settled at average levels higher than the averages pre-pandemic,” said Anthony DeOrsey, research team lead at Cleantech Group.
He told the Investing News Network (INN) that the period brought investment growth in hard-to-abate sectors such as green steel and cement, and said Q1 was a successful venture quarter in hydrogen production technologies. Additionally, the year's first quarter was marked by decreased levels of investment activity in the Asia Pacific region compared to 2023, when China was the biggest market for cleantech spending, as well as growth in the European market.
At a global level, the discussions and agreements at COP28 late last year highlighted the importance of addressing climate change through a swift and just transition to renewable, sustainable energy sources. This urgency provided a backdrop for evaluating the performance of the cleantech industry in 2024's first quarter.
What trends impacted cleantech in Q1?
US supports cleantech sector with funds and policies
Government investment is key for the cleantech industry to thrive and innovate, and in February, the US Department of Energy announced it would invest US$100 million to support pilot projects and testing facilities focused on carbon dioxide (CO2) removal technologies. This funding is part of the Carbon Negative Shot Initiative, which aims to reduce the cost of capturing and storing CO2 from the atmosphere to less than US$100 per net metric ton by 2032.
The Biden administration also demonstrated its commitment to addressing climate change by allocating US$6 billion to fund 33 projects focused on decarbonizing energy-intensive industries, such as aluminum and other metals mining, cement and concrete production and iron and steel operations. The project is part of the government's Investing in American Agenda, with funding coming from the Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.
According to a March press release, these efforts are expected to reduce the equivalent of over 14 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually, comparable to the emissions of 3 million gasoline-powered cars.
Also in March, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a new rule to limit tailpipe emissions on light-duty and medium-duty vehicles starting in 2027. This rule, which the Biden administration has called the “strongest ever” of its kind, is part of the Investing in America Agenda and is funded by the Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.
Steel and cement industries getting greener
Cement and steel are two of the most-produced materials globally, and are among the world's top sources of CO2 emissions. Now, however, efforts are being made to make these markets greener.
“These traditionally hard-to-abate sectors now have enough of a slate of innovative solutions to start charting a path forward to decarbonization,” DeOrsey said about these industries.
“We are now at an interesting stage in which there are new green steel and cement production technologies that are entering the market (mostly through demonstration plants, but some at commercial scale) — a first 'tranche' of technologies is emerging while the more nascent technologies are seeing more venture support.”
Cleantech Group's take on the “tranches” of green steel and green cement development.
Chart via Cleantech Group.
For example, Brimstone received a US$189 million federal investment to build a new plant to deploy its decarbonized process for producing cement, and Sublime Systems was selected to receive US$87 million to accelerate the construction of a cement factory in Massachusetts. It will reduce carbon emissions by replacing limestone with calcium silicate, thereby producing industry-standard cement with electrochemical reactions instead of applying heat.
DeOrsey also mentioned Skyven Technologies, a California-based startup company that has received US$145 million to deploy steam-generating wind pumps to manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Overseas, H2 Green Steel and Boston Metal have recently made significant advancements in this area. Stockholm-based H2 Green Steel secured 6.5 billion euros to build the world’s first large-scale green steel plant in Europe, with contributions from institutional investors such as the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, Mubea and Siemens Financial Services, along with a 250 million euro grant from the EU Innovation Fund. Meanwhile, Boston Metal raised US$20 million in Series C2 funding from Marunouchi Innovation Partners, bringing the total to US$282 million, to expand its presence in Asia and further develop its platform for decarbonized steelmaking using molten oxide electrolysis.
EV market faces challenges and opportunities
The first quarter of 2024 saw notable developments in the electric vehicle (EV) industry unfold.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), facing backlash from investors after reporting Q1 sales figures that were 8.5 percent lower than the previous year, opened its North American Superchargers to Ford (NYSE:F) EVs. To improve profit margins, Tesla also chose to raise the price of its Model Y EVs by 2,000 euros in Europe and by US$1,000 in the US.
In China, EV sales growth has slowed in recent months. However, in March, Chinese EV manufacturer BYD (HKEX:1211) debuted an affordable EV model priced below US$10,000. It is currently not sold in the US, but reportedly has attracted attention from American carmakers. BYD has set an ambitious target to increase its annual sales by 20 percent, aiming to sell 3.6 million units in 2024. The company is aiming for half a million of those sales to be overseas.
Meanwhile, Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), made progress in the autonomous vehicle sector by securing approval to operate its self-driving cars at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour on highways and local streets in specific areas of Los Angeles and the Bay Area. For its part, newcomer Fisker (OTC Pink:FSRN), which launched its first EV in 2023, has encountered substantial difficulties, as demonstrated by the company’s decision to reduce the price of its Ocean SUV by 39 percent. The company was also forced to halt production, is facing a potential bankruptcy and was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange on April 22. These developments highlight the varied experiences and challenges faced by different players in the evolving EV and autonomous vehicle markets.
“An interesting pull-through effect of global EV rollout has been the opportunities it is creating for innovation and growth of new technologies in EV charging — Europe has seen consistent venture activity in this regard over the past few years,” said DeOrsey about trends he's noted in this part of the cleantech sector.
What factors will move the cleantech market in 2024?
Enhanced geothermal gaining steam
As the year continues, where should cleantech investors direct their attention?
“A space to watch is enhanced geothermal,” said DeOrsey. “Despite having significant potential to provide 24/7 firm clean power, challenging project economics have remained a barrier. New technologies in drilling and closed-loop systems have shown promise to better access the latent power potential in hot, dry rock geothermal deposits.”
Recent developments in this space include a US$17 million Series A funding round led by Chesapeake Energy (NASDAQ:CHK) to develop EarthStore, Sage Geosystems’ first commercial geopressured geothermal systems facility, in Houston in Q4 of this year. Also, geothermal energy startup Fervo Energy raised US$244 million in February to further operations at a project in Utah that is aiming to bring 400 megawatts of clean electricity to the grid by 2026.
Quaise Energy, identified by DeOrsey as another geothermal energy company to watch, raised US$21 million in a Series A1 funding round, with new investors Mitsubishi (TSE:8058) and Standard Investments joining Prelude Ventures and Safar Partners. Quaise is developing terawatt-scale geothermal energy by vaporizing rock with MIT-researched techniques that use millimeter-wave microwaves to dig deep geothermal wells.
Other cleantech developments to watch
As the EV market evolves, Tesla is facing a potentially difficult year, with analysts anticipating decreased sales. However, the success of emerging competitors like Xiaomi (HKEX:1810), whose debut of the SU7 model resulted in a 16 percent surge in share value, demonstrates that the EV landscape remains dynamic.
“The subsidies to Chinese EV manufacturers are very significant and (have) allowed for a rapid scaling of EV production and sales, both within China and Chinese-produced vehicles for export,” DeOrsey told INN.
“There is already a high 27.5 percent import tariff on Chinese-built vehicles in the US,” he continued. “The onus will now be on US manufacturers to slash costs through learning effects and use of technology."
In DeOrsey's view, western EV producers should look to leverage new technology in order to reduce expenses. While there are many variables at play, Cleantech Group sees innovation reducing cathode costs for batteries.
He is monitoring Ascend Elements’ US$162 million funding round, which will go toward the construction of North America’s first sustainable cathode precursor manufacturing facility, set to open in early 2025.
Aside from that, a recent partnership between Canada’s Heliene and Georgia-based Suniva marks an important development for US solar project developers, as it enables them to take advantage of a new federal subsidy offered under the Inflation Reduction Act. By joining forces, Heliene and Suniva will produce "Made in USA" solar panels, incorporating Suniva's US-made solar cells into Heliene's US-made solar modules.
Finally, if GE Verona (NYSE:GEV), a spinoff of General Electric (NYSE:GE) that encompasses GE Renewable Energy, GE Power and GE Digital, continues to demonstrate a strong performance on the New York Stock Exchange, it could serve as an indicator of investor confidence in the renewable energy and power sectors.
Investor takeaway
As the world increasingly embraces cleantech, investors can strategically allocate their resources by staying informed on recent and emerging trends, policies and partnerships that are shaping the renewable energy landscape.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Technology or real time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
Tesla Delivers Highly Anticipated Q1 Results, Musk Promises Cheaper EVs
All eyes were on Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), a key player in the electric vehicle (EV) market, as investors awaited the much-anticipated release of its Q1 2024 results on Tuesday (April 23).
Despite its prosperous past, Tesla has experienced a significant shift in its fortunes over the past year. It has struggled to maintain its position among the so-called Magnificent 7, a group of high-performing tech stocks that drove the major indexes in 2023.
Amid decreased demand for EVs, increased competition within the sector and a string of controversies that have followed the company and CEO Elon Musk throughout the years, Tesla’s share price has fallen 41.79 percent in 2024, making it one of the worst-performing stocks on the S&P 500.
After Tesla’s Q4 2023 results, released on January 24, confidence in the company seems to be declining. Figures reflected a 23 percent decline in gross profits and an 8 percent decrease in vehicle deliveries compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, Chinese automaker BYD (HK.1211)achieved a record profit last year, reinforcing the notion that a growing number of formidable contenders are now challenging Tesla’s once-uncontested dominance in the EV market.
Chinese multinational tech company Xiaomi (HK.1810) recently ventured into the EV market with the launch of its model, the SU7. Xiaomi's share price surged as much as 16 percent in the days after the launch, and the company recently announced that sales are up to five times higher than expected.
Perhaps in response to competition and declining profits, Tesla has implemented price cuts on several of its models. On April 19, the company cut the price of the Model Y, Model S and Model X by US$2,000 in the US. Cuts to models in parts of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and China were also reported on April 21.
Musk defended the price cuts as standard business practices in a post on X, formerly Twitter, saying, “Only a fool thinks the ‘MSRP’ is the real price. Tesla prices must change frequently in order to match production with demand.” The company also announced plans to lay off 10 percent of its workforce on April 15, news that sent shares down more than 5 percent.
Musk has been delving into various other ventures in recent years such as artificial intelligence research through his startup xAI; biotechnology with Neuralink, which achieved a significant milestone by implanting its first brain chip on January 28; and space exploration with Space X, which carried out its longest test flight on March 15 and launched 23 Starlink satellites from Florida’s Space Coast on April 23, marking the company’s 300th mission.
Tesla itself seems to have shifted its focus from vehicle production to perfecting technology to enable fully autonomous driving. On April 6, Musk posted to X that "Tesla is an AI/robotics and sustainable energy company," notably emphasizing AI and robotics first.
On April 5, Reuters reported that Tesla had called off the development of a US$10,000 EV model to narrow its focus to delivering a fully autonomous robotaxi. Musk has been promising to deliver an affordable EV for years, and shares fell by 6 percent once Reuters broke the news that the plan had been scrapped, a claim that Musk denied. Hours later, Musk announced his company’s robotaxi would be unveiled on August 8, sending shares back up almost 5 percent.
Analysts have raised concerns about the company’s new trajectory. Dan Ives, managing director and senior equity research analyst at Wedbush Securities and a Tesla investor since 2018, called out the company’s perceived lack of direction in a research note on April 12. “The future of Tesla is a bit murky now… Musk needs to give the clear road map and strategic vision for the Street, with Model 2 a key component,” he wrote.
On April 18, Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Rosner said: "The delay of Model 2 efforts creates the risk of no new vehicle in Tesla's consumer lineup for the foreseeable future, which would put downward pressure on its volume and pricing for many more years." The brokerage downgraded Tesla stock to a “hold” and reduced its price target from US$189 to US$123. Shares then fell 2.7 percent to US$151.26, their lowest price in over a year.
Likewise, David Baron told Bloomberg the potential 680 percent growth his company Baron Capital, a major Tesla investor, sees in the EV maker hinges on its ability to deliver an affordable car. Tesla makes up roughly 13 percent of the Baron Focused Growth Fund.
How did Tesla perform in Q1 2024?
Tesla’s Q1 2024 results were posted just after markets closed on April 23.
The company reported US$2.8 billion in capital expenditures, a 34 percent increase from last year, citing new cost-saving measures to “increase operational efficiency”. The company also expanded accessibility to its Full Self-Driving by reducing the cost of subscription to US$99 per month or US$8000 to purchase.
Total automotive revenue dropped 13 percent compared to last year, attributed to declining demand for EVs in favor of hybrid models and increasing competition within the EV market. Deliveries declined by 9 percent, as did total revenue, down to US$21.3 billion from US$23.3 billion. Non-GAAP earnings per share were US$0.45, slightly below Wall Street’s expectations of US$0.50. Operating expenses were up 37 percent from last year and 6 percent from Q3, but income from operations was 56 percent lower compared to last year and 43 percent lower compared to last quarter.
The company confirmed that it would be ramping up the development of autonomous driving technology but would also increase efforts to develop more affordable models. Development of the Model 2 appears to be going forward, with production set to start ahead of the previously projected mid-2025.
“We have sufficient liquidity to fund our product roadmap, long-term capacity expansion plans and other expenses. Furthermore, we will manage the business such that we maintain a strong balance sheet during this uncertain period,” wrote Musk, looking ahead to 2024.
The market responded favorably to the news, with shares jumping almost 8 percent roughly 10 minutes after the report’s release. The share price peaked at US$158.59 about an hour later, almost 10 percent higher than its closing price, before beginning a slight descent. As of writing, Tesla is trading for US$144.68.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Technology for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Frontier Shortlists Preferred Banks as Waroona Debt Financing Process Moves into Phase Two
Frontier Energy Limited (ASX: FHE; OTCQB: FRHYF) (Frontier or the Company) is pleased to provide an update on the Company’s funding strategy for the Stage One development of its Waroona Renewable Energy Project (Waroona Project).
HIGHLIGHTS
- Frontier has commenced Phase Two of the debt financing process, shortlisting preferred banks ahead of additional due diligence to enable submission of binding, credit approved terms
- The Company anticipates credit approved terms to be provided during the next 8 to 12 weeks, assuming successful completion of due diligence
- Phase One of the Debt Financing Process generated strong interest from Australian and international banks, confirming:
- Interest in providing senior debt financing which aligns with the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) assumptions1
- Acceptance of the selected original equipment manufacturers
- Key due diligence requirements and the proposed third-party service providers to undertake the work to meet those requirements
- Ability of potential financiers to meet the proposed timetable
- The DFS set out the maximum debt carrying capacity and included assumptions regarding amortisation periods and interest rates
- Targeted maximum debt carrying capacity in the DFS was between 65% to 70%, which equates to a debt facility of $200 million to $225 million
- The strategic equity investor process is ongoing, with NDAs in place with a number of Australian and international groups
CEO Adam Kiley commented: “Key to the initial phase of the debt financing process was confirmation of our major funding assumptions, which assumed gearing levels of between 65% to 70%, equating to between $200 million and $225 million, equipment selection, due diligence requirements and the funding timetable.
Confirmation of these key assumptions in such a short time frame is testament to the key attributes of the Waroona Project being well understood by financiers, predominately due to its simplicity and its executability as well the strong returns it delivers.
We have now moved into the second phase of the debt financing process and will be working closely with shortlisted banks towards credit approved terms and complete due diligence requirements in a timely manner.”
Shortlisting banks for debt financing
Following the release of the DFS for Stage One of the Waroona Project in late February, the Company commenced the Debt Financing Process to assist in meeting the funding required for development at the Waroona Project. Image 1 below provides an outline of the key outcomes and indicative timing for each phase of the process.
Image 1: Waroona Project – Debt Financing Process and indicative timing
As highlighted above, Phase One of the Debt Financing Process involved the Company’s debt advisor, Leeuwin Capital Partners, seeking expressions of interest from financial institutions to participate in the Debt Process.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Frontier Energy, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Procurement and EPC Contract Nearing Conclusion as Peak Energy Prices Hit Record Highs
Frontier Energy Limited (ASX: FHE; OTCQB: FRHYF) (Frontier or the Company) is pleased to provide an update regarding the procurement of key long lead items as well as advancing towards selecting an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor as part of the Company’s Waroona Renewable Energy Project (Project), located 120km south-west of Perth in Western Australia.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Procurement of key long lead items including battery, photovoltaic panels and inverters has advanced with final equipment selection and contract negotiations to be concluded during the current June quarter
- Capital cost estimates for long lead items have been in-line with, or lower than, the estimates outlined in the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS)1
- Only tier one global suppliers have been included in the procurement process
- No delay in the delivery of key long lead items has been identified through the procurement process
- Expressions of interest by a number of highly regarded EPC contractors have been received
- Shortlisting of preferred parties will commence in the coming weeks
- A significant increase in peak energy prices (4pm – 9pm) occurred during the March quarter, increasing by 65% to $172/MWh compared to the previous year
- Western Australia peak demand reached a new record of 4.23GW in February 2024, and exceeded the record peak six times during the March quarter
- The Company’s strategy of storing solar energy generated during low price periods in the morning through to midday and dispatching this energy during the afternoon / evening peak, is aligned with a more volatile market
CEO Adam Kiley commented: “A key risk for any project is an escalation in capital costs through the procurement process. It’s pleasing that cost estimates for all major long lead items have either been in line with expectations or, in most cases, actually fallen.
Only tier one suppliers have been invited to tender. Good quality equipment supplied by reputable suppliers helps us ensure the facility will start-up and operate as expected and importantly will be reliable.
In addition, the Company is also quickly progressing our funding strategy, as both the debt financing and the potential strategic divestment process well advanced. The Company will provide a more detailed update regarding both processes in the coming weeks.”
Procurement process for key long lead items indicates a fall in estimated capital costs
As part of the financing process a key requirement is to ensure a high level of certainty with capital cost estimates. The Company can ensure this by locking in prices for key long lead items with reputable providers. This will ensure minimal risk / price movement in total capital cost estimates, while also ensuring only high-quality equipment is supplied.
The Company therefore issued a request for tender for solar panels, battery energy storage system and inverters, to a select number of trusted global providers. The combined cost of this equipment accounts for ~50% of the total project capex.
The Company has received proposals from the tender process, including updated pricing. All pricing from suppliers has either been in line with or lower than capital cost estimates in the DFS. In addition, all suppliers have indicated they can supply equipment within the specified schedule.
The Company anticipates finalising this procurement process in the coming months.
EPC process advancing towards shortlisting of preferred parties
For the development of Stage One, the EPC contractor will be responsible for integrating key equipment and delivering a complete and operable facility that will be required to pass a performance test prior to handover. Frontier will be responsible for the purchase of the equipment to be supplied to the EPC contractor.
An expression of interest process was used to identify potential EPC contractors. The Company received strong interest from multiple highly regarded and experienced contractors that have a history of developing and delivering industrial scale solar farms and other renewable energy assets.
The Company is currently assessing these proposals to ensure they have the appropriate experience, safety record, and balance sheet to execute the works.
Following this process, the Company plans to issue the tender documents to the pre-qualified contractors, receive and evaluate the submissions. The Company aims to have the EPC contract ready for execution by mid-2024.
This article includes content from Frontier Energy, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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