Note 6 – Debt
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
Convertible Notes Payable (2009 Offering), net of discount of $-0- at June 30,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2012 and December 31, 2011, which are made up of various individual notes with
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
an aggregate face value of $254,738 and $279,738 at June 30, 2012 and December 31,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2011, respectively, due in one year from date of note, interest at 6.0%
|
|
$
|
254,738
|
|
|
$
|
279,738
|
|
Convertible Notes Payable (11/10 Offering), net of discount of $-0- at June 30, 2012
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and December 31, 2011, which are made up of various individual notes with an
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
aggregate face value of $1,822,584 and $1,884,865 at June 30, 2012 and December
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31, 2011, respectively, due in one year from date of note, interest at 6.0%
|
|
|
1,822,584
|
|
|
|
1,884,865
|
|
Convertible Notes Payable (5/12 Offering), net of discount of $-0- at June 30, 2012
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and December 31, 2011, which are made up of various individual notes with an
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
aggregate face value of $150,000 and $-0- at June 30, 2012 and December
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31, 2011, respectively, due 18 months from date of note, interest at 6.0%
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
CMS Acquisition, LLC Note Payable, net of discount of $-0- at June 30, 2012 and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, 2011, with a face value of $77,696 at June 30, 2012 and December
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31, 2011, due on October 27, 2012, interest at 10.0%
|
|
|
77,696
|
|
|
|
77,696
|
|
Total debt
|
|
|
2,305,018
|
|
|
|
2,242,299
|
|
Current maturities
|
|
|
(2,155,018
|
)
|
|
|
(2,242,299
|
)
|
Long-term portion, less current maturities
|
|
$
|
150,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Convertible Notes Payable
Since September 2008, the Company has conducted five offerings of units comprised of a convertible promissory note and a warrant having the terms set forth below:
Offering
|
|
Note Interest Rate
|
|
Note Conversion Price
|
|
Warrant Exercise Price
|
|
Term
|
|
Closed or Open
|
2008 Offering
|
|
6.0%
|
|
$0.25
|
|
$0.45
|
|
One-year
|
|
Closed
|
2009 Offering
|
|
6.0%
|
|
$0.08
|
|
$0.30
|
|
One-year
|
|
Closed
|
6/10 Offering
|
|
12.0%
|
|
$0.08
|
|
$0.30
|
|
One-year
|
|
Closed
|
11/10 Offering
|
|
6.0%
|
|
$0.06
|
|
$0.30
|
|
One-year
|
|
Closed
|
5/12 Offering
|
|
6.0%
|
|
$0.10
|
|
$0.35
|
|
18 months
|
|
Open
|
Each note may be converted, at the note holder’s option, at any time during the term of the note or prior to the closing of any Qualifying Equity Financing (minimum capital received of $5 million), into shares of Common Stock at the conversion price noted above. All notes have been recorded as debt (notes payable) in the financial statements, net of discounts for the conversion and warrant features (except for the 11/10 and 5/12 Offerings which carried no discounts).
2008 Offering
- During September 2008, the Company commenced an offering of units and raised a total of $642,000 of investment proceeds through March 31, 2009. As of March 31, 2010, all of these notes had either been converted to shares of our common stock or exchanged into our 2009 Offering (resulting in new notes with a total face value of $539,829, which included the original principal and interest through the date of exchange).
2009 Offering
- During April 2009, the Company commenced an offering of units and raised a total of $1,198,500 of investment proceeds through August 2010. One note was converted to shares of Common Stock during the second quarter of 2009 and one note was converted to shares of Common Stock during the second quarter 2010. Beginning in March 2011, certain notes were exchanged into our 11/10 Offering. As a result, as of June 30, 2012, we had $254,738 face value of notes outstanding, which includes the exchanged notes from our 2008 Offering. All of these notes have matured. We are working with the remaining noteholders to either: repay the notes, refinance to our 11/10 Offering or convert the notes to shares of our Common Stock. See Subsequent Events footnote for further disclosure regarding our notes.
6/10 Offering
- During June 2010, the Company commenced an offering of units and raised a total of $75,000 of investment proceeds in one note. Upon maturity in June 2011, this note was exchanged into our 11/10 Offering. As a result, the balance due on this offering is $-0-.
11/10 Offering
- During November 2010, the Company commenced an offering of units and, as of June 30, 2012, had raised a total of $451,713 of investment proceeds. Three notes were converted to shares of common stock in 2011 and four in 2012. As of June 30, 2012, we had $1,822,584 face value of notes outstanding, which includes the exchanged notes from our 2009 Offering. See Subsequent Events footnote for further disclosure regarding our notes.
5/12 Offering
- During May 2012, the Company commenced an offering of units and, as of June 30, 2012, had raised a total of $150,000 of investment proceeds. See Subsequent Events footnote for further disclosure regarding our notes.
CMS Acquisition, LLC Note Payable
In September 2010, the Company issued a note in the amount of $100,000 (interest at 6.0% per annum through May 15, 2011 and 10.0% thereafter, and secured by a security interest in the PSC Patent) and issued warrants to purchase 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock at a price of $0.05 per share. The note is due the earlier of: (i) October 27, 2012 pursuant to an amendment on July 31, 2012 or (ii) the date on which $500,000 or more in the aggregate is raised by the Company in future offerings. The warrants are exercisable at any time for five years from the date of issuance or reissuance (November 7, 2011). The value of these warrants has been recorded as a contra-balance amount discount with the note and was amortized (interest expense) through February 28, 2011 (the original due date).
The discounts on all notes payable have been amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of each note. Amortization of the discounts (included in interest expense in the financial statements) is as follows:
|
|
Three months ended June 30,
|
|
|
Six months ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
2009 Offering
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
8,552
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
26,596
|
|
6/10 Offering
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
5,373
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
11,573
|
|
CMS Acquisition, LLC
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
3,492
|
|
Total amortization
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
13,925
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
41,661
|
|
Note 7 - Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)
In January 2011 and February 2011, the Company issued 350,805 and 416,667 shares of Common Stock ($0.06 per share), respectively, to investors upon their conversion of Convertible Notes.
In June and December 2011, separate notes receivable from a consultant matured and were not paid. The notes were originally issued in June and December 2009 to purchase shares of our common stock. As a result, 625,000 shares of restricted stock, issued at $0.12 per share, and 625,000 shares of restricted stock, issued at $0.06 per share, were forfeited and cancelled.
In July 2011, the Company issued 333,333 restricted shares of Common Stock ($0.06 per share) to a consultant in exchange for $20,000 owed in consulting fees to the consultant.
In August 2011, the Company issued 150,000 restricted shares of our Common Stock ($0.055 per share) to each of our non-management Directors (600,000 shares in the aggregate) in recognition of their additional service and assistance to the Company outside of their duties as a member of the Company’s board of directors.
In September 2011, the Company issued 200,000 restricted shares of our Common Stock ($0.05 per share) to a former employee as part of a final settlement agreement.
In December 2011, the Company issued 860,183 shares of Common Stock ($0.06 per share) to an investor upon the conversion of a Convertible Note.
In January 2012, the Company issued 83,333 shares of Common Stock ($0.06 per share) to an investor upon the conversion of a Convertible Note.
In April 2012, the Company issued 2,564,055 shares of Common Stock ($0.06 per share) to an investor upon the conversion of Convertible Notes.
In April 2012, the Company issued 78,592 restricted shares of Common Stock ($0.06 per share) in exchange for $4,715.55 related to certain accounts payable.
In June 2012, the Company issued 150,000 restricted shares of our Common Stock ($0.04 per share) to our newly elected non-management director. The director issued a promissory note to the Company in exchange for the stock purchase similar to the restricted share grants to all other newly elected directors.
Net Loss per share
– The Company calculates basic loss per share (“EPS”) and diluted EPS. EPS is computed as net loss divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS would reflect the potential dilution that could occur from common shares issuable through stock options, warrants and other convertible securities. As of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the Company had options, warrants and other convertible securities to purchase an aggregate of approximately 63 million and 62 million shares of our common stock, respectively, that were excluded from the calculation of diluted loss per share as their effects would have been anti-dilutive. Therefore, the Company only presents basic loss per share on the statement of operations.
Note 8 - Related Party Transactions
The Company has entered into stock purchase agreements with the executive officers and certain members of the Board of Directors. The executive officers and directors issued notes to the Company in exchange for their stock purchases. These notes and accumulated interest are recorded as notes receivable in Stockholders’ Deficit.
The Company had engaged the law firm of Sauerwein, Simon and Blanchard (“SSB”) related to various issues including our reverse merger, our SB-2 registration statement, litigation matters and general business activity. A member of our board of directors is a partner of SSB. We no longer use SSB as legal counsel. As of June 30, 2012, all amounts have been paid to SSB except for approximately $90,000.
Beginning in 2009, the Company has provided advances to two employees – Ed Hennessey and Mike Kime. Mr. Kime resigned from his positions with the Company effective June 21, 2010. As of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the aggregate balances of advances totaled approximately $32,000 and $30,000, respectively. The balances are included in Prepaids and Other Current Assets on the Balance Sheet.
Four members of our Board of Directors, Dr. Jackson Nickerson, Mr. Jose Bared, Sr., David Bransby and James Russell are parties in investments made in our convertible note offerings. As of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the aggregate amount of these investments, including interest, is approximately $820,000 and $650,000, respectively. Dr. Nickerson has agreed to exchange all of his notes into our 11/10 Offering, except one for $50,000. He has put the company on notice of his demand for payment and intent not to exchange this note. As of June 30, 2012, this note has not been repaid.
Note 9 – Share-based Payments
The Company recognizes share-based compensation expense for all share-based payment awards including
stock options and restricted stock issued to employees, directors and consultants and is measured at the grant date, based on the estimated fair value of the award, and is recognized as expense over the requisite service period. The Company has no awards with market or performance conditions.
In March 2007, the Company adopted the 2007 Stock Option Plan (“Stock Plan”) for its employees, directors and consultants, which includes an equity compensation plan for non-employee directors pursuant to which stock options and shares of restricted stock may be granted. The Company currently has reserved a maximum of 14,000,000 shares of common stock to be issued for stock options or restricted shares awarded under the Stock Plan.
In February 2011, the Company granted options under the Stock Plan to purchase an aggregate of 250,000 shares of Common Stock to consultants in which half vested immediately and half vested in February 2012, with an exercise price of $0.07. In March 2012, the Company granted options under the Stock Plan to purchase an aggregate of 250,000 shares of Common Stock to consultants in which half vested immediately and half vested in March 2013, with an exercise price of $0.04. As of June 30, 2012, none of these options were cancelled or expired and 375,000 of these options were vested.
In January 2011, the Company granted options under the Stock Plan to purchase an aggregate of 750,000 shares of Common Stock to an employee in which one-third vested immediately and the remaining options vest ratably in August 2011 and August 2012, with an exercise price of $0.05. As of June 30, 2012, none of these options were cancelled or expired and 500,000 of these options were vested.
In August 2011, the Company granted options under the Stock Plan to purchase an aggregate of 2,950,000 shares of Common Stock to employees in which one-third vest annually beginning in August 2012, with an exercise price of $0.055. As of June 30, 2012, none of these options were cancelled, expired or vested. Additionally, the Company issued 150,000 restricted shares of our Common Stock ($0.055 per share) to each of our non-management Directors (600,000 shares in the aggregate) in recognition of their additional service and assistance to the Company outside of their duties as a member of the Company’s board of directors.
In June 2012, the Company granted options under the Stock Plan to purchase 40,000 shares of Common Stock to our newly elected director in which one half vests annually beginning in June 2013, with an exercise price of $0.04. As of June 30, 2012, none of these options were cancelled, expired or vested.
The following table provides a summary of the Company's share-based expense:
|
|
Three months ended June 30,
|
|
|
Six months ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
Pre-tax compensation expense:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock options
|
|
$
|
4,871
|
|
|
$
|
10,860
|
|
|
$
|
9,824
|
|
|
$
|
25,253
|
|
Warrants
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Total expense
|
|
|
4,871
|
|
|
|
10,860
|
|
|
|
9,824
|
|
|
|
25,253
|
|
Tax benefit, net
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
After-tax compensation expense
|
|
$
|
4,871
|
|
|
$
|
10,860
|
|
|
$
|
9,824
|
|
|
$
|
25,253
|
|
Related to these grants, the Company will record future compensation expense of approximately $6,000 for the remaining six months of 2012. The potential tax benefit realizable for the anticipated tax deductions of the exercise of share-based payment arrangements totaled approximately $307,000 and $300,000 at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. However, due to the uncertainty that the tax benefits will be realized, these potential benefits were not recognized currently. As of June 30, 2012, there was approximately $15,000 of unrecognized compensation cost related to all current share-based payment arrangements, which will be recognized over a remaining period of approximately 2 years.
A summary of the Company's stock option activity and related information is set forth in the following table:
|
|
Shares Under Option
|
|
|
Weighted Average Exercise Price
|
|
|
Aggregate intrinsic value
|
Options outstanding at December 31, 2011
|
|
|
9,822,000
|
|
|
$
|
0.11
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Granted
|
|
|
290,000
|
|
|
$
|
0.04
|
|
|
|
|
Exercised
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forfeited
|
|
|
(120,000
|
)
|
|
$
|
0.07
|
|
|
|
|
Options outstanding at June 30, 2012
|
|
|
9,992,000
|
|
|
$
|
0.11
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options exercisable at June 30, 2012
|
|
|
6,267,000
|
|
|
$
|
0.13
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unvested Options at June 30, 2012
|
|
|
3,725,000
|
|
|
$
|
0.05
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
(1) The weighted-average exercise price at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 for all outstanding
and exercisable options was greater than the fair value of the Company's common stock on that
date, resulting in an aggregate intrinsic value of $-0-.
|
The following table summarizes information about the Company's issuances of restricted stock:
|
|
Restricted Shares Issued
|
|
|
Weighted Average Exercise Price
|
|
Balance as of December 31, 2011
|
|
|
1,470,000
|
|
|
$
|
0.10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Granted
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
|
|
0.04
|
|
Exercised
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forfeited
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance as of June 30, 2012
|
|
|
1,620,000
|
|
|
$
|
0.10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restricted stock vested at June 30, 2012
|
|
|
1,620,000
|
|
|
$
|
0.10
|
|
Note 10 – Commitments and Contingencies
Contingencies
As disclosed previously in Note 5 – Technology Licenses, in June 2011, Steve Vande Vegte, a shareholder in CES, filed a lawsuit against various parties, including the Company. The only Cause of Action against the Company is for Declaratory Relief seeking to avoid our March 2011 termination of the license to which Mr. Vande Vegte is not a party. On August 5, 2011, the Company filed a demurrer requesting that the court dismiss the case on the grounds that Mr. Vande Vegte lacks standing to pursue a claim concerning the license and that the claim raised in the complaint is not ripe. On December 8, 2011, the demurrer to dismiss Cleantech was granted. In October 2011, a Cross-Complaint was filed by Clean Conversion Technologies, Inc. (“CCT”) and Michael Failla v. Cleantech Biofuels, Inc. CCT is asking that the Company’s termination of the license agreement is void. The Company filed a motion to compel arbitration, which was denied. The Company has filed an appeal on the motion to compel arbitration. On January 30, 2012, CCT filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the Company and Mr. Vande Vegte alleging monopolistic and anti-competitive acts to conspire to completely eliminate competition in an emerging line of commerce known as PSC conversion, which is a patented process owned by Cleantech (the PSC technology). On March 26, 2012, the Company filed a motion to dismiss. The court has taken this motion to dismiss under submission.
We intend to vigorously defend our rights. In view of the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of litigation and claims, the Company often cannot predict the eventual outcome of the pending matters, the timing of the ultimate resolution of these matters, or the eventual loss, fines or penalties related to each pending matter. We believe that these matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, an adverse outcome could be material to the Company’s results of operations or cash flows for any particular reporting period.
Commitments
Lease –
The Company’s lease to rent approximately 1,800 square feet of office space for use as our corporate office, located at 7386 Pershing Ave. in St. Louis, Missouri has expired. We are currently in the process of extending this lease while occupying the space. Our monthly rent under the lease is $1,800 plus the cost of utilities.
Note 11 – Subsequent Events
In connection with our 5/12 Offering, which is still open, we have raised a total of $150,000 of investment proceeds as of August 1, 2012.
All of the promissory notes in our 2009 Offering and certain notes in our 11/10 Offering are now due. As of August 1, 2012, approximately $1.6 million is currently due, including interest. We are working with each remaining noteholder to exchange, convert or repay these promissory notes.
ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
From time to time, we make written or oral statements that are “forward-looking,” including statements contained in this report and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and in our reports to stockholders. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, provide a safe harbor for such forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans, objectives and other future events and circumstances are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “would,” “should” and similar expressions or negative expressions of these terms. Such statements are only predictions and, accordingly, are subject to substantial risks, uncertainties and assumptions.
Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements we make. We caution you that any forward-looking statement reflects only our belief at the time the statement is made. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee our future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Refer to our Risk Factors section of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2012, for a full description of factors we believe could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that we make. These factors include:
|
●
|
our ability to raise additional capital on favorable terms,
|
|
●
|
our ability to continue operating and to implement our business plan;
|
|
●
|
the commercial viability of our technologies,
|
|
●
|
our ability to maintain and enforce our exclusive rights to our technologies,
|
|
●
|
the demand for and production costs of various energy products made from our biomass,
|
|
●
|
competition from other alternative energy technologies, and
|
|
●
|
other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in our filings with the SEC.
|
Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it is not possible to foresee or identify all factors that could have a material and negative impact on our future performance. The forward-looking statements in this report are made on the basis of management’s assumptions and analyses as of the time the statements are made, in light of their experience and perception of historical conditions, expected future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate under the circumstances.
Company Overview
The following discussion of our Company Overview, Recent Developments and Plan of Operation should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes to the financial statements included elsewhere in this report. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that relate to future events or our future financial performance. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity or performance to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity or performance. These risks and other factors include, among others, those listed under “Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information.”
We are a development stage company focused on being a provider of: (i) cellulosic biomass derived from municipal solid waste, also known as MSW, as a feedstock for producing energy and other chemical products and (ii) recyclables (metals, plastics, glass) from the MSW.
We are the exclusive licensee in the United States and Canada of patented technology in the United States that we refer to as our Biomass Recovery Process that cleans and separates MSW and generates a clean, homogeneous biomass feedstock that we believe can be converted into various energy products. Our license permits us to use the biomass we derive from MSW to produce all energy products. In addition, we own the patent for a pressurized steam classification technology originally developed by the University of Alabama Huntsville that we refer to as our PSC technology. The PSC technology is the underlying technology upon which the Biomass Recovery Process was based. Prior to March 2011, we had licensed the PSC technology to Bio-Products International, Inc. (“Bio-Products”) pursuant to the terms of a settlement agreement we entered into with Bio-Products in March 2009, whereby, in addition to a customary mutual release, Bio-Products entered into a covenant not to sue whereby Bio-Products and its related parties agreed to permit us to use the Biomass Recovery Process technology worldwide, for any product that we desire and with no royalty due to Bio-Products.
We were originally incorporated in 1996 as Long Road Entertainment, Inc., and were formed to operate as a holding company for businesses in the theater, motion picture and entertainment industries. We ceased conducting that business in 2005 and were dormant until the fall of 2006, at which time our founder and then controlling stockholder decided to pursue the sale of the company. In anticipation of that sale, we changed our name to Alternative Ethanol Technologies, Inc.
On March 27, 2007, we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization in which we agreed to acquire SRS Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation that at that time was seeking to commercialize various technologies for the processing of waste materials into usable products. We consummated the merger on May 31, 2007 resulting in SRS Energy becoming our wholly-owned subsidiary. Effective August 2, 2007, we changed our name to CleanTech Biofuels, Inc.
We have no operating history as a producer of biomass feedstocks or any energy products and have not constructed any operating plants to date. We have not earned any revenues to date and our current capital and other existing resources are not sufficient to fund the implementation of our business plan or our required working capital. We will require substantial additional capital to implement our business plan and we may be unable to immediately obtain the capital required to continue operating.
Recent Developments
In July 2010, we entered into an agreement with Fiberight LLC (Fiberight) to move our test vessel (formerly in Kentucky) to Fiberight’s cellulosic ethanol pilot plant in Lawrenceville, Virginia. Fiberight is continuing to evaluate alternative technologies to provide feedstock for their process, which we expect they will complete during the second half of 2012. If and when installed, our vessel is expected to produce cellulosic biomass feedstock for Fiberight’s Targeted Fuel Extraction process. We expect such production should further validate our licensed Biomass Recovery Process. Additionally, we may have access to biomass produced at the Lawrenceville plant for delivery to other companies interested in testing it as feedstock in their conversion technologies.
In June 2011, we entered into a Confidential Disclosure and Sampling Agreement with Novozymes North America, Inc., a developer of industrial enzymes, microorganisms, and biopharmaceutical ingredients for conversion into a variety of energy and chemical products. In July 2011, we supplied a sample of our biomass product for testing in their enzymatic hydrolysis process. Some initial testing was completed during the 3
rd
Quarter of 2011. We expect further testing to occur upon securing the requisite financing.
In February 2012, we entered into a Confidentiality Agreement and Material Transfer Agreement with Sweetwater Energy, Inc., (“Sweetwater”) a renewable energy company with patent-pending technology to produce sugars from several types of biomass for use in the biofuel, biochemical and bioplastics markets. Cleantech has agreed and has coordinated with the facility in Coffs Harbor, Australia to ship 10 pounds of biomass produced at the Coffs Harbor facility to the Sweetwater lab for testing. The shipment arrived in May 2012. Sweetwater has completed their initial testing and we expect additional testing to occur on future samples upon securing our requisite funding.
All of the promissory notes in our 2009 Offering and certain notes in our 11/10 Offering are now due. As of August 1, 2012, approximately $1.6 million is currently due, including interest. We are working with each remaining noteholder to exchange, or convert, these promissory notes. There can be no assurance that we will reach agreements with any or all of these noteholders and we may be required to repay such amounts.
On September 22, 2010, we notified Bio-Products that it was in breach of the license agreement governing our license of the PSC technology to Bio-Products, which included removing the exclusivity of the license. We received a response from Bio-Products on November 5, 2010 disputing our claims. In February 2011, we became aware that Bio-Products affected a transfer of the license in violation of the license agreement. As a result, on March 21, 2011, we sent a notice of termination to Bio-Products and the transferee terminating the license agreement. In June 2011, Steve Vande Vegte, a shareholder in CES, filed a lawsuit against various parties, including the Company. The only Cause of Action against the Company is for Declaratory Relief seeking to void our March 2011 termination of the license to which Mr. Vande Vegte is not a party. On August 5, 2011, the Company filed a demurrer requesting that the court dismiss the case on the grounds that Mr. Vande Vegte lacks standing to pursue a claim concerning the license and that the claim raised in the complaint is not ripe. On December 8, 2011, the demurrer to dismiss Cleantech was granted. In October 2011, a Cross-Complaint was filed by Clean Conversion Technologies, Inc. (“CCT”) and Michael Failla asking that the Company’s termination of the sub-license agreement is void. The Company filed a motion to compel arbitration, which was denied. The Company has filed an appeal on the motion to compel arbitration.
Additionally, on January 30, 2012, CCT filed an anti-trust lawsuit alleging monopolistic and anti-competitive acts to conspire to completely eliminate competition in an emerging line of commerce known as PSC conversion, which is a patented process owned by Cleantech (the PSC technology). On March 26, 2012, the Company filed a motion to dismiss. The court has taken this motion to dismiss under submission. We intend to vigorously defend our rights.
In April 2012, the Company entered into an Engagement Letter with Bauhaus Capital Partners (“Bauhaus”) whereby Bauhaus will assist with financial advisory and business development services with the objective of raising funds from a private equity or strategic investment source for Company growth and development uses.
Beginning in May 2012, the Company commenced an offering of units comprised of a convertible promissory note and a warrant (our 5/12 Offering). As of August 1, 2012, the Company has received $150,000 in investment proceeds. Each convertible promissory note carries an 18-month term and a 6% interest rate. In addition, each note can be converted into shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), at $0.10 per share, at the Note holder’s option. Each note was issued with a warrant to purchase additional shares of Common Stock to provide 100% coverage of the Note at a price of $0.35 per share.
In May 2012, the Company entered into an Engagement Agreement with Fenton Engineering International (“Fenton”) whereby Fenton will provide the front-end engineering for the Company’s first operating commercial plant at an existing transfer station to process municipal solid waste into biomass and recyclables for conversion into renewable fuels, power and bio-based chemicals. This engineering phase will define the infrastructure required, locate utility tie-ins, locate existing and new structures, select materials handling equipment, develop an equipment arrangement and provide a cost estimate for the project.
Plan of Operation
The following discussion of our plan of operation should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes to the financial statements included elsewhere in this report. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that relate to future events or our future financial performance. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity or performance to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity or performance. These risks and other factors include, among others, those listed under “Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information.”
Our focus is to secure sufficient capital to fund our current working capital requirements and the construction of a commercial plant as described further in this section. We currently do not have sufficient capital to continue operations. All of our developments/projects require a significant amount of capital that we currently do not have. While we continue to aggressively pursue capital, we have not had recent success securing meaningful amounts of financing. As a result, we can provide no assurance that we will secure any capital in the immediate time frame required and the failure to do so will likely result in an inability to continue operations.
Our company was initially conceived as a fully-integrated producer of cellulosic ethanol from MSW. Based on our investigation and acquisition of new technologies and research and development of our existing technologies in 2008, we re-focused our business to the commercialization of our Biomass Recovery Process technology for cleaning and separating MSW into its component parts and initiated a plan to consolidate the ownership and/or rights to use intellectual property around this technology. The technology is currently in use by another operator in a commercial setting in Australia. As a result, we believe this technology is ready for commercial implementation in the United States and elsewhere. In furtherance of our new focus, we are currently in the process of raising capital to design and build a commercial biomass recovery plant to provide biomass feedstock for customer evaluation and trial purchases. Initially, the biomass feedstock output will be sold or provided to electric utilities, power and steam producers, and biofuel research firms for evaluation. In addition to this capital raise for plant development, the Company is also working towards licensing and/or developing potential commercial projects as they present themselves. All of our developments plan to focus on cleaning and separating MSW into its component parts in order to obtain: (i) a homogenous feedstock of cellulosic biomass for producing energy and other chemical products and (ii) recyclable products (metals, plastics).
Biomass Feedstock Production
The Company plans to design and build a commercial biomass recovery plant to provide biomass feedstock for customer evaluation and trial purchases. Initially, the biomass feedstock output will be sold or provided to electric utilities, power and steam producers, and biofuel and chemical research firms for evaluation. In addition to research and development, the Company is also working towards licensing and/or developing potential commercial projects.
We completed construction of a small test vessel in Kentucky and, beginning in April 2009, this vessel has processed approximately 12 tons of MSW into approximately 4-5 tons of biomass. We have provided the biomass produced during this testing phase to a number of fuel producers who continue to evaluate whether they can use our biomass as a feedstock for their technologies. In July 2010, we entered into an agreement with Fiberight to move this test vessel to Fiberight’s cellulosic ethanol pilot plant in Lawrenceville, Virginia. Fiberight is continuing to evaluate alternative technologies to provide feedstock for their process, which we expect they will complete during the second half of 2012. If and when installed, our vessel is expected to produce cellulosic biomass feedstock for Fiberight’s Targeted Fuel Extraction process. We expect such production should further validate our licensed Biomass Recovery Process. Additionally, we may have access to biomass produced at the Lawrenceville plant for delivery to other companies interested in testing it as feedstock in their conversion technologies.
We are also seeking to develop a plant in a major metropolitan area. We are working to develop one or more locations where waste collected would be processed using our technology and the biomass produced used to create heat and/or power.
In addition to the developments we are currently contemplating, other development opportunities are presented to us and we evaluate those potential developments. Upon operating a plant and after refining our know-how with respect to implementation of the technology, we intend to seek to partner with waste haulers, landfill owners and municipalities to implement the technology across the United States and internationally.
The further development of commercial plants and/or implementation of the licensing of our technology described above will require significant additional capital, which we currently do not have. We cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to raise this additional capital. While we anticipate that financing for the commercial biomass recovery plant and these other potential projects could also be provided in part via tax exempt bond financing or through the use of loan guarantees from local, state and federal authorities, we have not secured any such financing and there can be no assurance that we will be able to secure any such financing.
Bio-Fuel and Bio-Chemical Joint Testing/Research
As soon as we are able to process MSW into biomass through our future biomass recovery plant and/or in future commercial vessels, we plan to enter into joint research agreements with companies looking to process biomass in their system(s) for various types of energy and chemical production. This testing and research will provide possible revenue streams, projects and additional opportunities for use of our biomass.
In February 2012, we entered into a Confidentiality Agreement and Material Transfer Agreement with Sweetwater Energy, Inc., (“Sweetwater”) a renewable energy company with patent-pending technology to produce sugars from several types of biomass for use in the biofuel, biochemical and bioplastics markets. Cleantech has agreed and has coordinated with the facility in Coffs Harbor, Australia to ship 10 pounds of biomass produced at the Coffs Harbor facility to the Sweetwater lab for testing. The shipment arrived in May 2012. Sweetwater has completed their initial testing and we expect additional testing to occur on future samples upon securing our requisite funding.
In June 2011, we entered into a Confidential Disclosure and Sampling Agreement with Novozymes North America, Inc., a developer of industrial enzymes, microorganisms, and biopharmaceutical ingredients for conversion into a variety of energy and chemical products. In July 2011, we supplied a sample of our biomass product for testing in their enzymatic hydrolysis process. Some initial testing was completed during the 3
rd
Quarter of 2011. We expect further testing to occur upon securing the requisite financing.
New Technologies; Commercializing Existing Technologies
Because of our unique ability to produce a clean, homogenous biomass feedstock, we are frequently presented with the opportunity to partner with or acquire new technologies. In addition to developing our current technologies, we will continue to add technologies to our suite of solutions that complement our core operations. We believe that our current technologies and aspects of those in development will enable us to eventually expand our business to use organic material from other waste streams such as municipal bio-solids from waste water facilities and animal waste for fuel production.
To commercialize our technology, we intend to:
●
|
construct and operate a commercial plant that: (i) processes MSW into cellulosic biomass for conversion into energy or chemical products and (ii) separates recyclables (metals, plastics, glass) for single-stream recycling;
|
●
|
identify and partner with landfill owners, waste haulers and municipalities to identify locations suitable for our technology; and
|
●
|
pursue additional opportunities to implement our technology in commercial settings at transfer stations and landfills in our licensed territories.
|
Our ability to implement this strategy will depend on our ability to raise significant amounts of additional capital and to hire appropriate managers and staff. Our success will also depend on a variety of market forces and other developments beyond our control.
Results of Operations
The following tables set forth the amounts of expenses and changes in our consolidated statements of operations for the three months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011:
|
|
Three months ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
Change
|
|
General and administrative
|
|
$
|
94,191
|
|
|
$
|
97,481
|
|
|
$
|
(3,290
|
)
|
Professional fees
|
|
|
44,836
|
|
|
|
18,040
|
|
|
|
26,796
|
|
Research and development
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
Operating loss
|
|
|
189,027
|
|
|
|
115,521
|
|
|
|
73,506
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other expense (income):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
35,581
|
|
|
|
47,196
|
|
|
|
(11,615
|
)
|
Interest income
|
|
|
(2,243
|
)
|
|
|
3,958
|
|
|
|
(6,201
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Loss
|
|
$
|
222,365
|
|
|
$
|
166,675
|
|
|
$
|
55,690
|
|
Professional Fees
– The increase in 2012 is due to increased legal fees.
Research and Development
– The increase in 2012 is due to an engagement with an engineering firm to provide the front-end engineering for the Company’s first operating commercial plant at an existing transfer station.
Interest expense
– The decrease in 2012 is due to the fact that amortization of all discounts related to various notes was fully expensed by June 2011.
The following tables set forth the amounts of expenses and changes in our consolidated statements of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011:
|
|
Six months ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
Change
|
|
General and administrative
|
|
$
|
188,477
|
|
|
$
|
215,324
|
|
|
$
|
(26,847
|
)
|
Professional fees
|
|
|
90,489
|
|
|
|
61,304
|
|
|
|
29,185
|
|
Research and development
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
Operating loss
|
|
|
328,966
|
|
|
|
276,628
|
|
|
|
52,338
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
70,723
|
|
|
|
106,189
|
|
|
|
(35,466
|
)
|
Interest income
|
|
|
(4,469
|
)
|
|
|
126
|
|
|
|
(4,595
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Loss
|
|
$
|
395,220
|
|
|
$
|
382,943
|
|
|
$
|
12,277
|
|
General and administrative
– The decrease in 2012 is due primarily to a reduction in share-based compensation.
Professional Fees
– The increase in 2012 is due to increased legal fees.
Research and Development
– The increase in 2012 is due to an engagement with an engineering firm to provide the front-end engineering for the Company’s first operating commercial plant at an existing transfer station.
Interest expense
– The decrease in 2012 is due to the fact that amortization of all discounts related to various notes was fully expensed by June 2011.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As a development-stage company, we have no revenues and will be required to raise additional capital to in order to execute our business plan and commercialize our products. Beginning in September 2008 and as of August 1, 2012, we raised an aggregate of approximately $2.6 million, in separate offerings of units comprised of a convertible note and warrants. We are continuing to explore opportunities to raise cash through the issuance of these units and other financing opportunities. As of August 1, 2012, our current cash is not sufficient to fund our operations. Our liabilities are substantially greater than our current available funds. We are seeking additional financing through the sale of additional equity, various government funding opportunities and/or possibly through strategic alliances with larger energy or waste management companies. We have retained Bauhaus Capital Partners to assist with financial advisory and business development services with the objective of raising funds from a private equity or strategic investment source for Company growth and development uses. However, we may not be successful in securing additional capital. If we are not able to obtain additional financing in the immediate future, we will be required to delay our development until such financing becomes available and may be required to cease operations. Further, even assuming that we secure additional funds, we may never achieve profitability or positive cash flow. If we are not able to timely and successfully raise additional capital and/or achieve profitability or positive cash flow, we will not have sufficient capital resources to implement our business plan or to continue our operations.
Debt
Convertible Notes Payable
Since September 2008, the Company has conducted five offerings of units comprised of a convertible promissory note and a warrant having the terms set forth below:
Offering
|
|
Note Interest Rate
|
|
Note Conversion Price
|
|
Warrant Exercise Price
|
|
Term
|
|
Closed or Open
|
2008 Offering
|
|
6.0%
|
|
$0.25
|
|
$0.45
|
|
One-year
|
|
Closed
|
2009 Offering
|
|
6.0%
|
|
$0.08
|
|
$0.30
|
|
One-year
|
|
Closed
|
6/10 Offering
|
|
12.0%
|
|
$0.08
|
|
$0.30
|
|
One-year
|
|
Closed
|
11/10 Offering
|
|
6.0%
|
|
$0.06
|
|
$0.30
|
|
One-year
|
|
Closed
|
5/12 Offering
|
|
6.0%
|
|
$0.10
|
|
$0.35
|
|
18 months
|
|
Open
|
Each note may be converted, at the note holder’s option, at any time during the term of the note or prior to the closing of any “Qualifying Equity Financing (minimum capital received of $5 million) into shares of Common Stock at the conversion price noted above. All notes have been recorded as debt (notes payable) in the financial statements, net of discounts for the conversion and warrant features (except for the 11/10 and 5/12 Offerings which carried no discounts). The discounts have been amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of each note. Amortization of the discounts (included in interest expense in the financial statements) is as follows:
|
|
Three months ended June 30,
|
|
|
Six months ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
2009 Offering
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
8,552
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
26,596
|
|
6/10 Offering
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
5,373
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
11,573
|
|
CMS Acquisition, LLC
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
3,492
|
|
Total amortization
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
13,925
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
41,661
|
|
2008 Offering
- During September 2008, the Company commenced an offering of units and raised a total of $642,000 of investment proceeds through March 31, 2009. As of March 31, 2010, all of these notes had either been converted to shares of our common stock or exchanged into our 2009 Offering (resulting in new notes with a total face value of $539,829, which included the original principal and interest through the date of exchange).
2009 Offering
- During April 2009, the Company commenced an offering of units and raised a total of $1,198,500 of investment proceeds through August 2010. One note was converted to shares of Common Stock during the second quarter of 2009 and one note was converted to shares of Common Stock during the second quarter 2010. Beginning in March 2011, certain notes were exchanged into our 11/10 Offering. As a result, as of June 30, 2012, we had $254,738 face value of notes outstanding, which includes the exchanged notes from our 2008 Offering. All of these notes have matured. We are working with the remaining noteholders to either: repay the notes, refinance to our 11/10 Offering or convert the notes to shares of our Common Stock.
6/10 Offering
- During June 2010, the Company commenced an offering of units and raised a total of $75,000 of investment proceeds in one note. Upon maturity in June 2011, this note was exchanged into our 11/10 Offering. As a result, the balance due on this offering is $-0-.
11/10 Offering
- During November 2010, the Company commenced an offering of units, and as of June 30, 2012, had raised a total of $451,713 of investment proceeds. Three notes were converted to shares of common stock in 2011and four in 2012. As of June 30, 2012, we had $1,822,584 face value of notes outstanding, which includes the exchanged notes from our 2009 Offering.
5/12 Offering
- During May 2012, the Company commenced an offering of units and, as of June 30, 2012, had raised a total of $150,000 of investment proceeds.
CMS Acquisition, LLC Note Payable
In September 2010, the Company issued a note in the amount of $100,000 (interest at 6.0% per annum through May 15, 2011 and 10.0% thereafter and secured by a security interest in the PSC Patent) and issued warrants to purchase 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock at a price of $0.05 per share. The note is due the earlier of: (i) October 27, 2012 (extended from February 28, 2011 through various amendments) or (ii) the date on which $500,000 or more in the aggregate is raised by the Company in future offerings. The warrants are exercisable at any time for five years from the date of issuance or reissuance (November 7, 2011). The value of these warrants has been recorded as a contra-balance amount discount with the note and was amortized (interest expense) through the original due date of February 28, 2011.
Summary of Cash Flow Activity
|
|
Six months ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
Net cash used by operating activities
|
|
$
|
(169,644
|
)
|
|
$
|
(173,011
|
)
|
Net cash used by investing activities
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Net cash provided by financing activities
|
|
|
199,734
|
|
|
|
186,523
|
|
Net cash used by operating activities
During the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, cash used by operating activities was impacted primarily by increases in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities.
Net cash provided by financing activities
Net cash provided by financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, were primarily due to the issuance of notes payable for investment, net of payments on other notes payable in 2011.
Contractual Obligations and Commitments
In the table below, we set forth our obligations as of June 30, 2012. Some of the figures we include in this table are based on our estimates and assumptions about these obligations, including their durations, anticipated actions by third parties and other factors. The obligations we may pay in future periods may vary from those reflected in this table because of estimates or actions of third parties as disclosed in the notes to the table.
|
|
Payments due by Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
Less than 1 year
|
|
|
1 to 3 years
|
|
|
4 to 5 years
|
|
|
More than 5 years
|
|
Convertible Notes (1)
|
|
$
|
2,373,000
|
|
|
$
|
2,222,000
|
|
|
$
|
151,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
CMS Acquition Note (2)
|
|
|
88,000
|
|
|
|
88,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Operating Lease (3)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Total contractual obligations
|
|
$
|
2,461,000
|
|
|
$
|
2,310,000
|
|
|
$
|
151,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
(1) Amount represents value of principal amount of notes and estimates for interest. These notes are with various
individuals, carry one-year or 18-month terms and are convertible into shares of Common Stock at the noteholders
option. The first of these notes matured in April 2010. We are working with the noteholders to refinance their notes,
convert their notes into shares of Common Stock or repay the notes.
|
(2) Amount represents value of principal amount of note and interest and is secured by a security interest in the
PSC Patent. Final payment on this note is due October 27, 2012.
|
(3) The lease for our office space has expired and we are currently working on a new lease while we occupy the space.
|
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have no off-balance sheet arrangements.
Critical Accounting Policies
We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Certain accounting issues require management estimates and judgments for the preparation of financial statements. Our management periodically evaluates the estimates and judgments made. Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates as a result of different assumptions or conditions.
We believe that the estimates, assumptions and judgments relating to long-lived assets, convertible notes and warrants, fair-value measurement, share-based compensation and income tax matters have the greatest potential impact on our financial statements. Therefore, we consider these to be our critical accounting estimates. Our critical accounting policies and estimates are more fully described in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 29, 2012. Our critical accounting policies and estimate assumptions have not changed during the three months ended June 30, 2012.
ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Not applicable.
ITEM 4T. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
– We maintain a set of disclosure controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the Security and Exchange Commission’s rules and regulations. Disclosure controls are also designed with the objective of ensuring that this information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Our management does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will necessarily prevent all fraud and material error. Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance of achieving the objectives outlined above. Based on their most recent evaluation, our chief executive officer and chief financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective at that reasonable assurance level at June 30, 2012. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, including, but not limited to having two total employees (chief executive officer and chief financial officer), and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
– During the three months ended June 30, 2012, there were no material changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.