General
We focus on providing cleaner, lower carbon transportation fuels. We are North America's largest producer of advanced biofuels. We utilize a nationwide production, distribution and logistics system as part of an integrated value chain model designed to convert natural fats, oils and greases into advanced biofuels. During
2018
, we sold
649 million
total gallons of fuel (including fuel purchased from third parties for resale) and generated revenues of
$2.4 billion
. We believe our fully integrated approach, which includes acquiring feedstock, managing biorefinery facility construction and upgrades, operating biorefineries, and distributing fuel through a network of terminals, positions us to serve the market for cleaner transportation fuels. In May 2018, we launched our latest innovation in diesel fuel, REG Ultra Clean
TM
Diesel. REG Ultra Clean
TM
Diesel
is among the lowest emission diesel fuels on the market today.
Plant Network
We own and operate a network of 14 biorefineries. Twelve biorefineries are located in the United States and two in Germany. Twelve biorefineries produce traditional biodiesel, one produces renewable diesel (“RD”), and one is a fermentation facility. Our thirteen biomass-based diesel production facilities have an aggregate nameplate production capacity of 520 million gallons per year ("mmgy").
We own and operate the following facilities in North America:
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Property
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Nameplate
1
Production
Capacity
(mmgy)
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Effective Capacity
2
(mmgy)
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REG
Operations
Commenced
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Feedstock Capability
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Ralston, Iowa
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30
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39.9
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2002
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Refined Oils and Fats
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Albert Lea, Minnesota
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30
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45.6
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2005
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Crude, High FFA and Refined Oils and Fats
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Newton, Iowa
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30
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34.7
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2007
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Crude, High FFA and Refined
Oils and Fats
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Seabrook, Texas
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35
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47.8
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2008
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Refined Oils and Fats
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Danville, Illinois
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45
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46.5
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2009
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Crude, High FFA and Refined
Oils and Fats
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Seneca, Illinois
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60
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73.4
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2010
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Crude, High FFA and Refined
Oils and Fats
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New Boston, Texas
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15
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17.3
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2013
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Crude, High FFA and Refined
Oils and Fats
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Mason City, Iowa
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30
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38.5
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2013
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Crude, High FFA and Refined
Oils and Fats
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Geismar, Louisiana
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75
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90.3
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2014
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Crude, High FFA and Refined
Oils and Fats
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Okeechobee, Florida
3
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n/a
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n/a
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2014
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N/A
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Grays Harbor, Washington
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100
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106.7
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2015
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Refined Oils and Fats
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Madison, Wisconsin
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20
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27.2
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2016
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Crude, High FFA and Refined
Oils and Fats
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1
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The nameplate capacity listed above is based on original plant design.
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2
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Effective capacity represents the maximum average throughput that satisfies certain defined technical constraints.
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3
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Okeechobee is a demo-scale fermentation facility associated with our Life Sciences business.
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Our production network in Europe consists of the following facilities:
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Property
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Nameplate
Production
Capacity
1
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Effective Capacity
2
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REG
Operations
Commenced
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Feedstock Capability
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Emden, Germany
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27
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29.7
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2016
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Crude, High FFA and Refined
Oils and Fats
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Oeding, Germany
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23
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23.9
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2016
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Crude, High FFA and Refined
Oils and Fats
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1
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The nameplate capacity listed above is based on the output of the original plant design. In Germany, nameplate capacity can be based on input, which is 30 mmgy for Emden and 26 mmgy for Oeding or 185,000 metric tons for these two locations.
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2
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Effective capacity represents the maximum average throughput that satisfies certain defined technical constraints.
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We maintain a testing laboratory at our corporate headquarters in Ames, Iowa, for testing various feedstocks for conversion into biomass-based diesel and various new manufacturing processes for the production of biomass-based diesel. We also have a regional office in Tulsa, Oklahoma, focused on maintaining and developing advanced biofuel technologies and renewable chemicals.
We produce renewable diesel at our Geismar, Louisiana facility. Renewable diesel generally carries a premium price compared to biodiesel as a result of a variety of factors including the ability to blend it with petroleum diesel seamlessly, better cold weather performance, and because it generates more RINs on a per gallon basis. We are evaluating long-term opportunities to further our ability to leverage our renewable diesel technology and expand renewable diesel production to meet the growing demand for cleaner transportation fuels. For example, in October 2018, we announced a collaboration project with Phillips 66 on the possible construction of a large-scale renewable diesel plant in Washington state. The plant would utilize our propriety BioSynfining® technology for the production of renewable diesel fuel. We have not reached a definitive agreement with Phillips 66 with respect to this potential joint development project and there is no assurance that an agreement will be reached. We are also evaluating a large-scale expansion of our renewable diesel facility in Geismar, Louisiana.
Our Feedstocks and Other Inputs
We are a lower-cost, lower carbon biomass-based diesel producer. We primarily produce our biomass-based diesel from a wide variety of lower-cost, lower carbon feedstocks, including inedible corn oil, used cooking oil and inedible animal fat. We also produce biomass-based diesel from virgin vegetable oils, such as soybean oil or canola oil, which tend to be higher in price. We believe our ability to process a wide variety of feedstocks in most of our facilities provides us with a cost advantage over many biomass-based diesel producers, particularly those that rely primarily on higher cost virgin vegetable oils.
We have the ability to adjust our processing in most of our facilities to accommodate different feedstocks and feedstock mixes. Our ability to use a wide range of feedstocks gives us a feedstock cost advantage over many other producers because we have the flexibility to respond to changes in feedstock pricing. In
2018
, approximately 77% of our total feedstock usage was lower-cost inedible corn oil, used cooking oil or rendered animal fat feedstock. The remaining 23% consisted of refined vegetable oils, such as soybean oil or canola oil.
We procure our feedstocks from numerous vendors in quantities ranging from truckload to railcar to water vessel to pipeline. There is no established futures market for the lower-cost feedstocks that we utilize. Inedible corn oil is typically purchased in forward positions of one to three months, and occasionally longer, on fixed priced contracts. We generally purchase used cooking oil and rendered animal fats on one to four week forward positions using fixed pricing or an indexed price compared to a published index such as USDA reports or recognized industry price reports such as The Jacobsen or Informa. Soybean and canola oils can be purchased on a spot or forward contract basis from a number of suppliers and pricing for these vegetable oils is compared to the broadly traded Soybean Oil Index of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
From time to time, we work with developers of next generation feedstocks, such as algae and camelina, to assist them in bringing these new feedstocks to market. We have converted several of these feedstocks, as well as other second generation feedstocks, into high quality biomass-based diesel in our laboratory and production facilities. We believe we are well positioned to incorporate many new feedstocks into our production process as they become commercially available.
We procure methanol and chemical catalysts used in our production process such as sodium methylate and hydrochloric acid, under fixed-price contracts and formula-indexed contracts based upon competitive bidding. These procurement contracts typically last from three months to one year. The price of methanol is indexed to the monthly reported published price.
Distribution
We have established a national distribution system to supply biomass-based diesel throughout the United States. Each of our biomass-based diesel facilities is equipped with an on-site rail loading system, a truck loading system, or both. Our Seneca biorefinery near the Illinois River has direct barge access for supplying customers using the inland waterways system. Our Houston biorefinery has barge and deep-water ship loading capability. Our Grays Harbor biorefinery has deep-water capability for PANAMAX class vessels. We also manage some customers’ biomass-based diesel storage tanks and replenishment process. Our distribution performance for
2018
is depicted below.
As of
December 31, 2018
, we leased over 1,100 railcars for transportation and leased biomass-based diesel storage tanks in 46 terminals. In general, the terminals where we lease our biomass-based diesel storage tanks are petroleum fuel terminals so that fuel distributors and other biomass-based diesel customers can create a biomass-based diesel blend at the terminal before further distribution. Terminal contracts typically have one- to three-year terms and are generally renewable subject to certain terms and conditions. During
2018
, REG sold products in 49 states in the U.S., six Canadian Provinces, and 19 other countries around the world.
In addition to biomass-based diesel, we also sell petroleum-based heating oil and diesel fuel, which enables us to offer additional biofuel blends to a broader customer base. We sell heating oil and ultra-low sulfur diesel ("ULSD") at terminals throughout the northeastern U.S. We sell additional biofuel blends at terminal locations in the Midwest, West Coast and Texas. We continue to look for terminal expansion opportunities across North America.
Government Programs Favoring Biomass-Based Diesel Production and Use
The biomass-based diesel industry benefits from numerous federal and state government programs.
Renewable Fuel Standard
Biomass-based diesel has historically been more expensive to produce than petroleum-based diesel. The biomass-based diesel industry's growth has largely been the result of federal and state programs that require or incentivize production and use of biomass-based diesel, which allows biomass-based diesel to be priced competitively with petroleum-based diesel.
The Renewable Fuel Standard’s ("RFS2") biomass-based diesel requirement became effective in 2010, requiring for the first time that a certain percentage of the diesel fuel consumed in the United States be made from renewable sources. The biomass-based diesel requirement can be satisfied by two primary fuels, biodiesel and renewable diesel. Required volumes under the RFS2 program, referred to as the renewable volume obligation ("RVO"), are determined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA. The final RVO targets for the biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels volumes for the years 2015 to 2020 as set by the EPA are as follows:
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2015
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2016
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2017
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2018
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2019
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2020
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Biomass-based diesel
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1.73 billion gallons
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1.90 billion gallons
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2.00 billion gallons
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2.10 billion gallons
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2.10 billion gallons
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2.43 billion gallons
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Total Advanced biofuels
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2.88 billion RINs*
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3.61 billion RINs*
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4.28 billion RINs*
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4.29 billion RINs*
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4.92 billion RINs*
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N/A
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(* ethanol equivalent gallons)
The biomass-based diesel requirement is one of four separate renewable fuel requirements under RFS2. The RFS2 requirements are based on two primary categories and two subcategories. The two primary categories are conventional renewable fuel, which is primarily satisfied by corn ethanol, and advanced biofuel, which is defined as a biofuel that reduces lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% compared to the petroleum-based fuel the biofuel is replacing. The advanced biofuel category has two subcategories, cellulosic biofuel, to be satisfied by newly developed cellulosic biofuels, such as ethanol made from woody biomass, and biomass-based diesel, which is satisfied by biodiesel and renewable diesel. RFS2’s total advanced biofuel requirement is larger than the combined cellulosic fuel and biomass-based diesel requirements, thus requiring the use of additional volumes of advanced biofuels.
The RFS2 requirement for advanced biofuels can be satisfied by any advanced biofuel, including biodiesel, renewable diesel, biogas used in transportation, biobutanol, cellulosic ethanol or sugarcane-based ethanol, so long as it meets the 50% greenhouse gas reduction requirement.
The advanced biofuel RVO is expressed in terms of ethanol equivalent volumes, or EEV, which is based on the fuel’s renewable energy content compared to ethanol. Biodiesel has an EEV of 1.5 and renewable diesel typically has an EEV of 1.7, compared to 1.0 for sugarcane-based ethanol. Accordingly, it requires less biomass-based diesel than sugarcane-based ethanol to meet the required volumes as each gallon of biomass-based diesel counts as more gallons for purposes of fulfilling the advanced biofuel RVO, providing an incentive for refiners and importers to purchase biomass-based diesel to meet their advanced biofuel RVO.
The RFS2 volume requirements apply to petroleum refiners and petroleum fuel importers in the 48 contiguous states and Hawaii, who are defined as “Obligated Parties” in the RFS2 regulations. Obligated Parties are required to incorporate into their petroleum-based fuel a certain percentage of renewable fuel or purchase credits in the form of renewable identification numbers ("RINs") from those who do. An Obligated Party’s RVO is based on the volume of petroleum-based fuel they produce or import. The largest United States petroleum refining companies, such as Valero, Phillips 66, ExxonMobil, British Petroleum, Chevron, Shell, Marathon and Citgo, represent the majority of the total RVO, with the remainder made up of smaller refiners and importers.
Renewable Identification Numbers
The EPA created the RIN system to track renewable fuel production and compliance with the renewable fuel standard. EPA registered producers of renewable fuel may generate RINs for each gallon of renewable fuel they produce. In the case of biomass-based diesel, generally 1.5 to 1.7 biomass-based diesel RINs may be generated for each gallon of biomass-based diesel produced, based upon the fuel's renewable energy content. Renewable fuel, including biomass-based diesel, can then be sold with associated RINs attached. RINs may also be separated from the gallons of renewable fuel they represent and once separated they may be sold as a separate commodity. RINs are ultimately used by Obligated Parties to demonstrate compliance with RFS2. Obligated Parties must obtain and retire the required number of RINs to satisfy their RVO during a particular compliance period. An Obligated Party can obtain RINs by buying renewable fuels with RINs attached, buying RINs that have been separated, or producing renewable fuels themselves. All RIN activity under RFS2 must be entered into the EPA’s moderated transaction
system, which tracks RIN generation, transfer and retirement. RINs are retired when used for compliance with the RFS2 requirements.
The value of RINs is significant to the price of biomass-based diesel. In
2018
, RIN prices as a percentage contribution to the daily average B100 spot price, as reported by the Oil Pricing Information System, or OPIS, fluctuated significantly throughout the year and ranged from a low of $0.47 per gallon, or 16% of the average B100 spot price per gallon, in October to a high of $1.36 per gallon, or 43% of the average spot price, in February.
Biodiesel Tax Credit
The federal biodiesel mixture excise tax credit, or BTC, is not currently in effect, but has historically provided a $1.00 refundable tax credit per gallon to the first blender of biomass-based diesel with petroleum-based diesel fuel. The BTC can then be credited against such biodiesel federal excise tax liability or the blender can obtain a cash refund from the United States Treasury for the value of the credit. The BTC was first implemented on January 1, 2005, although on several occasions it has been allowed to lapse and then has been reinstated, in some cases on a retroactive basis, as described in the following table:
The BTC is an incentive shared across the biofuel production and distribution chain through routine, daily trading and negotiation. In February 2018, the BTC was retroactively reinstated for 2017, but was not reinstated for 2018. It is uncertain whether the BTC will be reinstated for 2018 or any later years.
California Low Carbon Fuel Standard Credits
The California Low Carbon Fuel Standard, or LCFS, regulation is a rule designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation fuels used in California. The regulation quantifies lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by assigning a “carbon intensity” ("CI") score to each transportation fuel based on that fuel’s lifecycle assessment. Each petroleum fuel provider (generally the fuel’s producer or importer, or “regulated party”) is required to ensure that the overall CI score for its fuel pool meets the annual carbon intensity target for a given year. A regulated party’s fuel pool can include gasoline, diesel, and their blendstocks and substitutes.
We obtain CI credits when we sell qualified biomass-based diesel into California. During
2018
, California CI credits ranged from $111.00 per metric ton to $200.50 per metric ton, as reported by OPIS.
Other Government Programs
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, more than 40 states have implemented various programs that encourage the use of biomass-based diesel through blending requirements as well as various tax incentives. The chart below summarizes some of the most significant programs.
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Government
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Program description
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Illinois
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Illinois offers an exemption from the generally applicable 6.25% sales tax on fuel for biomass-based diesel blends that incentivizes blending at 11% biomass-based diesel, or B11, through December 31, 2023. Illinois’ program has made that state one of the largest biomass-based diesel markets in the country
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Iowa
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Iowa has a retailer’s incentive for blended fuel which has been modified over time. For 2018 through 2024, retailers earn $0.035 per gallon of B5 - B10 and $0.055 per gallons for B11 and above. Iowa also has a biomass-based diesel production incentive that provides $0.02 per gallon of production capped after the first 25 million gallons per production plant. Iowa recently enacted an increase in its excise tax on fuel, which is three cents per gallon less for B11 or higher blends than the diesel fuel tax.
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Texas
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The biomass-based diesel portion of biomass-based diesel blends are exempt from Texas state excise tax, which results in a $0.20 per gallon incentive for B100.
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Minnesota
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Minnesota law requires a B5 biodiesel blend except during the summer months when a B20 blend is required.
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Pennsylvania and Washington
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These states have all adopted legislation requiring biomass-based diesel blends beginning at B2 with incremental increases, provided certain feedstock or production minimums are met. In addition, Washington State is in the process of developing legislation on a low carbon fuel programs.
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Oregon
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The Oregon Clean Fuel Program requires a 10% reduction of the average carbon intensity of Oregon’s transportation fuels from 2015 levels by 2025. The baseline year for the program is 2015 and represents 10 percent ethanol blended with gasoline and 5 percent biodiesel blended with diesel. The Oregon Renewable Fuels Standard requires all gasoline sold in the state to be blended with 10 percent ethanol (E10). In addition, all diesel fuel sold in the state must be blended with at least 5 percent biodiesel (B5).
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City of New York, Connecticut and Vermont
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In October 2016, the City of New York adopted legislation requiring biomass-based diesel blends at a 5% rate for heating oil starting on October 1, 2017 and the blend level then moves to 10% in 2025, 15% in 2030 and 20% in 2034. Several northeast states, including Connecticut and Vermont, have adopted legislation requiring biomass-based diesel blends in home heating oil.
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Canada
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While a number of provinces in Canada have biofuel programs (British Columbia has an LCFS, Alberta has a usage requirement, and Ontario has a usage requirement), the federal government is currently engaged in the rulemaking process on a nationwide Clean Fuel Standard, which may incorporate a number of carbon reducing policies.
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Although we believe that other government requirements for the use of biofuels increase demand for our biomass-based diesel within such regions, they may not increase overall demand in excess of RFS2 requirements. Rather, existing demand for our biofuel from Obligated Parties in connection with federal requirements may shift to regions that have use requirements or tax incentive programs.
RED Program
The Renewable Energy Directive ("RED") in the European Union ("EU") establishes a 20% target by 2020 for the use of renewable energy in the transport sector in EU member states. Given the existing limited market presence of alternative fuels or electromobility, the majority of the target is currently being achieved through biofuels. EU member states produce yearly renewable energy action plans indicating their yearly national obligations for the use of renewable energy in the transport sector. These national obligations progressively increase every year until achieving the 10% target in 2020. Biofuels produced from certain types of feedstocks, such as used cooking oil, benefit from an extra incentive as these feedstocks count double towards the 20% target and towards the national obligations. In 2018, the EU institutions adopted the so-called RED II, which is valid during the period from 2021 to 2030 and provides additional incentives for biofuel produced from waste feedstocks and even opens new outlets such as marine fuels.
Competition
We face competition from producers and suppliers of petroleum-based diesel fuel, other biomass-based diesel producers, marketers, traders and distributors. The size of the biomass-based diesel industry is small compared to the size of the petroleum-based diesel fuel industry and large petroleum companies have greater resources than we do. Our principal competitive differentiators are biomass-based diesel and RIN quality, supply reliability and price. In the United States and Canadian biomass-based diesel markets, we compete with independent biomass-based diesel producers as well as large, multi-product companies that have greater resources than we do. Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill Incorporated, Louis Dreyfus Commodities Group and Ag Processing Inc. are major international agribusiness corporations and biodiesel producers with the financial, feedstock sourcing and marketing resources to be formidable competitors in the biodiesel industry. These agribusiness
competitors tend to make biodiesel from higher cost virgin vegetable oils such as soybean or canola oil, which they produce as part of their integrated agribusinesses. We are also in competition with several large and well capitalized producers of renewable diesel. Neste Corporation has approximately 882 million gallons of renewable diesel production capacity in Asia and Europe, a significant portion of which is imported into the United States. It has recently announced its decision to expand its renewable products production capacity in Singapore. Diamond Green Diesel, LLC, a joint venture between Valero Energy Corporation and Darling Ingredients Inc., operates a 275 mmgy capacity renewable diesel facility and has announced plans to expand capacity to 675 mmgy by 2021. We also face the prospect that petroleum refiners will be increasingly competitive with us, either by converting oil refineries to produce renewable diesel or by co-processing renewable feedstock with crude oil. Several smaller petroleum refiners in the United States have effected conversions of their facilities from crude oil to renewables in the past year and some of the largest refiners have reportedly started co-processing renewable feedstocks or have announced plans to do so. If refinery conversions accelerate or if co-processing expands significantly, the competition we face could increase significantly. We also face competition in the biomass-based diesel RIN compliance market from producers of renewable diesel and in the advanced biofuel RIN compliance market from producers of other advanced biofuels, such as Brazilian sugarcane ethanol producers and producers of biogas used in transportation. Competition from imported biodiesel changed significantly in 2018, when the International Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Commerce imposed countervailing duties against unfairly subsidized biodiesel exports to the U.S. from Argentina and Indonesia. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration ("EIA") data, biodiesel imports from Argentina decreased from 437 million gallons in 2016 to 280 million gallons in 2017 and no imports entered the U.S. since August 2017. Biodiesel imports from Indonesia totaled 107 million gallons in 2016 and no imports have been reported since December 2016. However, renewable diesel imports from Singapore to the U.S have maintained a steady rate . Imports from Singapore totaled 223 million gallons in 2016, 189 million gallons in 2017, and is on pace for volume in 2018 similar to 2017 based on 11 months of data.
In our marketing and distribution operations, besides the integrated producers, we are also faced with competition from biomass-based diesel traders such as Lincoln Energy, NGL, BP, Shell, Vitol and others. The integrated producers and traders at times may have advantages because of logistics, feedstock accessibility and price, geographical location to customers, blending infrastructure, financial resources, and risk appetite for positions and/ or taking greater amounts of risk on a return of the blenders tax credit. These same trading companies may have greater financial resources than we do and are able to take significant biomass-based diesel positions in the marketplace. These competitors are often customers and/or suppliers of ours as well.
Risk Management
The prices for feedstocks and biomass-based diesel, including the value associated with government incentives, can be volatile and are not always closely correlated. Lower-cost feedstocks are particularly difficult to risk manage given that such feedstocks are not traded in any public futures market. To manage feedstock and biomass-based diesel price risks, we utilize forward contracting, hedging and other risk management strategies, including the use of futures, swaps, options and over-the-counter products.
In establishing our risk management strategies, we draw from our own in-house risk management expertise and consult with industry experts. We utilize research conducted by outside firms to provide additional market information and risk management strategies. We believe combining these sources of knowledge, experience and expertise expands our view of the fluctuating commodity markets for raw materials and energy to improve our risk management strategies.
Seasonality
Our operating results are influenced by seasonal fluctuations in the price of and demand for biodiesel. Seasonal fluctuations may be based on both the weather and the status of both the BTC and RVO.
Demand may be higher in the quarters leading up to the expiration of the BTC as customers seek to purchase biomass-based diesel when they can benefit from the agreed upon value sharing of the BTC with producers. This higher demand prompted by an expiring BTC has often resulted in reduced demand for biodiesel in the following quarter. In addition, RIN prices may also be subject to seasonal fluctuations. The RIN is dated for the calendar year in which it is generated. Since 20% of an Obligated Party's annual RVO can be satisfied by prior year RINs, most RINs must come from biofuel produced or imported during the RVO year. As a result, RIN prices can be expected to increase as the calendar year progresses if the RIN market is undersupplied compared to that year's RVO and decrease if it is oversupplied.
Seasonal fluctuation in our business also occurs in the colder months when historically there has been reduced demand for biodiesel in northern and eastern United States markets, which are some of the primary markets in which we operate. Biodiesel typically has a higher cloud point than petroleum-based diesel or renewable diesel. The cloud point is the temperature below which a fuel exhibits a noticeable cloudiness and eventually gels, leading to fuel handling and performance problems for
customers and suppliers. Reduced demand in the winter for our higher cloud point biodiesel may result in excess supply of such higher cloud point biodiesel and lower prices for such higher cloud point biodiesel. To mitigate some of these seasonal fluctuations in demand, we have upgraded our Newton and Danville biorefineries to produce distilled biodiesel which improves cold-weather performance.
History
Our predecessor, REG Biofuels, LLC, formerly named REG Biofuels Inc., which was formerly named Renewable Energy Group, Inc., was formed under the laws of the State of Delaware in August 2006 upon acquiring the assets and operations of the biodiesel division of West Central Cooperative, or West Central, and two of West Central’s affiliated companies, InterWest, L.C. and REG, LLC. West Central is now known as Landus Cooperative.
Employees
As of
December 31, 2018
, we had 762 full-time employees in the U.S. and 88 international employees. None of our U.S. employees are represented by a labor organization or under any collective bargaining agreements. We consider our relationship with our employees to be good.
Intellectual Property
We own a significant number of U.S. and international patents and expect to file additional patent applications as we continue to pursue technological innovations. We have also developed trade secrets, and have licensed intellectual property related to our biomass-based diesel and industrial biotechnology businesses. We have developed a patented technology that uses microbes to convert sugars to biodiesel in a one-step fermentation process similar to ethanol manufacturing. Some of the patents issued to us do not expire until 2034 and additional patent applications in prosecution if issued will extend beyond 2034.
Customer concentration
Our sales to one customer, Pilot Travel Centers LLC, or Pilot, were $219.2 million, $182.2 million and $144.8 million, representing approximately 9%, 8% and 8% of our total revenues for each of
2018
,
2017
, and
2016
, respectively. Our revenues from Pilot generally do not directly include the RINs associated with the gallons of biomass-based diesel sold. The value of those RINs represented approximately an additional 2%, 9% and 9% of our total sales in
2018
,
2017
and
2016
, respectively, based on the OPIS average RIN price for the year.
Executive Officers of the Registrant
Cynthia J. Warner
, age 60, has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer since January 2019. Ms. Warner was Executive Vice President, Operations for Andeavor (formerly known as Tesoro Corporation) from August 2016 until Andeavor's acquisition by Marathon Petroleum Corporation in October 2018. Prior to that, Ms. Warner served as Andeavor's Executive Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, since October 2014. From 2012 to August 2014, Ms. Warner was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sapphire Energy, Inc. and she continued to serve as Chairman through February 2015. From 2009 to 2011, Ms. Warner was President of Sapphire Energy. From 2007 to 2009, she was Group Vice President, Global Refining, at BP plc. Ms. Warner has served as a member of the Board of Directors of IDEX Corporation (NYSE: IEX) since February 2013. She is also a member of the National Petroleum Council. Ms. Warner has a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Illinois Institute of Technology.
Chad Stone
, age 49, has served as our Chief Financial Officer since August 2009. Prior to joining REG, from October 2007 to May 2009, he was a Director at Protiviti Inc., a global business consulting and internal audit firm. From August 1997 to September 2007, Mr. Stone served as Director with PricewaterhouseCoopers and he worked at Arthur Andersen from July 1992 to August 1997, departing as a manager. Mr. Stone was elected to the governing Board of the National Biodiesel Board in 2015, and has served as Vice-Chairman since November 2018, previously having served as Secretary from November 2016 to November 2018. Mr. Stone served on the Executive Board of the Iowa Biodiesel Board from September 2010 to September 2016, serving as Vice-Chairman from 2014-2015. Since October 2015, Mr. Stone has served on the University of Iowa School of Management's Advisory Committee. Mr. Stone has over 20 years of experience in leading financial reporting, strategy, policy and compliance. Mr. Stone holds an M.B.A. with concentrations in finance, economics and accounting from the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business and a B.B.A in Accounting from the University of Iowa. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Brad Albin
, age 56, has served as our Vice President, Manufacturing since February 2008. Mr. Albin joined REG in 2006. From 2002 to 2006, Mr. Albin served as Executive Director of Operations for Material Sciences Corporation, where he directed multi-plant operations for automotive and global appliance industries. From 1996 to 2002, Mr. Albin was the Vice President of Operations for Griffin Industries. Mr. Albin has over 25 years of experience in executive operations positions in multi-feedstock
biomass-based diesel, chemical, food and automotive supplier companies, such as The Monsanto Company, The NutraSweet Company and Griffin Industries. Mr. Albin was a charter member of the National Biodiesel Accreditation Committee. Mr Albin is a current director on two boards where REG has investments and was previously on the Board of Managers for Petrotec GmbH before REG acquired full ownership in 2017. Mr. Albin was previously the President and Vice President of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association from 2011-2013. In November 2014, Mr. Albin completed the Advanced Management Program from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and he holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Eastern Illinois University.
Gary Haer
, age 65, has served as our Vice President, Sales and Marketing since we commenced operations in August 2006. From October 1998 to August 2006, Mr. Haer served as the National Sales and Marketing Manager for biodiesel for West Central Cooperative, now known as Landus Cooperative, and was responsible for developing the marketing and distribution infrastructure for biodiesel sales in the United States. Mr. Haer has over 20 years of experience in the biomass-based diesel industry. Mr. Haer previously served on the Executive Committee of the National Biodiesel Board’s Governing Board and was Past Chairman. He held various officer positions during his tenure from 1998 to 2017. Mr. Haer holds an M.B.A. from Baker University and a B.S. in Accounting from Northwest Missouri State University.
Eric M. Bowen
, age 47, has served as our Vice President, Corporate Business Development & Legal Affairs since January 2013, and has led the REG Life Sciences business unit since January 2014. From June 2010 to January 2013, Mr. Bowen served as our Executive Director, Corporate Business Development and Legal Affairs. From 2005 to June 2010, Mr. Bowen was Founder, President and CEO of Tellurian Biodiesel, Inc. (formerly San Francisco Biodiesel), which was acquired by the Company. Prior to entering the advanced biofuels industry, Mr. Bowen practiced corporate and securities law in Silicon Valley. Mr. Bowen has been active in setting biofuels policy as a founding member of the California Advanced Biofuels Alliance and as Chairman from 2007 to 2012. He also served as Chairman of the San Francisco Biodiesel Taskforce and as a member of the California LCFS Advisory Panel. Mr. Bowen has served as a member of the Board of Directors of a company in which REG has invested since November 2013. Mr. Bowen is also on the board of the California Advanced Biofuel Alliance. Mr Bowen holds a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley and a B.A. from the University of Oregon Honors College.
Available Information
Our internet address is http://www.regi.com. Through that address, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports are available free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The information contained on our website is not included in, or incorporated by reference into, this annual report on Form 10-K.
Our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including those described below. As a result, the trading price of our common stock could decline.
RISKS RELATED TO FEDERAL AND STATE INCENTIVES
The Renewable Fuel Standard Program, a Federal law mandating the consumption of qualifying biofuels, could be repealed, curtailed or otherwise changed, which might have a material adverse effect on our revenues, operating margins and financial condition.
We and other participants in the biomass-based diesel industry rely on governmental programs requiring or incentivizing the consumption of biofuels. Biomass-based diesel has historically been more expensive to produce than petroleum-based diesel fuel and these governmental programs support a market for biomass-based diesel that might not otherwise exist.
One of the most important of these programs is the Renewable Fuel Standard ("RFS2"), a Federal law which requires that transportation fuels in the United States contain a minimum amount of renewable fuel. This program is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA"). The EPA's authority includes setting annual minimum aggregate levels of consumption in four renewable fuel categories, including the two primary categories in which our fuel competes (biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuel). The parties obligated to comply with this renewable volume obligation ("RVO"), are petroleum refiners and petroleum fuel importers.
The petroleum industry is strongly opposed to the RFS2 and can be expected to continue to press for changes both in the RFS2 itself and in the way that it is administered by the EPA. One key point of contention is the rate of growth in the annual RVO. The RVO for biomass-based diesel was set at steadily rising levels beginning at 1.0 billion gallons in 2012 and increasing to 2.00 billion gallons in 2017. However, growth in the RVO was constrained from 2017 through 2019, as the biomass-based diesel RVO increased by only 100,000 gallons from 2.00 billion to 2.10 billion gallons while the advanced biofuel RVO increased from 4.28 billion gallons to 4.92 billion gallons. For 2020, the EPA set the biomass-based diesel RVO
at 2.43 billion gallons. The 2020 advanced biofuel RVO will be established later this year. We believe that growth in the annual RVOs strongly influences our ability to grow our business and supports the price of our fuel through the RINs. The EPA's future decisions regarding the RVO will significantly influence our revenues and profit margins.
The RFS2 also grants to the EPA authority to grant small refiner waivers, waiving, in whole or in part, a qualifying refiner's obligation based on a determination that the program is causing severe economic harm to that refinery. Prior to 2016, relatively few requests were made for waivers and roughly half of those requests were granted by the EPA. In the 2016 compliance year, the EPA received 20 requests, granted 19, with one remaining pending today, which amounted to approximately 790 million total RINs that were being waived through exceptions. In the 2017 and 2018 compliance years, the EPA received 37 waiver requests each year. According to the EPA, 29 of the 2017 requests were granted with seven still pending and one withdrawn, which amounted to 1,460 million RINs or 7.6% of the total RIN requirement that was waived. All 37 requests for 2018 remain pending. We believe that these exemptions, in addition to other factors such as HOBO spread, impacted the demand for and price of RINs as the average price of D4 RINs fell from $0.82 to $0.55 during 2018 according to OPIS data. If the EPA continues this practice, it will harm demand for and the price of RINs and thus our profitability.
The United States Congress could repeal, curtail or otherwise change the RFS2 program in a manner adverse to us. Similarly, the EPA could curtail or otherwise change its administration of the RFS2 program in a manner adverse to us, including by not increasing or even decreasing the RVO, by waiving compliance with the RVO or otherwise. In addition, while Congress specified RFS2 volume requirements through 2022 (subject to adjustment in the rulemaking process), beginning in 2023 required volumes of renewable fuel will be largely at the discretion of the EPA (in coordination with the Secretary of Energy and Secretary of Agriculture). We cannot predict what changes, if any, will be instituted or the impact of any changes on our business, although adverse changes could seriously harm our revenues, earnings and financial condition.
Loss of or reductions in Federal and State Government tax incentives for biomass-based diesel production or consumption may have a material adverse effect on our revenues and operating margins.
Federal and State Government tax incentives have assisted the biomass-based diesel industry by making the price of biomass-based diesel more cost competitive with the price of petroleum-based diesel fuel to the end user.
Federal Tax Incentives
The most significant tax incentive program has been the federal biodiesel mixture excise tax credit, referred to as the Biodiesel Tax Credit ("BTC"). Under the BTC, the first person to blend pure biomass-based diesel with petroleum-based diesel fuel receives a $1.00-per-gallon refundable tax credit.
The BTC was established on January 1, 2005 and has lapsed and been reinstated retroactively and prospectively several times. Most recently in February 2018, the BTC was retroactively reinstated for 2017, but was not reinstated for any subsequent periods. As a result, the BTC has not been in effect since January 1, 2018. As was the case in previous periods when the BTC was not in effect, we and many other biomass-based diesel industry producers have adopted contractual arrangements with customers and vendors specifying the allocation and sharing of any retroactively reinstated incentive. Whether the BTC will be reinstated for 2018 or future years will have a very significant impact on our results of operations and financial condition. Reinstatement of the BTC for 2017 resulted in a $205 million net benefit (after satisfaction of sharing arrangements) to our net income in the first quarter of 2018 and to our Adjusted EBITDA for 2017. We estimate that if the BTC is reinstated for 2018 on the same terms as in 2017, the net benefits to our net income in the period in which it is reinstated and Adjusted EBITDA for business conducted in the year ended December 31, 2018, would each increase by approximately $237 million.
Unlike the RFS2 program, the BTC has a direct effect on Federal Government spending and changes in federal budget policy could result in its elimination or in changes to its terms that are less beneficial to us. We cannot predict what action, if any, Congress may take with respect to the BTC. There is no assurance that the BTC will be reinstated, that it will be reinstated on the same terms or, if reinstated, that its application will be retroactive, prospective or both. Due to the significance of this program to our business, adverse changes in the BTC can be expected to seriously harm our results of operations and financial condition.
State Tax Incentives
Several states have enacted tax incentives for the use of biodiesel. For example, Illinois has a generally applicable 6.25% sales tax, but offers an exemption from this tax for a blend of fuel that consists of 11% biodiesel ("B11"). In Iowa, for 2018 through 2024, retailers earn $0.035 per gallon of B5 - B10 and $0.055 per gallon for B11 and above. Iowa also has a biomass-based diesel production incentive that provides $0.02 per gallon of production capped after the first 25 million gallons per production plant. The biomass-based diesel portion of biomass-based diesel blends are exempt from Texas state excise tax, which results in a $0.20 per gallon incentive for B100. Minnesota law requires a B5 biodiesel blend except during the summer months when a B20 blend is required. State budget or other considerations could cause the modification or elimination of tax
incentive programs. The curtailment or elimination of such incentives could materially and adversely affect our revenues and profitability.
We derive a significant portion of our revenues from sales of our renewable fuel in the State of California primarily as a result of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard; adverse changes in this law or reductions in the value of the credits we receive under the LCFS and sell to third parties would harm our revenues and profits.
We estimate that our revenues from the sale of renewable fuel in California and from sales of credits received under California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard ("LCFS") were approximately $353.3 million in 2018. The LCFS is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation fuels used in California by ensuring that the total amount of fuel consumed meets declining targets for such emissions. The regulation quantifies lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by assigning a “carbon intensity” ("CI") score to each transportation fuel based on that fuel’s lifecycle assessment. Each petroleum fuel provider, generally the fuel’s producer or importer is required to ensure that the overall CI score for its fuel pool meets the annual carbon intensity target for a given year. This obligation is tracked through credits and deficits and credits can be traded. We receive LCFS credits when we sell qualified biomass-based diesel in California. As a result of the trading price of LCFS credits, California has become a desirable market in which to sell our renewable fuel. In 2018, LCFS credit prices increased from $116 per credit on January 2, 2018 to $195 per credit on December 31, 2018. As a result, an increasing percentage of our revenue and profit is related to sales to California and LCFS credit values. If the value of LCFS credits were to materially decrease as a result of greater supply or reduced demand for qualifying renewable fuel, if the fuel we produce is deemed not to qualify for LCFS credits or if the LCFS or the manner in which it is administered or applied were otherwise changed in a manner adverse to us, our revenues and profits could be seriously harmed.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND THE MARKETS IN WHICH WE OPERATE
Increased industry-wide production of biodiesel as a result of potential utilization of existing excess production capacity, announced large plant expansions of renewable diesel and potential co-processing of renewable diesel by petroleum refiners, could reduce prices for our fuel and increase the cost of feedstocks used to produce them, which would seriously harm our revenues and results of operations.
If additional volumes of advanced biofuel RIN production come online and the EPA does not increase the RVO in accordance with the increased production, the volume of advanced biofuel RINs generated could exceed the volume required under the RFS2. In the event this occurs, biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuel RIN prices would be expected to decrease, potentially significantly, harming demand for our products and our profitability.
According to the National Biodiesel Board ("NBB"), in 2017, 4.1 billion gallons per year of biomass-based diesel production capacity in the United States was registered under the RFS2 program by NBB members. In addition to this amount, several hundred million more gallons of U.S. based biomass-based diesel production capacity was registered by non-NBB members and another 4.5 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel production was registered by foreign producers. These amounts far exceed both historic consumption of biomass-based diesel in the United States and required consumption under the RFS2.
Additionally, several leading biomass-based diesel companies have announced their intention to expand their production of renewable diesel for the U.S. market. World Energy has announced that it will expand capacity at its Los Angeles area biorefinery from its existing 45 mmgy to over 300 mmgy. Diamond Green Diesel, the largest U.S. producer of renewable diesel, has announced plans to expand its 275 million mmgy capacity by 400 mmgy. Neste, the largest global producer of renewable diesel, announced in December 2018 a 440 mmgy expansion of its Singapore facility that exports a significant portion of its production to the U.S.West Coast.
Further, due to the economic incentives available, several petroleum refiners have started or may soon start to produce co-processed renewable diesel, or CPRD. CPRD uses the same feedstocks we use to produce biomass-based diesel and it generates an advanced biofuel RIN. CPRD may be more cost-effective to produce than biomass-based diesel, particularly biodiesel.
If production of competitive advanced renewable fuels increases significantly as a result of utilization of existing excess production capacity or new capacity as described above, competition for a relatively fixed supply of feedstocks would increase significantly, harming our margins. Furthermore if supply of advanced renewable fuels exceeds demand, prices for our renewable fuel and for RINs and other credits may decrease significantly, harming our profitability and potentially forcing us to idle our facilities.
Our gross margins are dependent on the spread between biomass-based diesel prices and feedstock costs, each of which are volatile and can cause our results of operations to fluctuate substantially.
Biomass-based diesel has traditionally been marketed primarily as an additive or alternative to petroleum-based diesel fuel, and, as a result, biomass-based diesel prices have been heavily influenced by the price of petroleum-based diesel fuel, adjusted for government incentives supporting renewable fuels, more so than biomass-based diesel production costs. The absence of a close correlation between production costs and biomass-based diesel prices means that we may be unable to pass increased production costs on to our customers in the form of higher prices. If there is a decrease in the spread between biomass-based diesel prices and feedstock costs, whether as a result of an increase in feedstock prices or as a result of a reduction in biomass-based diesel and credit prices, our gross margins, cash flow and results of operations would be adversely affected.
Energy prices, particularly the market price for crude oil, are volatile. According to OPIS data, the average B100 price in the Upper Midwest ranged from a low of $2.77 per gallon to a high of $3.19 per gallon in 2018. Petroleum prices are volatile due to global factors, such as the impact of wars, political uprisings, new extraction technologies and techniques, OPEC production quotas, worldwide economic conditions, changes in refining capacity and natural disasters.
In addition, an element of the price of biomass-based diesel that we produce is the value of the associated credits, including RINs. RIN prices in the biomass-based diesel category as reported by OPIS fluctuated significantly in
2018
, ranging from $0.31 to $0.91 per RIN while in
2017
, RIN prices started the year at $1.05 per RIN and declined to a low of $0.79 per RIN in December. For years there has been significant volatility in RIN prices. For example, in 2013, RIN prices decreased sharply from $1.09 per RIN on July 1, 2013 to $0.35 per RIN on December 31, 2013. Reductions in RIN values, such as those experienced in prior years, may have a material adverse effect on our revenues and profits as they directly reduce the value we are able to capture for our biomass-based diesel.
A decrease in the availability or an increase in the price, of feedstocks may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and operating results. The price and availability of feedstocks and other raw materials may be influenced by general economic, market and regulatory factors. These factors include weather conditions, farming decisions, government policies and subsidies with respect to agriculture and international trade and global supply and demand. During periods when the BTC has lapsed, biomass-based diesel producers may elect to continue purchasing feedstock and producing biomass-based diesel at negative margins under the assumption the BTC will be retroactively reinstated, and consequently, the price of feedstocks may not decrease to a level proportionate to current operating margins. Increasing production of biomass-based diesel and, particularly recent and prospective expansion of renewable diesel capacity, the development of alternative fuels and renewable chemicals also puts pressure on feedstock supply and availability to the biomass-based diesel industry. The biomass-based diesel industry may have difficulty in procuring feedstocks at economical prices if competition for biomass-based diesel feedstocks increases due to newly added biodiesel capacity or alternative fuels.
Historically, the spread between biomass-based diesel prices and feedstock costs has varied significantly. Although actual yields vary depending on the feedstock quality, the average monthly spread between the price per gallon of 100% pure biodiesel ("B100") as reported by The Jacobsen Publishing Company, and the price per gallon for the amount of choice white grease necessary to produce one gallon of B100 was $1.28 in
2016
, $1.20 in
2017
and $1.38 in
2018
, assuming eight pounds of choice white grease yields one gallon of biomass-based diesel. The average monthly spread for the amount of crude soybean oil required to produce one gallon of B100, based on the nearby futures contract as reported on the Chicago Board of Trade, was $0.73 in
2016
, $0.64 in
2017
and $0.76 in
2018
, assuming 7.5 pounds of soybean oil yields one gallon of biomass-based diesel. For each year from
2016
to
2018
, approximately 72%, 73% and 77%, respectively, of our annual total feedstock usage was inedible corn oil, used cooking oil or inedible animal fat, and approximately 28%, 27% and 23%, respectively, was virgin vegetable oils. When the spread between biomass-based diesel prices and feedstock prices narrows, our profitability will be harmed.
Risk management transactions could significantly increase our operating costs and may not be effective.
In an attempt to partially offset the effects of volatile feedstock costs and biomass-based diesel fuel prices, we enter into contracts that establish market positions in feedstocks, such as inedible corn oil, used cooking oil, inedible animal fats and soybean oil, along with related commodities, such as heating oil and ultra-low sulfur diesel ("ULSD"). The financial impact of such market positions depends on commodity prices at the time that we are required to perform our obligations under these contracts as well as the cumulative sum of the obligations we assume under these contracts.
Risk management activities can themselves result in losses when a position is purchased in a declining market or a position is sold in a rising market. Risk management arrangements expose us to the risk of financial loss in situations where the counterparty defaults on its contract or, in the case of exchange-traded or over-the-counter futures or options contracts, where there is a change in the expected differential between the underlying price in the contract and the actual prices paid or received by us. Changes in the value of these futures instruments are recognized in current income and may result in margin calls. We had risk management gains of
$18.4 million
from our derivative financial instrument trading activity for the year
ended December 31, 2018, compared to risk management losses of
$23.4 million
for the year ended December 31, 2017. At December 31, 2018, the net notional volumes of NY Harbor ULSD, CBOT Soybean Oil and NYMEX Natural Gas covered under the open risk management contracts were approximately
83.3 million
gallons and
218.3 million
pounds and
1.3 million
million British thermal units, respectively. A 10% positive change in the prices of NYMEX NY Harbor ULSD would have a negative effect of $14.0 million on the fair value of these instruments at
December 31, 2018
. A 10% adverse change in the price of CBOT Soybean Oil would have had a negative effect of $6.1 million on the fair value of these instruments at
December 31, 2018
. If these adverse changes in derivative instrument fair value were to occur in larger magnitude or simultaneously, a significant amount of liquidity would be needed to fund margin calls. In addition, we may also vary the amount of risk management strategies we undertake, or we may choose not to engage in risk management transactions at all. Our results of operation may be negatively impacted if we are not able to manage our risk management strategy effectively.
One customer accounted for a meaningful percentage of revenues and a loss of this customer could have an adverse impact on our total revenues.
One customer, Pilot Travel Centers LLC, ("Pilot"), the largest operator of travel centers in North America, accounted for 9%, 8% and 8% of our revenues in each of
2018
,
2017
and
2016
, respectively. Our revenues from Pilot generally do not include the RINs or LCFS credits associated with the gallons of biomass-based diesel sold to Pilot. The value of those RINs and LCFS credits represented approximately an additional 2%, 9% and 9% of our total sales in
2018
,
2017
and
2016
, respectively, based on the OPIS average RIN and LCFS price for these periods. In the event we lose Pilot as a customer or Pilot significantly reduces the volume of biomass-based diesel purchased from us, it could be difficult to replace the lost revenues, and our profitability and cash flow could be materially harmed. We do not have a long-term contract with Pilot that ensures a continuing level of business from Pilot.
Our facilities and our customers' facilities are subject to risks associated with fire, explosions, leaks, and natural disasters, which may disrupt our business and increase costs and liabilities.
Because biomass-based diesel and some of its inputs and outputs are combustible and/or flammable, a leak, fire or explosion may occur at a plant or customer’s facility which could result in damage to the plant and nearby properties, injury to employees and others, and interruption of operations. For example, we experienced fires at our Geismar facility in April 2015 and again in September 2015 and there was a fire at our Madison facility in June 2017. As a result of these fires, people were injured and the affected facilities were shut down for lengthy periods while repairs and upgrades were completed.
The operations at our facilities are also subject to the risk of natural disasters. Our Houston and Geismar facilities, due to their Gulf Coast locations, are vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding, which may cause plant damage, injury to employees and others and interruption of operations. For example, in August 2016 we experienced reduced operating days at our Geismar facility as a result of local area flooding and reduced operating days at our Houston facility as a result of Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. A majority of our facilities are located in the Midwest, and are subject to tornado activity. In addition, California has become one of our largest markets, serviced by our Geismar and Midwest facilities. An earthquake or other natural disaster could disrupt our ability to transport, store and deliver products to the California market.
If we experience a fire or other serious incident at our facilities or if any of our facilities is affected by a natural disaster, we may incur significant additional costs including, among other things, loss of profits due to unplanned temporary or permanent shutdowns of our facilities, or the means of transporting our products, cleanup costs, liability for damages or injuries, legal expenses and reconstruction expenses, which would harm our results of operations and financial condition.
In addition to biodiesel and renewable diesel, we store and transport petroleum-based motor fuels. The dangers inherent in the storage and transportation of fuels could cause disruptions in our operations and could expose us to potentially significant losses, costs or liabilities.
We store fuel in aboveground storage tanks and transport fuel in our own trucks as well as with third-party carriers. Our operations are subject to significant hazards and risks inherent in transporting and storing fuel. These hazards and risks include, but are not limited to, traffic accidents, fires, explosions, spills, discharges, and other releases, any of which could result in distribution difficulties and disruptions, environmental pollution, governmentally-imposed fines or clean-up obligations, personal injury or wrongful death claims, and other damage to our properties and the properties of others. Any such event not covered by our insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our insurance may not protect us against our business and operating risks.
We maintain insurance for some, but not all, of the potential risks and liabilities associated with our business. For some risks, we may not obtain insurance if we believe the cost of available insurance is excessive relative to the risks presented. As a result of market conditions, premiums and deductibles for certain insurance policies can increase substantially and, in some
instances, certain insurance policies may become unavailable or available only for reduced amounts of coverage. As a result, we may not be able to renew our existing insurance policies or procure other desirable insurance on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. Although we intend to maintain insurance at levels we believe are appropriate for our business and consistent with industry practice, we will not be fully insured against all risks. In addition, pollution, environmental risks and the risk of natural disasters generally are not fully insurable. Losses and liabilities from uninsured and underinsured events and delay in the payment of insurance proceeds could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We operate in a highly competitive industry and competition in our industry would increase if new participants enter the biomass-based diesel or advanced biofuels business.
We operate in a very competitive environment. The biomass-based diesel industry primarily comprises smaller entities that engage exclusively in biodiesel production, large integrated agribusiness companies that produce biodiesel along with their soybean crush businesses and increasingly, integrated petroleum companies producing renewable diesel. We face competition for capital, labor, feedstocks and other resources from these companies. In the United States, we compete with soybean processors and refiners, including Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, Cargill, and Louis Dreyfus Commodities. In addition, petroleum refiners are increasingly entering into renewable diesel production. Such petroleum refiners include Neste Corporation with approximately 882 mmgy of global renewable diesel production capacity in Asia and Europe, and Valero Energy Corporation through its Diamond Green Diesel joint venture that operates an approximate 275 mmgy capacity renewable diesel facility in Norco, Louisiana that is in the process of being expanded by 400 mmgy. In addition, petroleum refiners such as Sinclair, British Petroleum and Andeavor (formerly known as Tesoro) have announced that they have begun co-processing renewable diesel at certain of their refineries. All of these named competitors have greater financial resources than we do and may be able to produce biomass-based diesel at a lower cost than we do due to their integrated operations or greater refining capacity.
Petroleum companies and diesel retailers form the primary distribution networks for marketing biomass-based diesel through blended petroleum-based diesel. If these companies increase their direct or indirect biomass-based diesel production, including in the form of co-processing, there will be less need to purchase biomass-based diesel from independent biomass-based diesel producers like us. Such a shift in the market would materially harm our operations, cash flows and financial position.
We derive a substantial portion of our profitability from the production of renewable diesel at our plant located in Geismar, Louisiana and any interruption in our operations at this facility would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial conditions.
Renewable diesel carries a premium price to biodiesel as a result of a variety of factors including the ability to blend it with petroleum diesel seamlessly, better cold weather performance, and because it generates more RINs on a per gallon basis. We estimate that our renewable diesel production facility in Geismar, Louisiana generated more than half of our adjusted EBITDA in 2018. We experienced two fires at this facility in 2015 that each resulted in the plant being shut down for a lengthy period. If production at this facility were interrupted again due to a fire or for any other reason, it would have a disproportionately significant and material adverse impact on our results of operations and financial conditions.
Technological advances and changes in production methods in the biomass-based diesel industry and renewable chemical industry could render our plants obsolete and adversely affect our ability to compete.
It is expected that technological advances in biomass-based diesel production methods will continue to occur and new technologies for biomass-based diesel production may develop. Advances in the process of converting oils and fats into biodiesel and renewable diesel, including CPRD, could allow our competitors to produce biomass-based diesel faster and more efficiently and at a substantially lower cost. In addition, we currently produce biomass-based diesel to conform to or exceed standards established by the American Society for Testing and Materials ("ASTM"). ASTM standards for biomass-based diesel and biomass-based diesel blends may be modified in response to new technologies from the industries involved with diesel fuel.
New standards or production technologies may require us to make additional capital investments in, or modify, plant operations to meet these standards. If we are unable to adapt or incorporate technological advances into our operations, our production facilities could become less competitive or obsolete. Further, it may be necessary for us to make significant expenditures to acquire any new technology, acquire licenses or other rights to technology and retrofit our plants in order to incorporate new technologies and remain competitive.There is no assurance that we will be able to obtain such technologies, licenses or rights on favorable terms. If we are unable to obtain, implement or finance new technologies, our production facilities could be less efficient than our competitors, and our ability to produce biomass-based diesel on a competitive level may be harmed, negatively impacting our revenues and profitability.
Our intellectual property is integral to our business. If we are unable to protect our intellectual property, or others assert that our operations violate their intellectual property, our business could be adversely affected.
Our success depends in part upon our ability to protect and prevent others from using our intellectual property. Failure to obtain or maintain adequate intellectual property protection could adversely affect our competitive business position. We rely on a combination of intellectual property rights, including patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets in the United States and in select foreign countries. Effective patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret protection may be unavailable, limited or not applied for in some countries.
We rely in part on trade secret protection to protect our confidential and proprietary information and processes. However, trade secrets are difficult to protect. We have taken measures to protect our trade secrets and proprietary information, but these measures may not be effective. For example, we require new employees and consultants to execute confidentiality agreements upon the commencement of their employment or consulting arrangement with us. These agreements generally require that all confidential information developed by the individual or made known to the individual by us during the course of the individual’s relationship with us be kept confidential and not disclosed to third parties. These agreements also generally provide that knowhow and inventions conceived by the individual in the course of rendering services to us are our exclusive property. Nevertheless, these agreements may be breached, or may not be enforceable, and our proprietary information may be disclosed. Despite the existence of these agreements, third parties may independently develop substantially equivalent proprietary information and techniques.
It may be difficult for us to protect and enforce our intellectual property. Costly and time-consuming litigation could be necessary to enforce and determine the scope of our proprietary rights. If we pursue litigation to assert our intellectual property rights, an adverse judicial decision in any legal action could limit our ability to assert our intellectual property rights, limit our ability to develop new products, limit the value of our technology or otherwise negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
A competitor could seek to enforce intellectual property claims against us. Defending intellectual property rights claims asserted against us, regardless of merit, could be time-consuming, expensive to litigate or settle, divert management resources and attention and force us to acquire intellectual property rights and licenses, which may involve substantial royalty payments. Further, a party making such a claim, if successful, could secure a judgment that requires us to pay substantial damages.
Increases in our transportation costs or disruptions in our transportation services could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our business depends on transportation services to deliver raw materials to us and finished products to our customers. The costs of these transportation services are affected by the volatility in fuel prices or other factors. For example, from January 2016 to mid-2018, diesel prices increased from just over one dollar per gallon to over two dollars per gallon for the second and third quarters of 2018.
Changes in fuel prices, and thus changes in our transportation costs, can be drastic and unpredictable. Our transportation costs are also affected by U.S. oil production in the Bakkens, which has had a significant impact on tank car availability and prices. If oil production from this area increases, the demand for rail cars will rise and will significantly increase rail car prices. We have not been able in the past, and may not be able in the future, to pass along part or all of any of these price increases to customers.
If we continue to be unable to increase our prices as a result of increased fuel costs charged to us by transportation providers, our gross margins may be materially adversely affected. If any transportation providers fail to deliver raw materials to us in a timely manner, we may be unable to manufacture products on a timely basis. Shipments of products and raw materials may be delayed due to weather conditions, strikes or other events. Any failure of a third-party transportation provider to deliver raw materials or products in a timely manner could harm our reputation, negatively affect our customer relationships and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are dependent upon our key management personnel and other personnel whereby the loss of any of these persons could adversely affect our results of operations.
Our success depends on the abilities, expertise, judgment, discretion, integrity and good faith of our management and employees to manage the business and respond to economic, market and other conditions. We are highly dependent upon key members of our relatively small management team and employee base that possess unique technical skills for the execution of our business plan. There can be no assurance that any individual will continue in his or her capacity for any particular period of time or that replacement personnel with comparable skills could be found. The inability to retain our management team and employee base or attract suitably qualified replacements and additional staff could adversely affect our business. The loss of
employees could delay or prevent the achievement of our business objectives and have a material adverse effect upon our results of operations and financial position.
We may encounter difficulties in effectively integrating the businesses we acquire, including our international businesses where we have limited operating history.
We may face significant challenges in effectively integrating entities and businesses that we acquire, and we may not realize the benefits anticipated from such acquisitions. Achieving the anticipated benefits of our acquired businesses will depend in part upon whether we can integrate our businesses in an efficient and effective manner. Our integration of acquired businesses involves a number of risks, including:
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difficulty in integrating the operations and personnel of the acquired company;
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difficulty in effectively integrating the acquired technologies, products or services with our current technologies, products or services;
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demands on management related to the increase in our size after the acquisition;
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the diversion of management’s attention from daily operations to the integration of acquired businesses and personnel;
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failure to achieve expected synergies and costs savings;
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difficulties in the assimilation and retention of employees;
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difficulties in the assimilation of different cultures and practices, as well as in the assimilation of broad and geographically dispersed personnel and operations;
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difficulties in the integration of departments, systems, including accounting systems, technologies, books and records and procedures, as well as in maintaining uniform standards and controls, including internal control over financial reporting, and related procedures and policies;
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incurring acquisition-related costs or amortization costs for acquired intangible assets that could impact our operating results;
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the need to fund significant working capital requirements of any acquired production facilities;
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potential failure of the due diligence processes to identify significant problems, liabilities or other shortcomings or challenges of an acquired company or technology, including but not limited to, issues with the acquired company’s intellectual property, product quality, environmental liabilities, data back-up and security, revenue recognition or other accounting practices, employee, customer or partner issues or legal and financial contingencies;
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xposure to litigation or other claims in connection with, or inheritance of claims or litigation risk as a result of, an acquisition, including but not limited to, claims from terminated employees, customers, former stockholders or other third parties; and
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incurring significant exit charges if products or services acquired in business combinations are unsuccessful.
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Our ability to recognize the benefit of our acquisition of two biodiesel production facilities in Germany and associated business operations, or any other international operations we may invest in the future, will require the attention of management and is subject to a number of risks. Our experience operating a biorefinery and other business operations outside of the United States is limited. In addition, while the biodiesel market in Europe benefits from regulations that encourage the use of biodiesel, these regulations are subject to political and public opinion and may be changed. In addition, expanding our operations internationally subjects us to the following risks:
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recruiting and retaining talented and capable management and employees in foreign countries;
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challenges caused by distance, language and cultural differences;
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protecting and enforcing our intellectual property rights;
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difficulties in the assimilation and retention of employees;
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the inability to extend proprietary rights in our technology into new jurisdictions;
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currency exchange rate fluctuations;
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general economic and political conditions in foreign jurisdictions;
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foreign tax consequences;
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foreign exchange controls or U.S. tax laws in respect of repatriating income earned in countries outside the United States;
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compliance with the U.S.'s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other similar anti-bribery and anti-corruption regulations;
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political, economic and social instability;
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higher costs associated with doing business internationally; and
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export or import regulations as well as trade and tariff restrictions.
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Our failure to successfully manage and integrate our acquisitions could have an adverse effect on our operating results, ability to recognize international revenue, and our overall financial condition.
We incur significant expenses to maintain and upgrade our operating equipment and plants, and any interruption in the operation of our facilities may harm our operating performance.
We regularly incur significant expenses to maintain and upgrade our equipment and facilities. The machines and equipment that we use to produce our products are complex, have many parts and some are run on a continuous basis. We must perform routine maintenance on our equipment and will have to periodically replace a variety of parts such as motors, pumps, pipes and electrical parts. In addition, our facilities require periodic shutdowns to perform major maintenance and upgrades. These scheduled shutdowns of facilities result in decreased sales and increased costs in the periods in which a shutdown occurs and could result in unexpected operational issues in future periods as a result of changes to equipment and operational and mechanical processes made during the shutdown period.
Growth in the sale and distribution of biodiesel is dependent on the expansion of related infrastructure which may not occur on a timely basis, if at all, and our operations could be adversely affected by infrastructure limitations or disruptions.
While renewable diesel has the same chemical composition as petroleum diesel and can utilize the same distribution infrastructure, biodiesel has a different chemical composition and may require separate or additional infrastructure. Growth in the biodiesel market depends on continued development of infrastructure for the distribution of biodiesel. Substantial investment required for these infrastructure changes and expansions may not be made on a timely basis or at all. The scope and timing of any infrastructure expansion are often beyond our control. Also, we compete with other biofuel companies for access to some of the key infrastructure components such as pipeline, terminal and underground storage tank capacity. As a result, increased production of biodiesel will increase the demand and competition for necessary infrastructure. Any delay or failure in expanding distribution infrastructure could hurt the demand for or prices of biodiesel, impede delivery of our biodiesel, and impose additional costs, each of which would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Our business will be dependent on the continuing availability of infrastructure for the distribution of increasing volumes of biodiesel and any infrastructure disruptions could materially harm our business.
Our business is subject to seasonal changes based on regulatory factors and weather conditions and this seasonality could cause our revenues and operating results to fluctuate.
Our operating results are influenced by seasonal fluctuations in the price of and demand for biomass-based diesel. Seasonal fluctuations may be based on both the weather and the status of both the BTC and RVO.
Demand for our biomass-based diesel may be higher in the quarters leading up to the expiration of the BTC as customers seek to purchase biomass-based diesel when they can benefit from the agreed upon value sharing of the BTC with producers. This higher demand prompted by an expiring BTC has often resulted in reduced demand for biodiesel in the following quarter. In addition, RIN prices may also be subject to seasonal fluctuations. The RIN is dated for the calendar year in which it is generated. Since 20% of an Obligated Party's annual RVO can be satisfied by prior year RINs, most RINs must come from biofuel produced or imported during the RVO year. As a result, RIN prices can be expected to increase as the calendar year progresses if the RIN market is undersupplied compared to that year's RVO and decrease if it is oversupplied.
Weather also impacts our business because biodiesel typically has a higher cloud point than petroleum-based or renewable diesel. The cloud point is the temperature below which a fuel exhibits a noticeable cloudiness and eventually gels, leading to fuel handling and performance problems for customers and suppliers. Reduced demand in the winter for our higher cloud point biodiesel may result in excess supply of such higher cloud point biodiesel and lower prices for such higher cloud point biodiesel. Most of our production facilities are located in colder Midwestern states and our costs of shipping biodiesel to warmer climates generally increase in cold weather months.
The tendency of biodiesel to gel in colder weather may also result in long-term storage problems. In cold climates, fuel may need to be stored in a heated building or heated storage tanks, which result in higher storage costs. Higher cloud point biodiesel may have other performance problems, including the possibility of particulate formation above the cloud point which may result in increased expenses as we try to remedy these performance problems, including the costs of extra cold weather treatment additives. Remedying these performance problems may result in decreased yields, lower process throughput or both, as well as substantial capital costs. Any reduction in the demand for our biodiesel product, or the production capacity of our facilities will reduce our revenues and have an adverse effect on our cash flows and results of operations.
Failure to comply with governmental regulations, including EPA requirements relating to RFS2, could result in the imposition of penalties, fines, or restrictions on our operations and remedial liabilities.
The biomass-based diesel industry is subject to extensive federal, state and local laws and regulations. Under certain environmental laws and regulations, we could be held strictly liable for the removal or remediation of previously released materials or property contamination regardless of whether we were responsible for the release or contamination, and regardless of whether current or prior operations were conducted consistent with the accepted standards of practice. Many of our assets and plants were acquired from third parties and we may incur costs to remediate property contamination caused by previous owners. Compliance with these laws, regulations and obligations could require substantial capital expenditures. Failure to comply could result in the imposition of penalties, fines or restrictions on operations and remedial liabilities.
Changes in environmental laws and regulations occur frequently, and any changes that result in more stringent or costly waste handling, storage, transport, disposal or cleanup requirements could require us to make significant expenditures to attain and maintain compliance and may otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business in general and on our results of operations, competitive position or financial condition. We are unable to predict the effect of additional environmental laws and regulations which may be adopted in the future, including whether any such laws or regulations would significantly increase our cost of doing business or affect our operations in any area.
We are subject to various laws and regulations related to RFS2, most significantly regulations related to the generation and dissemination of RINs. These regulations are highly complex and continuously evolving, requiring us to periodically update our compliance systems. In 2014, the EPA issued a final rule to establish a quality assurance program and the EPA also implemented regulations related to the generation and sale of biomass-based diesel RINs. Compliance with these or any new regulations or Obligated Party verification procedures could require significant expenditures to attain and maintain compliance. Any violation of these regulations by us, could result in significant fines and harm our customers’ confidence in the RINs we issue, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Renewable diesel fuel is superior to biodiesel in certain respects and if renewable diesel production capacity increases to a sufficient extent, it could largely supplant biodiesel as the renewable fuel of choice; we may not be successful in expanding our renewable diesel production capacity.
Renewable diesel is not as widely available as biodiesel, but it has certain characteristics that favorably distinguish it from traditional biodiesel and as a result renewable diesel carries a price premium compared to biodiesel. For example, renewable diesel has very similar chemical properties to petroleum-based diesel, which permits 100% renewable diesel (unlike 100% biodiesel) to flow through the same fuel storage and distribution network as petroleum diesel. Renewable diesel can also be used in its pure form in modern engines rather than as a blend with petroleum diesel and has similar cold weather performance as petroleum diesel. Renewable diesel and co-processed renewable diesel may receive 1.6 or 1.7 RINs per gallon, whereas biodiesel receives 1.5 RINs per gallon. As the value of RINs increases, this RIN advantage makes renewable diesel more cost-effective, both as a petroleum-based diesel substitute and for meeting RFS2 requirements. If renewable diesel proves to have superior performance characteristics and is more cost-effective than biodiesel, revenues from our biodiesel plants and our results of operations would be adversely impacted.
In view of the demand and price premium for renewable diesel, we are evaluating opportunities to expand our renewable diesel operations. The opportunities currently under review include a potential collaboration with Phillips 66 on the possible construction of a large-scale renewable diesel plant in Washington state. We have not reached a definitive agreement with Phillips 66 and an agreement may never be reached. We are also evaluating a large-scale expansion of our renewable diesel facility in Geismar, Louisiana. If we elect to undertake either or both of these projects to expand our renewable diesel capacity, we will be required to make substantial capital expenditures, we may incur significant indebtedness and there is no assurance that the new or expanded operations will operate profitably or profitably enough to support the investment we make.
Perception about “food vs. fuel” could impact public policy which could impair our ability to operate at a profit and substantially harm our revenues and operating margins.
Some people believe that biomass-based diesel may increase the cost of food, as some feedstocks such as soybean oil used to make biomass-based diesel can also be used for food products. This debate is often referred to as “food vs. fuel.” This is a concern to the biomass-based diesel industry because biomass-based diesel demand is heavily influenced by government policy and if public opinion were to erode, it is possible that these policies could lose political support. These views could also negatively impact public perception of biomass-based diesel. Such claims have led some, including members of Congress, to urge the modification of current government policies which affect the production and sale of biofuels in the United States.
Concerns regarding the environmental impact of biomass-based diesel production could affect public policy which could impair our ability to operate at a profit and substantially harm our revenues and operating margins.
Under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 ("EISA"), the EPA is required to produce a study every three years of the environmental impacts associated with current and future biofuel production and use, including effects on air and water quality, soil quality and conservation, water availability, energy recovery from secondary materials, ecosystem health and
biodiversity, invasive species and international impacts. The only such triennial report was released in February 2012. The 2012 report concludes that (1) the extent of negative impacts to date are limited in magnitude and are primarily associated with the intensification of corn production; (2) whether future impacts are positive or negative will be determined by the choice of feedstock, land use change, cultivation and conservation practices; and (3) realizing potential benefits will require implementation and monitoring of conservation and best management practices, improvements in production efficiency, and implementation of innovative technologies at commercial scales. Should future EPA triennial studies, or other analyses find that biofuel production and use has resulted in, or could in the future result in, adverse environmental impacts, such findings could also negatively impact public perception and acceptance of biofuel as an alternative fuel, which also could result in the loss of political support. To the extent that state or federal laws are modified or public perception turns against biomass-based diesel, use requirements such as RFS2 and state tax incentives may not continue, which could materially harm our ability to operate profitably.
Nitrogen oxide emissions from biodiesel may harm its appeal as a renewable fuel and increase costs.
In some instances, biodiesel may increase emissions of nitrogen oxide as compared to petroleum-based diesel fuel, which could harm air quality. Nitrogen oxide is a contributor to ozone and smog. While newer diesel engines are believed to eliminate any such increase, emissions from older vehicles may decrease the appeal of biodiesel to environmental groups and agencies who have been historic supporters of the biodiesel industry, potentially harming our ability to market our biodiesel.
In addition, several states may act to regulate potential nitrogen oxide emissions from biodiesel. California recently adopted regulations that limit the volume of biodiesel that can be used or requires an additive to reduce potential emissions. In states where such an additive is required to sell biodiesel, the additional cost of the additive may make biodiesel less profitable or make biodiesel less cost competitive against petroleum-based diesel or renewable diesel, which would negatively impact our ability to sell biodiesel in such states and therefore have an adverse effect on our revenues and profitability.
We are dependent upon one supplier to provide hydrogen necessary to execute our renewable diesel production process and the loss of this supplier could disrupt our production process.
Our Geismar facility relies on one supplier to provide hydrogen necessary to execute the production process. Any disruptions to the hydrogen supply during production from this supplier will result in the shutdown of our Geismar plant operations. We are currently seeking additional hydrogen suppliers for our Geismar facility.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR INDEBTEDNESS
We and certain subsidiaries have indebtedness, which subjects us to potential defaults, that could adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations and limits our ability to react to changes in the economy or the biomass-based diesel industry.
At
December 31, 2018
, our total term debt before debt issuance costs was
$185.8 million
. This includes
$75.5 million
aggregate carrying value on our $96.3 million face amount, 4.00% convertible senior notes due in June 2036, which we refer to as the "2036 Convertible Senior Notes", and
$66.4 million
aggregate carrying value on our $67.5 million face value, 2.75% convertible senior notes due in June 2019, which we refer to as the "2019 Convertible Senior Notes". At December 31, 2018, our total term debt also includes borrowings at our Danville facility of
$9.0 million
, at our Ralston facility of
$18.9 million
, at our Grays Harbor facility of
$8.8 million
and at REG Capital LLC. of
$7.2 million
.
Our indebtedness could:
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require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments of principal, interest on, and other fees related to such indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital and capital expenditures, and for other general corporate purposes;
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increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and biomass-based diesel industry conditions, including interest rate fluctuations, because a portion of our revolving credit facilities are and will continue to be at variable rates of interest;
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limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the biomass-based diesel industry, which may place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt; and
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limit among other things, our ability to borrow additional funds.
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Our ability to make scheduled payments of the principal of, to pay interest on or to refinance our indebtedness, including the 2036 Convertible Senior Notes and 2019 Convertible Senior Notes, depends on our future financial performance, which is subject to several factors including economic, financial, competitive and other factors beyond our control. Our business may not generate cash flow from operations in the future sufficient to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness or any future indebtedness we may incur as well as our ability to make necessary capital expenditures. If we are unable to generate such cash
flow, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as reducing or delaying investments or capital expenditures, selling assets, refinancing or obtaining additional capital on terms that may be onerous or highly dilutive. Our ability to refinance our existing or future indebtedness will depend on the conditions in the capital markets and our financial condition prior to maturity of the indebtedness.
Despite our current indebtedness levels, we may still incur significant additional indebtedness. Incurring more indebtedness could increase the risks associated with our substantial indebtedness.
We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur substantial additional indebtedness, including additional secured indebtedness, in the future. As of
December 31, 2018
, we had
$114.9 million
of undrawn availability under our lines of credit, subject to borrowing base limitations. In addition, the indentures governing our convertible notes do not prevent us from incurring additional indebtedness or other liabilities that constitute indebtedness. If new debt or other liabilities are added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we and our subsidiaries now face could intensify.
We are subject to counterparty risk with respect to the capped call transactions that we entered into in connection with the issuance of our 2019 Convertible Senior Notes.
In connection with the issuance of our 2019 Convertible Senior Notes, we entered into privately-negotiated capped call transactions with various counterparties. The counterparties to the capped call transactions are financial institutions, and we will be subject to the risk that they might default under the capped call transactions. Our exposure to the credit risk of the option counterparties will not be secured by any collateral. Recent global economic conditions have resulted in the actual or perceived failure or financial difficulties of many financial institutions. If any option counterparty becomes subject to insolvency proceedings, we will become an unsecured creditor in those proceedings, with a claim equal to our exposure at that time under our transactions with such option counterparty. Our exposure will depend on many factors, but generally, an increase in our exposure will be correlated to an increase in the market price and volatility of shares of our common stock. In addition, upon a default by any option counterparty, we may suffer more dilution than we currently anticipate with respect to our common stock. We can provide no assurances as to the financial stability or viability of the option counterparties.
We may not have the ability to raise the funds necessary to settle conversions of our convertible notes in cash or to repurchase the convertible notes for cash upon a fundamental change or on a repurchase date, and our future debt may contain limitations on our ability to repurchase the convertible notes.
Holders of the 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes will have the right to require us to repurchase their 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes upon the occurrence of a fundamental change at a repurchase price generally equal to 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.
Holders of the 2036 Convertible Senior Notes will also have the right to require us to repurchase their notes on each of June 15, 2021, June 15, 2026 and June 15, 2031 at a repurchase price generally equal to 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.
In addition, holders of the 2019 and 2036 Convertible Senior Notes have the right to convert their notes during any calendar quarter when the last reported sale price of our common stock for 20 trading days during a period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the applicable conversion price, or $16.02 in the case of the 2019 Convertible Senior Notes and $14.01 in the case of the 2036 Convertible Senior Notes. Both series of notes became convertible due to the trading price of our common stock.
The 2019 Convertible Senior Notes will mature on June 15, 2019 and can be converted at any time on or after December 15, 2018. In accordance with the indenture governing the 2019 Convertible Senior Notes, we have elected to settle all conversions of each $1,000 principal amount of notes being converted on or after October 23, 2018, with $1,000 in cash and any conversion value in excess of that amount in shares of our common stock. For the 2036 Convertible Senior Notes, our current intent is to settle conversions using cash for the principal amount of convertible senior notes converted, with the remaining value satisfied at the Company's option in cash, stock or a combination of cash and stock. However, we may not have enough available cash or be able to obtain financing at the time we are required to make repurchases of the 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes upon a fundamental change or to settle conversion of the 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes in cash.
In addition, our ability to repurchase the 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes may be limited by law, by regulatory authority or by agreements governing our future indebtedness. Our failure to repurchase 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes at a time when the repurchase is required by the indenture would constitute a default under the indenture governing the 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes. A default under the indenture or the fundamental change itself could also lead to a default under agreements governing our other indebtedness. If the repayment of the related indebtedness were to be accelerated
after any applicable notice or grace periods, we may not have sufficient funds to repay the indebtedness and repurchase the convertible notes.
Certain provisions in the indenture governing the 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes could delay or prevent an otherwise beneficial takeover or takeover attempt of us.
Certain provisions in the 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes and the indenture could make it more difficult or more expensive for a third party to acquire us. For example, if a takeover would constitute a fundamental change, holders of the 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes will have the right to require us to repurchase their 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes in cash. In addition, if a takeover constitutes a make-whole fundamental change, we may be required to increase the conversion rate for holders who convert their 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes in connection with such takeover. In either case, and in other cases, our obligations under the 2019 or 2036 Convertible Senior Notes and the indenture could increase the cost of acquiring us or otherwise discourage a third party from acquiring us or removing incumbent management.
We are a holding company and there are limitations on our ability to receive dividends and distributions from our subsidiaries.
All of our principal assets, including our biomass-based diesel production facilities, are owned by subsidiaries and some of these subsidiaries are subject to loan covenants that generally restrict them from paying dividends, making distributions or making loans to us or to any other subsidiary. These limitations will restrict our ability to repay indebtedness, finance capital projects or pay dividends to stockholders from our subsidiaries’ cash flows from operations.
Our debt agreements impose significant operating and financial restrictions on our subsidiaries, which may prevent us from capitalizing on business opportunities.
Certain of our revolving and term credit agreements, including our M&L and Services Revolver, impose significant operating and financial restrictions on certain of our subsidiaries. These restrictions limit certain of our subsidiaries’ ability, among other things, to:
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incur additional indebtedness or issue certain disqualified stock and preferred stock;
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place restrictions on the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other payments to us;
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engage in transactions with affiliates;
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sell certain assets or merge with or into other companies;
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guarantee indebtedness; and
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create liens.
When (and for as long as) the availability under the M&L and Services Revolver is less than a specified amount for a certain period of time, funds deposited into deposit accounts used for collections will be transferred on a daily basis into a blocked account with the administrative agent and applied to prepay loans under the M&L and Services Revolver.
As a result of these covenants and restrictions, we may be limited in how we conduct our business and we may be unable to raise additional debt or equity financing to compete effectively or to take advantage of new business opportunities. The terms of any future indebtedness we may incur could include more restrictive covenants. There is no assurance that we will be able to maintain compliance with these covenants in the future and, if we fail to do so, that we will be able to obtain waivers from the lenders and/or amend the covenants.
There are limitations on our ability to incur the full $150.0 million of commitments under the M&L and Services Revolver. Borrowings under our M&L and Services Revolver are limited by a specified borrowing base consisting of a percentage of eligible accounts receivable and inventory, less customary reserves. In addition, under the M&L and Services Revolver, a monthly fixed charge coverage ratio would become applicable if excess availability under the M&L and Services Revolver is less than 10% of the total $150 million of current revolving loan commitments, or $15 million. As of
December 31, 2018
, availability under the M&L and Services Revolver was approximately
$114.9 million
. However, it is possible that excess availability under the Revolving Credit could fall below the 10% threshold in a future period. If the covenant trigger were to occur, our subsidiaries who are the borrowers under the M&L and Services Revolver would be required to satisfy and maintain on the last day of each month a fixed charge coverage ratio of at least 1.0x for the preceding twelve month period.
As of
December 31, 2018
, the fixed charge coverage ratio for our M&L and Services Revolver was approximately 0.445, which was below the minimum amount required for compliance with this ratio. However, as noted above, we are not required to comply with the minimum fixed charge covenant of 1.0 unless availability under the M&L and Services Revolver drops below the agreed threshold. Our ability to meet the required fixed charge coverage ratio can be affected by events beyond our
control, and we cannot assure you that we will meet this ratio. A breach of any of these covenants would result in a default under the M&L and Services Revolver.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR COMMON STOCK
The market price for our common stock may be volatile.
The market price for our common stock is likely to be highly volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to factors including the following:
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actual or anticipated fluctuations in our financial condition and operating results;
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changes in the performance or market valuations of other companies engaged in our industry;
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issuance of new or updated research reports by securities or industry analysts;
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changes in financial estimates by us or of securities or industry analysts;
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investors’ general perception of us and the industry in which we operate;
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changes in the political climate in the industry in which we operate, existing laws, regulations and policies applicable to our business and products, including RFS2, and the continuation or adoption or failure to continue or adopt renewable energy requirements and incentives, including the BTC;
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other regulatory developments in our industry affecting us, our customers or our competitors;
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announcements of technological innovations by us or our competitors;
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announcement or expectation of additional financing efforts, including sales or expected sales of additional common stock;
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additions or departures of key management or other personnel;
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inadequate trading volume;
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general market conditions in our industry;
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whether our shares are included in stock market indexes such as the S&P SmallCap 600 index; and
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general economic and market conditions, including continued dislocations and downward pressure in the capital markets.
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In addition, stock markets experience significant price and volume fluctuations from time to time that are not related to the operating performance of particular companies. These market fluctuations may have material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.
We may issue additional common stock as consideration for future investments or acquisitions.
We have issued in the past, and may issue in the future, our securities in connection with investments and acquisitions. Our stockholders could suffer significant dilution, from our issuances of equity or convertible debt securities. Any new equity securities we issue could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of holders of our common stock. The amount of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock issued in connection with an investment or acquisition could constitute a material portion of our then outstanding common stock.
If we fail to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, we might not be able to report our financial results accurately or prevent fraud. In that case, our stockholders could lose confidence in our financial reporting, which would harm our business and could negatively impact the value of our stock.
Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and prevent fraud. The process of maintaining our internal controls may be expensive and time consuming and may require significant attention from management. Although we have concluded as of
December 31, 2018
that our internal control over financial reporting provides reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect fraud or misstatements.
Failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation, could harm our results of operations or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. If we or our independent registered public accounting firm discover a material weakness, the disclosure of that fact could harm the value of our stock and our business.
Delaware law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain anti-takeover provisions that could delay or discourage takeover attempts that stockholders may consider favorable.
Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control or changes in our management. These provisions include the following:
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the right of the board of directors to elect a director to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of the board of directors;
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the requirement for advance notice for nominations for election to the board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon at a stockholders’ meeting;
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the ability of the board of directors to alter our bylaws without obtaining stockholder approval;
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the ability of the board of directors to issue, without stockholder approval, up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock with rights set by the board of directors, which rights could be senior to those of common stock;
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the required approval of holders of at least two-thirds of the shares entitled to vote at an election of directors to adopt, amend or repeal our bylaws or amend or repeal the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation regarding the classified board, the election and removal of directors and the ability of stockholders to take action by written consent; and
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the elimination of the right of stockholders to call a special meeting of stockholders and to take action by written consent.
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In addition, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL"). These provisions may prohibit or restrict large stockholders, in particular those owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock, from merging or combining with us. These provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws and under Delaware law could discourage potential takeover attempts and could reduce the price that investors might be willing to pay for shares of our common stock in the future and result in our market price being lower than it would without these provisions.
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ITEM 1B.
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Unresolved Staff Comments
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None.