As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 14, 2022

Registration No. 333-266757

 

 

UNITED STATES 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO

 

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

 

OPAL FUELS INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   4932   98-1578357

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) 

 

(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number) 

 

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)  

 

One North Lexington Avenue

Suite 1450

White Plains, New York 10601

(914) 705-4000

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

 

Ann Anthony

Chief Financial Officer

c/o OPAL Fuels Inc.

One North Lexington Avenue

Suite 1450

White Plains, New York 10601

(914) 705-4000

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

 

Copies of all communications, including communications sent to agent for service, should be sent to:

 

T. Allen McConnell, P.C.

Edward M. Welch, Esq.
Sheppard, Mullin,
Richter & Hampton LLP
30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, New York 10112
Tel: (212) 653-8700

 

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box: ☒

 

If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

 

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

 

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

  Large accelerated filer     Accelerated filer  
  Non-accelerated filer     Smaller reporting company  
          Emerging growth company  

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. 

 

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the SEC, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED OCTOBER 14, 2022

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

 

OPAL FUELS INC.

UP TO 181,764,740 SHARES OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK

 

 

 

This prospectus relates to the issuance by us of up to (i) 9,223,261 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A common stock”) underlying Private Placement Warrants (as defined in this prospectus) issued by the Company under the Business Combination Agreement that were originally purchased at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant, which warrants are exercisable for shares of our Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share; and (ii) 6,223,233 shares of Class A common stock underlying Public Warrants (as defined in this prospectus) issued by the Company under the Business Combination Agreement that were originally issued as part of the units sold by Arclight at a purchase price of $10.00 per unit in its initial public offering, which warrants are exercisable for shares of our Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share.

 

This prospectus also relates to the offer and sale from time to time by the selling securityholders named in this prospectus (the “Selling Holders”) of:

 

(i) 10,838,609 shares of Class A common stock issued under the Business Combination Agreement, dated as of December 2, 2021 (as the same has been or may be amended, modified, supplemented or waived from time to time, the “BCA” or the “Business Combination Agreement”), by and among ArcLight Clean Transition Corp. II (“ArcLight”), Opal Fuels LLC (“Opco”) and Opal Holdco LLC (“OPAL Holdco”) to ARCC Beacon LLC (“Ares”), ArcLight CTC Holdings II, L.P. (“Sponsor”) and certain former directors of ArcLight originally acquired by such parties for an effective purchase price of approximately $0.003 per share;

 

(ii) 144,399,037 shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the conversion of Class C common stock issuable to Opal Holdco and Hillman RNG Investments, LLC (the “Opco Common Equityholders”) upon the exchange of Opco Common Units (as defined below) and the cancellation of an equal number of shares of Class D common stock (as defined in this prospectus) originally issued as consideration in connection with the Business Combination at a per share value of $10.00 per share;

 

(iii) 11,080,600 shares of Class A common stock originally issued and sold to certain of the Selling Holders pursuant to subscription agreements dated as of December 2, 2021 (collectively, the “PIPE Investors”) at a purchase price of $10.00 per share; and

 

(iv) 9,223,261 shares of class A common stock underlying the Private Placement Warrants.

 

In connection with the Business Combination, holders of 27,364,124 of Arclight’s Class A ordinary shares, or 87.94% of the shares with redemption rights, exercised their right to redeem their shares for cash at a redemption price of approximately $10.00 per share, for an aggregate redemption amount of $274,186,522. The shares of Class A common stock being offered for resale pursuant to this prospectus by the Selling Holders represent approximately 708% of shares of Class A common stock outstanding of the Company as of October 13, 2022 (without giving effect to the issuance of shares upon exercise of outstanding Warrants and upon the conversion of Class C common stock to be issued to the Opco Common Equityholders upon the exchange by them of Opco Common Units). Given the substantial number of shares of Class A common stock being registered for potential resale by Selling Holders pursuant to this prospectus, the sale of shares by the Selling Holders, or the perception in the market that the selling Holders of a large number of shares intend to sell shares, could increase the volatility of the market price of our Class A common stock or result in a significant decline in the public trading price of our Class A common stock. Even if our trading price is significantly below $10.00, the offering price for the units offered in Arclight’s IPO, certain of the Selling Holders, including the Sponsor, may still have an incentive to sell shares of our Class A common stock because they purchased the shares at prices lower than the public investors or the current trading price of our Class A common stock. For example, based on the closing price of our Class A common stock of $6.23 as of October 13, 2022, Sponsor and other holders of the shares of our Class A common stock that were originally purchased by Arclight’s Sponsor in a private placement prior to Arclight’s initial public offering (the “Founder Shares”) would experience a potential profit of approximately $6.227 per share, or approximately $48,440,306 in the aggregate.

 

 

 

 

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of Class A common stock by the Selling Holders pursuant to this prospectus. We could receive up to an aggregate of $177,634,681 if all of the Warrants are exercised for cash. However, we will only receive such proceeds if and when the holders of the Warrants choose to exercise them. The exercise of the Warrants, and any proceeds we may receive from their exercise, are highly dependent on the price of our Class A common stock and the spread between the exercise price of the Warrants and the price of our Class A common stock at the time of exercise. We have 15,446,494 outstanding Warrants to purchase 15,446,494 shares of our Class A common stock, exercisable at an exercise price of $11.50 per share. If the market price of our Class A common stock is less than the exercise price of a holder’s Warrants, it is unlikely that holders will choose to exercise. As of October 13, 2022, the closing price of our Class A common stock was $6.23 per share. There can be no assurance that the Warrants will be in the money prior to their expiration. In addition, the Sponsor (as defined herein), or its permitted transferees, have the option to exercise the Private Placement Warrants on a cashless basis. As such, it is possible that we may never generate any cash proceeds from the exercise of our Warrants. We will bear all costs, expenses and fees in connection with the registration of the securities. The Selling Holders will bear all commissions and discounts, if any, attributable to their respective sales of the securities.

 

Our registration of the securities covered by this prospectus does not mean that either we or the Selling Holders will issue, offer or sell, as applicable, any of the Class A common stock. The Selling Holders may offer and sell the securities covered by this prospectus in a number of different ways and at varying prices. We provide more information about how the Selling Holders may sell the shares in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.”

 

You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement or amendment carefully before you invest in our Class A common stock.

 

Our shares of Class A common stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “OPAL.” On October 13, 2022, the closing price of our Class A common stock was $6.23 per share. Our public warrants are listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “OPALW.” On October 13, 2022, the closing price of our public warrants was $1.09 per warrant.

 

We are an “emerging growth company,” as that term is defined under the federal securities laws and, as such, are subject to certain reduced public company reporting requirements.

 

 

 

Investing in our securities involves risks that are described in the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page 10 of this prospectus.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the securities to be issued under this prospectus or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The date of this prospectus is               , 2022.

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

TRADEMARKS ii
SELECTED DEFINITIONS ii
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS vi
SUMMARY 1
SELECTED HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION 8
MARKET PRICE, TICKER SYMBOL, AND DIVIDEND INFORMATION 9
RISK FACTORS 10
USE OF PROCEEDS 43
UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION 44
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS 58
BUSINESS 73
MANAGEMENT 91
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION 95
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES 98
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP 111
SELLING HOLDERS 113
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS 116
UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS 121
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION 127
LEGAL MATTERS 131
EXPERTS 131
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION 131
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS F-1

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. No one has been authorized to provide you with information that is different from that contained in this prospectus. This prospectus is dated as of the date set forth on the cover hereof. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than that date.

 

i

 

 

TRADEMARKS

 

This document contains references to trademarks and service marks belonging to other entities. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ® or  symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that the applicable licensor will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, its rights to these trademarks and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.

 

SELECTED DEFINITIONS

 

When used in this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires:

 

“ArcLight” refers to ArcLight Clean Transaction Corp. II, a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempt company, and our previous name prior to the Closing.

 

“Ares” refers to ARRC Beacon LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

“BCA” or “Business Combination Agreement” refers to the Business Combination Agreement dated as of December 2, 2021 (as the same has been or may be amended, modified, supplemented or waived from time to time), by and among ArcLight, Opco and OPAL Holdco.

 

“Business Combination” refers to the transaction contemplated by the BCA.

 

“Bylaws” refers to the bylaws of OPAL.

 

“Charter” refers to certificate of incorporation of OPAL.

 

“Class A common stock” refers to the shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of OPAL.

 

“Class B common stock” refers to the shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of OPAL.

 

“Class C common stock” refers to the shares of Class C common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of OPAL.

 

“Class D common stock” refers to the shares of Class D common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of OPAL.

 

“Class A Units” refers to the Class A Units as defined in the Second A&R LLC Agreement.

 

“Class B Units” refers to the Class B Units as defined in the Second A&R LLC Agreement.

 

“Closing” refers to the closing of the Business Combination.

 

“Closing Date” refers to July 21, 2022.

 

“Common Stock” refers to the collective shares of Class A common stock, Class B common stock, Class C common stock and Class D common stock.

 

“Company”, “we”, “our”, “us” or similar terms refers to OPAL Fuels Inc. individually or on a consolidated basis, as the context may require.

 

“Exchange Act” refers to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“FASB” refers to the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

 

“Fortistar” refers to Fortistar LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

“Fueling Stations” refers to facilities where (i) natural gas is dispensed into fuel tanks of vehicles for use as transportation fuel, and (ii) transactional data from the dispensing of the fuel is recorded so that Environmental Attributes can be subsequently reported, matched with the dispensed fuel to the extent sourced from RNG, and generated under the federal or state RFS or LCFS programs and other current and potential future programs aimed at providing support for RNG into the transportation market. At the Fueling Stations, the natural gas is pressurized using compressor systems and, in this state, is referred to as compressed natural gas (“CNG”). Because Environmental Attributes associated with RNG are nominated/assigned to the physical quantity of CNG dispensed at the Fueling Station, when the CNG is dispensed into to fuel tanks for use as transportation fuel and subsequently reported to the EPA and/or state environmental agency and matched with the production of RNG, the respective RINs and LCFS credits are generated. Some of these stations are designed, developed, constructed, operated and maintained by us while others are third party stations where we may only provide maintenance services.

 

ii

 

 

“Hillman” refers to Hillman RNG Investments, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

Investment Company Actrefers to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

“Investor Rights Agreement” refers to the Investor Rights Agreement, dated July 21, 2022, by and among OPAL Fuels Inc., each of the Sellers named therein, the Sponsor and the Sponsor Principals as included in Exhibit 10.7 to the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on July 27, 2021, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or waived from time to time in accordance with its terms.

 

“IPO” refers to ArcLight’s initial public offering of its Class A ordinary shares and ArcLight Public Warrants pursuant to the IPO Registration Statement and completed on March 25, 2021.

 

“IPO Registration Statement” refers to ArcLight’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the SEC (File No. 333-252730), on March 22, 2021.

 

“Meteora” refers to Meteora Capital Partners and its affiliates.

 

“Nasdaq” refers to the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

“NextEra” refers to Mendocino Capital, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

“OPAL” and “OPAL Fuels” refers to OPAL Fuels Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

“our Board” refers to our board of directors.

 

“OPAL Holdco” refers to OPAL Holdco LLC, a Delaware limited liability.

 

“OPAL Preferred Stock” refers to our shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share.

 

“Private Placement Warrants” refers to the 9,223,261 redeemable warrants that were exchanged for the ArcLight Private Placement Warrants in connection with the Closing, entitling the holder thereof to purchase Class A common stock.

 

“Public Warrants” refers to the 6,223,233 redeemable warrants exchanged for the ArcLight Public Warrants in connection with the Closing, entitling the holder thereof to purchase Class A common stock.

 

“Warrants” refers collectively to the Private Placement Warrants together with the Public Warrants.

 

“Opco” refers to OPAL Fuels LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

“Opco Common Equityholders” refers to OPAL Holdco and Hillman.

 

“Opco Common Units” refers to the Class B Units resulting from the re-classification of the collective Opco common units existing immediately prior to the Closing.

 

“Series A Preferred Units” refers to the 1,000,000 Series A preferred units of Opco held by NextEra.

 

“Series A-1 Preferred Units” refers to the 300,000 Series A-1 preferred units of Opco held by Hillman.

 

Organizational Documentsrefers to the Charter and the Bylaws;

 

“Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, joint stock company, unincorporated organization or association, trust, joint venture or other similar entity, whether or not a legal entity.

 

“PIPE Investment” refers to the PIPE Investors that purchased a total of 11,080,600 shares of Class A common stock in connection with the Closing at a cash purchase price of $10.00 per share pursuant to the Subscription Agreements.

 

“PIPE Investors” refers, collectively, to the institutional and accredited investors that entered into Subscription Agreements with ArcLight.

 

“Sarbanes-Oxley Act” refers to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

“SEC” refers to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

iii

 

 

“Second A&R LLC Agreement” refers to the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Opco.

 

“Securities Act” refers to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

“Sponsor” refers to ArcLight CTC Holdings II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.

 

“Subscription Agreements” refer to the subscription agreements (as amended from time to time) that ArcLight entered into in connection with the Business Combination Agreement, each dated as of December 2, 2021.

 

“Tax Receivable Agreement” refers to the Tax Receivable Agreement, dated July 21, 2022, by and among OPAL Fuels Inc, Opal Holdco LLC and the TRA Parties named therein as included in Exhibit 10.6 to the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on July 29, 2021, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or waived from time to time in accordance with its terms.

 

In addition, the following is a glossary of key industry terms used herein:

 

“Advanced Clean Trucks Regulation” refers to the rules adopted by the California Air Resources Board on June 25, 2020 requiring the sale of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks.

 

“ADG” refers to anaerobic digester gas.

 

“Biogas Conversion Projects” refers to projects derived from the recovery and processing of biogas from landfills and other non-fossil fuel sources, such as livestock and dairy farms, for beneficial use as a replacement to fossil fuels.

 

“BOD” refers to biochemical oxygen demand.

 

“Btu” refers to British thermal units.

 

“CARB” refers to the California Air Resources Board.

 

“CO₂” refers to Carbon dioxide.

 

“CNG” refers to compressed natural gas.

 

“CI” refers to carbon intensity.

 

“D3” refers to cellulosic biofuel with a 60% GHG reduction requirement.

 

“EHS” refers to environment, health and safety.

 

“EISA” refers to Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

 

“EPA” refers to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

 

“EPACT 2005” refers to the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

 

“Environmental Attributes” refer to federal, state and local government incentives in the United States, provided in the form of RINs, RECs, LCFS credits, rebates, tax credits and other incentives to end users, distributors, system integrators and manufacturers of renewable energy projects, that promote the use of renewable energy.

 

“FERC” refers to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

 

“GHG” refers to greenhouse gases.

 

“ISOs” refers to Independent System Operators.

 

“LCFS” refers to Low Carbon Fuel Standard or similar types of federal and state programs.

 

“LFG” refers to landfill gas.

 

“MBR Authority” refers to (a) authorization by FERC pursuant to the Federal Power Act to sell electric energy, capacity and/or ancillary services at market-based rates, (b) acceptance by FERC of a tariff providing for such sales, and (c) granting by FERC of such regulatory waivers and blanket authorizations as are customarily granted by FERC to holders of market-based rate authority, including blanket authorization under section 204 of the Federal Power Act to issue securities and assume liabilities.

 

iv

 

 

“Obligated Parties” means refiners or importers of gasoline or diesel fuel under the RFS program.

 

“QFs” refers to qualifying small power production facilities under the Federal Power Act and the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, as amended

 

“RECs” refers to Renewable Energy Credits.

 

“Renewable Power” refers to electricity generated from renewable sources.

 

“RFS” refers to the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard.

 

“RINs” refers to Renewable Identification Numbers.

 

“RNG” refers to renewable natural gas.

 

“RPS” refers to Renewable Portfolio Standards.

 

“RTOs” refers to Regional Transmission Organizations.

 

“RVOs” refers to renewable volume obligations.

 

“September 2020 Executive Order” refers to Executive Order N-79-20 issued by the Governor of the State of California in September 2020.

 

v

 

  

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

Certain statements made in this prospectus are “forward-looking statements.” Words such as “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “estimated,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “future,” “propose,” “target,” “goal,” “objective,” “outlook” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside our control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include:

 

the failure to realize the benefits of the Business Combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, our ability to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain key employees;

 

our success in retaining or recruiting, our principal officers, key employees or directors;

 

intense competition and competitive pressures from other companies in the industry in which we operate;

 

increased costs of, or delays in obtaining, key components or labor for the construction and completion of landfill gas and livestock waste projects that generate electricity and renewable natural gas (“RNG”) and compressed natural gas (“CNG”) and hydrogen dispensing stations;

 

factors relating to our business, operations and financial performance, including market conditions and global and economic factors beyond our control;

 

macroeconomic conditions related to the global COVID-19 pandemic;

 

the reduction or elimination of government economic incentives to the renewable energy market;

 

factors associated with companies, such as us, that are engaged in the production and integration of RNG, including (i) anticipated trends, growth rates and challenges in those businesses and in the markets in which they operate (ii) contractual arrangements with, and the cooperation of, landfill and livestock biogas conversion project site owners and operators and operators, on which we operate our landfill gas and livestock waste projects that generate electricity and (iii) RNG prices for Environmental Attributes, low carbon fuel standard credits and other incentives;

 

the ability to identify, acquire, develop and operate renewable projects and Fueling Stations;

 

our ability to issue equity or equity-linked securities or obtain debt financing;

 

the demand for renewable energy not being sustained;

 

impacts of climate change, changing weather patterns and conditions and natural disasters;

 

the effect of legal, tax and regulatory changes; and

 

other factors detailed under the section entitled “Risk Factors.

 

The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

 

vi

 

  

SUMMARY

 

This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information you should consider when making your investment decision. Before investing in our securities, you should carefully read this entire prospectus, including our financial statements and the related notes included in this prospectus and the information set forth under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” See also the section entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.” The definition of some of the terms used in this prospectus are set forth under the section “Selected Definitions.”

 

Business Overview

 

We are a renewable energy company specializing in the capture and conversion of biogas for the (i) production of RNG for use as a vehicle fuel for heavy and medium-duty trucking fleets, (ii) generation of Renewable Power for sale to utilities, (iii) generation and sale of Environmental Attributes associated with RNG and Renewable Power, and (iv) sales of RNG as pipeline quality natural gas. We have been an established biogas-to-energy producer in the United States, having participated in the landfill gas to energy industry for over 20 years.

 

Biogas is comprised of non-fossil waste gas, with high concentrations of methane, which is the primary component of RNG and the source for combustion utilized by Renewable Power plants to generate Renewable Power. Biogas can not only be collected and processed to remove impurities for use as RNG (a form of high-Btu fuel) and injected into existing natural gas pipelines as it is fully interchangeable with fossil natural gas, but partially treated biogas can be used directly in heating applications (as a form of medium-Btu fuel) or in the production of Renewable Power. The biogas is generated by microbes as they break down organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Our principal sources of biogas are (i) landfill gas, which is produced by the decomposition of organic waste at landfills and (ii) dairy manure, which is processed through anaerobic digesters to produce the biogas.

 

We also design, develop, construct, operate and service Fueling Stations for trucking fleets across the country that use natural gas to displace diesel as their transportation fuel. We have participated in the alternative vehicle fuels industry for approximately 12 years and have established an expanding network of Fueling Stations for dispensing RNG. In addition, we have recently begun implementing design, development, and construction services for hydrogen fueling stations, and we are pursuing opportunities to diversify its sources of biogas to other waste streams.

 

Capture and Conversion Business

 

We typically secure our Biogas Conversion Projects through a combination of long-term gas rights, manure supply agreements, and property lease agreements with biogas site hosts. Our Biogas Conversion Projects provide our landfill and dairy farm partners with a variety of benefits, including (i) a means to monetize biogas from their sites, (ii) regulatory compliance for landfills, (iii) a source of environmentally beneficial waste management practices for dairy farms and (iv) a valuable revenue stream. Once we have negotiated gas rights or manure supply agreements, we then design, develop, build, own and operate facilities that convert the biogas into RNG or uses the processed biogas to produce Renewable Power. We sell the RNG produced by the Biogas Conversion Projects through RNG marketing and dispensing agreements and generate associated Environmental Attributes. These Environmental Attributes are then sold to obligated parties as defined under the RFS promulgated by the U.S. federal government and Low Carbon Fuel Standard Programs established by several states. We also sell Renewable Power to public utilities through long-term power purchase agreements.

 

Dispensing and Monetization Business

 

We are a leading provider of RNG marketing and dispensing in the alternative vehicle fuels market for heavy and medium-duty trucking fleets throughout the United States. In this sector, we focus on dispensing RNG through Fueling Stations that serve fleets that use natural gas instead of diesel fuel. These Fueling Stations and dispensing services are key for our business because Environmental Attributes are generated through dispensing RNG at these stations for use as vehicle fuel for transportation, and, once generated, the Environmental Attributes can then be monetized. During 2021, we dispensed 19.9 million GGEs of RNG to the transportation market, generating corresponding Environmental Attributes, utilizing our current network of 75 Fueling Stations in 18 states in the United States, including more than 20 stations in California.

 

In November 2021, we signed a purchase and sale agreement with NextEra providing for the exclusive purchase by NextEra of 90% of our Environmental Attributes (RINs and LCFS credits). Under the agreement, we will receive the net proceeds paid to NextEra by NextEra customers for the purchase of such Environmental Attributes (or in certain circumstances an index-based or pre-negotiated price) less a specified discount.

 

1

 

 

Hydrogen Fuel

 

In the coming years, we believe we will be able to provide hydrogen fuel to vehicle fleets by constructing and servicing hydrogen fueling stations as well as providing RNG for hydrogen production. As fleet operators deploy more hydrogen powered vehicles, we anticipate constructing and servicing stations that use hydrogen derived from RNG to deliver low carbon hydrogen fuel to customers. We are currently in the design and engineering phase of the first several of these hydrogen fueling stations.

 

Our Projects

 

As of July 31, 2022, we owned and operated 25 projects, six of which are RNG projects and 19  of which are Renewable Power Projects. As of that date, our RNG projects in operation had a design capacity of 2.8 million MMBtus per year and our Renewable Power Projects in operation had a nameplate capacity of 123.7 MW per hour. In addition to these projects in operation, we are actively pursuing expansion of our RNG-generating capacity and, accordingly, have a portfolio of RNG projects in construction or in development, with ten of our current Renewable Power Projects being considered candidates for conversion to RNG projects in the foreseeable future. See “Business—Our Projects” for further detail of our projects.

 

Our Strategy

 

We aim to (i) maintain and grow our position as a leading producer and dispenser of RNG in the United States and (ii) maintain and increase our position as a leading provider of RNG to the heavy and medium-duty commercial vehicle market in the U.S. We support these objectives through a multi-pronged strategy of:

 

Promoting the reduction of methane and GHG emissions and expanding the use of renewable fuels to displace fossil-based fuels: We share the renewable fuel industry’s commitment to providing sustainable renewable energy solutions and offering products with high economic and ecological value. By simultaneously replacing fossil-based fuels and reducing overall methane emissions, our projects have a positive environmental impact. We are committed to the sustainable development, deployment, and utilization of RNG to reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels. We strive to optimize the economics of capturing biogas from our host landfills and dairy farms for conversion to RNG by balancing the capital and operating costs with the current and future quality and quantity of biogas.

 

Expanding our industry position as a full-service partner for development opportunities, including through strategic transactions: Throughout our over 20 years of biogas conversion experience, we have developed the full range of biogas conversion project related capabilities from landfill gas collection system expertise, to engineering, construction, management and operations, through EHS oversight and Environmental Attributes management. Our full suite of capabilities allows us to serve as a multi-project partner, including through strategic transactions.

 

Expanding our capabilities to new feedstock sources and technologies: We believe we will be able to enter new markets for our products, such as providing fuel for the production of renewable energy sources. With our experience and industry expertise, we believe we are well-positioned to take advantage of opportunities to meet the clean energy needs of other industries looking to use renewable energy in their operations. We are actively reviewing opportunities beyond our core LFG and dairy RNG business. Specifically, we intend to diversify our project portfolio beyond landfill biogas through the expansion into additional methane producing assets.

 

Empowering our customers to achieve their sustainability and carbon reduction objectives: We are well positioned to empower our customers to achieve their sustainability and carbon reduction goals, including significantly reducing GHG emissions from their commercial transportation activities, at a cost to customers that is competitive to other fuels like diesel. We also assist our customers in their transition to cleaner transportation fuels by helping them obtain federal, state and local tax credits, grants and incentives, vehicle financing, and facilitating customer selection of vehicle specifications to meet their needs.

 

Recent Developments

 

On July 21, 2022, ArcLight completed the Business Combination as contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement. In connection with this, ArcLight was domesticated and continued as a Delaware corporation (the “Domestication”). Pursuant to the Domestication, (i) each outstanding Class B ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class B ordinary shares”), of ArcLight was automatically converted, on a one-for-one basis, into a Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A ordinary shares”), of ArcLight; (ii) each issued and outstanding Class A ordinary share (including Class A ordinary shares resulting from the conversion of Class B ordinary shares into Class A ordinary shares) was automatically converted, on a one-for-one basis, into a share of our Class A common stock; (iii) each issued and outstanding warrant to purchase Class A ordinary shares of ArcLight automatically converted into a warrant to acquire one share of our Class A common stock upon substantially the same economic terms; and (iv) each issued and outstanding unit of ArcLight that had not been previously separated into the underlying Class A ordinary shares of ArcLight and the underlying warrants of ArcLight upon the request of the holder thereof prior to the Domestication was cancelled and entitled the holder thereof to one share of our Class A common stock and one-fifth of one Warrant.

 

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On July 21, 2022, as contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement:

 

OPAL Fuels LLC and its members caused the existing limited liability company agreement to be amended and restated and in connection therewith, all of the common units of OPAL Fuels LLC issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Closing were re-classified into 144,399,037 Class B Units;

 

We contributed to OPAL Fuels LLC $123,362,579 (representing (x) the amount of cash in the trust account established by ArcLight with the proceeds from the IPO as of immediately prior to the Closing, after giving effect to the exercise of redemption rights by any ArcLight shareholders and the set aside of funds in escrow to support a forward purchase agreement, plus (y) the aggregate cash proceeds received in respect of the PIPE Investment;

 

We contributed to OPAL Fuels LLC, and it in turn distributed to pre-closing members of Opco, 144,399,037 shares of our Class D common stock originally issued as consideration in connection with the Business Combination at a per share value of $10.00 per share;

 

We issued directly to Ares, 3,059,533 shares of our Class A common stock; and

 

OPAL Fuels LLC issued to us 25,171,390 Class A Units of OPAL Fuels LLC.

 

In addition, pursuant to Subscription Agreements entered into with certain accredited and institutional investors in connection with the Business Combination, concurrently with the Closing of the Business Combination, we received $105,806,000 in proceeds from the PIPE Investors, in exchange for which we issued 10,580,600 shares of our Class A common stock issued to the PIPE Investors. We received the remaining $5.0 million subscribed for pursuant to the PIPE Investment from one of the PIPE Investors subsequent to the Closing and issued 500,000 shares of Class A common stock.

 

Holders of 27,364,124 Class A ordinary shares of ArcLight properly exercised their right to have their ordinary shares redeemed for a full pro rata portion of the trust account holding the proceeds from the IPO, calculated as of two business days prior to the Closing, which was approximately $10.00 per share, or $274,186,522 in the aggregate.

 

Pursuant to a forward share purchase agreement (the “Forward Purchase Agreement”) entered into between ArcLight and Meteora Capital Partners and its affiliates (collectively, “Meteora”), prior to the Closing of the Business Combination, Meteora purchased 2,000,000 Class A ordinary shares of ArcLight from shareholders which had previously tendered such shares for redemption but agreed to reverse their redemption and sell such shares to Meteora at the redemption price, resulting in Meteora holding a total of 2,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, which Meteora agreed not to redeem in connection with the Business Combination. Additionally, ArcLight placed $20,040,000 in escrow at the Closing of the Business Combination to secure its purchase obligations to Meteora under the Forward Purchase Agreement.

 

On July 22, 2022, our Class A common stock and Public Warrants commenced trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols “OPAL” and “OPALW,” respectively, subject to ongoing review of our satisfaction of all listing criteria following the Business Combination.

 

Corporation Information

 

We are a Delaware corporation. Our principal executive offices are located at One North Lexington Avenue, Suite 1450, White Plains, New York 10601 and our telephone number is (914) 705-4000. Our website is www.opalfuels.com. Our website and the information contained on, or accessed through, its website are not part of this prospectus, and you should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus when making a decision as to whether to invest in our securities.

 

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Risk Factor Summary

 

You should consider all of the information contained in this prospectus before investing in our securities which involves substantial risk. Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those highlighted in the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 10 of this prospectus, that represent challenges that we face in connection with the successful implementation of our strategy and the growth of our business. The occurrence of one or more of the events or circumstances described in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” alone or in combination with other events or circumstances, may have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. Important factors and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:

 

Risks Related to Our Third Party Relationships and Government Regulation of Our Business

 

We are dependent on contractual arrangements with, and the cooperation of, owners and operators of biogas project sites where our Biogas Conversion Projects are located for the underlying biogas rights granted to us in connection with our Biogas Conversion Projects and for access to and operations on the biogas project sites where we utilize those underlying biogas rights;

 

For the US transportation fuel market, we are dependent on the production of vehicles and engines capable of running on natural gas and we have no control over these vehicle and engine manufacturers. We are also dependent on the willingness of owners of truck fleets to adopt natural gas powered vehicles and to contract with Opco for the provision of CNG to said fleets;

 

Failure of third parties to manufacture quality products or provide reliable services in a timely manner could cause delays in developing, constructing and operating our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations, which could damage our reputation, adversely affect our partner relationships or adversely affect our growth;

 

Our operations are subject to numerous stringent EHS laws and regulations that may expose us to significant costs and liabilities. From time to time, we have been issued notices of violations from government entities that our operations have failed to comply with such laws and regulations, particularly in regards to the operation of our landfill gas electric generating facilities. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations may result in the assessment of sanctions, including administrative, civil or criminal penalties, the imposition of investigatory or remedial obligations, and the issuance of orders limiting or prohibiting some or all of our operations;

 

Existing, and future changes to, federal, state and local regulations and policies, including permitting requirements applicable to us, and enactment of new regulations and policies, may present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to the generation, purchase and use of Renewable Power and RNG, and may adversely affect the market for the associated Environmental Attributes. A failure on our part to comply with any laws, regulations or rules applicable to us may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations;

 

The financial performance of our business depends upon tax and other government incentives for the generation of RNG and Renewable Power, any of which could change at any time and such changes may negatively impact our growth strategy;

 

We are subject to risks associated with litigation or administrative proceedings that could materially impact our operations, including proceedings in the future related to projects we subsequently acquire.

 

Market Risks Related to Our Business

 

The volatility in the price of oil, gasoline, diesel, natural gas, RNG or Environmental Attributes could adversely affect our business;

 

We currently use, and may continue in the future to use, forward-sale and hedging arrangements, to mitigate certain risks, but the use of such arrangements could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

 

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Additional Risk Factors Relating to Our Business in General

 

Our contracts with government entities may be subject to unique risks, including possible termination of or reduction in the governmental programs under which we operate, instances in which our contract provisions allow the government entity to terminate, amend or change terms at their convenience, and competitive bidding processes for the award of contracts;

 

In accordance with applicable FASB standards, management has concluded there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the ability of Opco to continue as a going concern without the implementation of various mitigation steps identified by management of Opco;

 

Liabilities and costs associated with hazardous materials and contamination and other environmental conditions may require us to conduct investigations or remediation at the properties underlying our projects, may adversely impact the value of our projects or the underlying properties, and may expose us to liabilities to third parties;

 

We have a history of accounting losses and may incur additional losses in the future;

 

We operate a capital-intensive business and are pursuing a business plan requiring significant access to capital. We may fail to get access to said capital in a timely manner or obtain capital at unfavorable terms.

 

Some relationships with our counterparties and suppliers may experience disruptions in connection with the Business Combination, which may limit our business; and

 

Our failure to timely and effectively implement controls and procedures required by Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company

 

We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we are permitted, and currently intend, to rely on the following provisions of the JOBS Act that contain exceptions from disclosure and other requirements that otherwise are applicable to public companies and file periodic reports with the SEC. These provisions include, but are not limited to:

 

being permitted to present only two years of audited financial statements and selected financial data and only two years of related “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our periodic reports and registration statements, including this prospectus, subject to certain exceptions;

 

not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;

 

reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports, proxy statements, and registration statements, including in this prospectus;

 

not being required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements; and

 

exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

 

We will cease to be an “emerging growth company” upon the earliest to occur of: (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue; (ii) the date we qualify as a large accelerated filer, with at least $700.0 million of equity securities held by non-affiliates; (iii) the date on which we have, in any three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; and (iv) December 31, 2026 (the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of ArcLight becoming a public company). 

 

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We have elected to take advantage of certain of the reduced disclosure obligations in this prospectus and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in our future filings with the SEC. As a result, the information that we provide to our stockholders may be different than what you might receive from other public reporting companies in which you hold equity interests.

 

We have elected to avail ourselves of the provision of the JOBS Act that permits emerging growth companies to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. As a result, we will not be subject to new or revised accounting standards at the same time as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies.

 

We are also a “smaller reporting company” as defined in the Exchange Act. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company even after we are no longer an emerging growth company. We may take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures available to smaller reporting companies until the fiscal year following the determination that our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is $250 million or more measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter, or our annual revenues are less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is $700 million or more measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter.

 

For additional information, see the section titled “Risk Factors—Risks Related to the Company—We are an “emerging growth company,” and our election to comply with the reduced disclosure requirements as a public company may make our common stock less attractive to investors.”

 

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The Offering

 

Issuer   OPAL Fuels Inc.

 

Securities offered by the Company  

Up to 15,446,494 shares of Class A common stock, consisting of:

 

  9,223,261 shares of Class A common stock underlying the Private Placement Warrants that were originally purchased at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant; and
     
  6,223,233 shares of Class A common stock underlying the Public Warrants that were originally issued as part of the units sold by Arclight at a purchase price of $10.00 per unit in its initial public offering.

 

Securities offered by the Selling Holders   Up to 175,541,507 shares of Class A common stock, consisting of:

 

  10,838,609 shares of Class A common stock issued under the Business Combination Agreement to Ares, Sponsor and certain former directors of ArcLight originally acquired by such parties for an effective purchase price of approximately $0.003 per share;
     
  144,399,037 shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the conversion of Class C common stock issuable to the Opco Common Equityholders upon the exchange of Opco Common Units and the cancellation of an equal number of shares of Class D common stock originally issued as consideration in connection with the Business Combination at a per share value of $10.00 per share;
     
  9,223,261 shares of Class A common stock underlying the Private Placement Warrants that were originally purchased at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant; and
     
  11,080,600 shares of Class A common stock issued to the PIPE Investors at a purchase price of $10.00 per share.

 

Use of proceeds  

We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the shares of Class A common stock by the Selling Holders. We could receive up to an aggregate of $177,634,681 if all of the Warrants are exercised for cash. However, we will only receive such proceeds if and when the holders of the Warrants choose to exercise them. The exercise of the Warrants, and any proceeds we may receive from their exercise, are highly dependent on the price of our Class A common stock and the spread between the exercise price of the Warrants and the price of our Class A common stock at the time of exercise. We have 15,446,494 outstanding Warrants to purchase 15,446,494 shares of our Class A common stock, exercisable at an exercise price of $11.50 per share. If the market price of our Class A common stock is less than the exercise price of a holder’s Warrants, it is unlikely that holders will choose to exercise. As of October 13, 2022, the closing price of our Class A common stock was $6.23 per share. There can be no assurance that the Warrants will be in the money prior to their expiration. In addition, the Sponsor (as defined herein), or its permitted transferees, have the option to exercise the Private Placement Warrants on a cashless basis. As such, it is possible that we may never generate any cash proceeds from the exercise of our Warrants. We will bear all costs, expenses and fees in connection with the registration of the securities. The Selling Holders will bear all commissions and discounts, if any, attributable to their respective sales of the securities.

 

Market for our shares of common stock and warrants   Our Class A common stock and public warrants are listed for trading on Nasdaq under the symbols “OPAL” and “OPALW,” respectively.

 

Risk factors   Any investment in the securities offered hereby is speculative and involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the information set forth under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

 

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SELECTED HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED
FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

The selected consolidated historical statements of operations and of cash flows data of Opco for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 and the historical consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 are derived from Opco’s audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected condensed consolidated historical statements of operations and of cash flows data of Opco for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021 and the condensed consolidated historical balance sheet data as of June 30, 2022 are derived from Opco’s unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. In Opco’s management’s opinion, the consolidated historical financial statements include all adjustments necessary to state fairly Opco’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows as of and for the periods presented herein.

 

Opco’s historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected in the future and Opco’s results for the six months ended June 30, 2022 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2022 or any other period. You should read the selected consolidated historical financial data together with the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and Opco’s audited consolidated and unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

(In thousands of dollars except per unit data)  For the six months ended   Fiscal Years Ended 
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data:  June 30,
2022
   June 30,
2021
   December 31,
2021
   December 31,
2020
   December 31,
2019
 
               (Restated) (1)   (Restated) (1) 
Revenues  $102,264   $57,784   $166,124   $117,706   $119,702 
Less:                         
Cost of sales   75,589    43,285    115,065    90,168    90,972 
Selling, general and administrative   18,810    11,185    29,380    20,474    17,795 
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion   6,558    4,059    10,653    8,338    8,031 
Impairment of assets               17,689     
Gain on termination of PPA               (1,292)    
Loss on sale/disposal of assets               165    (2,051)
Interest and financing expense, net   (6,408)   (3,305)   (7,467)   (6,655)   (8,026)
Realized and unrealized loss (gain) on interest rate swaps, net   328    17    99    (2,197)   (1,691)
Gain on acquisition of equity method investment       19,818    19,818         
Gain on deconsolidation of VIEs           15,025         
Gain on PPP loan forgiveness               1,792     
(Loss) income from equity method investments   (36)   2,392    2,268    (475)   (487)
Net (loss) income   (4,809)   18,177    40,769    (25,371)   (5,249)
Paid-in-kind preferred dividends   2,435        210         
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests   (499)   (198)   (804)   (13)    
Net (loss) income attributable to OPAL Fuels LLC  $(6,745)  $18,375   $41,363   $(25,358)  $(5,249)
Weighted average units outstanding:                         
Basic (2)   1,000    986    987    986    986 
Diluted (2)   1,000    986    987    986    986 
Per unit amounts:                         
Basic  $(6,745)  $18,636)  $41,908   $(25,718)  $(5,324)
Diluted  $(6,745)  $18,636)  $41,908   $(25,718)  $(5,324)
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Data:                         
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities  $(9,438)  $16,808   $18,856   $2,287   $4,338 
Net cash used in investing activities   (54,298)   (28,752)   (117,204)   (22,179)   (29,848)
Net cash provided by financing activities   121,961    28,278    125,014    21,453    24,653 
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash  $58,225   $16,334   $26,666   $1,561   $(857)

 

(1)As described in Note 2, Restatement of Financials Statements to Opco’s audited consolidated financial statements, we have restated the consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

 

(2)As described in Note 1, Description of Business to Opco’s audited consolidated financial statements, the Company amended its limited liability company agreement on November 29, 2021 to convert its outstanding membership interests into 986 common units. The earnings per unit have been presented retrospectively for all periods presented.

 

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(In thousands of dollars)  As of
June 30,
   As of December 31, 
Consolidated Balance Sheets Data:  2022   2021   2020 
           (Restated) (1) 
Cash and cash equivalents  $97,091   $39,314   $12,823 
Property, plant and equipment, net   229,411    169,770    79,492 
Total assets  $512,242   $380,844   $169,458 
Total Debt - current and non-current  $241,122   $229,103   $100,780 
Total liabilities   305,323    285,887    138,999 
Redeemable preferred units   132,645    30,210     
Total members’ equity   74,274    64,747    30,459 
Total liabilities, redeemable preferred units and members’ equity  $512,242   $380,844   $169,458 

 

(1)As described in Note 2, Restatement of Financials Statements to Opco’s audited consolidated financial statements, we have restated the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020.

 

MARKET PRICE, TICKER SYMBOL, AND DIVIDEND INFORMATION

 

OPAL’s Class A common stock and public warrants are listed for trading on Nasdaq under the symbols “OPAL” and “OPALW,” respectively.

 

The closing price of the Class A common stock and the warrants to purchase Class A common stock on October 13, 2022 was $6.23, and $1.09, respectively. Holders of Class A common stock and warrants should obtain current market quotations for their securities.

 

OPAL has not paid any cash dividends on shares of its Class A common stock or Class C common stock to date and has no current plans to pay dividends on its Class A common stock or Class C common stock in the foreseeable future. Holders of OPAL’s Class B common stock and Class D common stock do not have any right to receive dividends. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon OPAL’s revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition. The payment of any dividends will be within the discretion of our board.

 

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RISK FACTORS

 

In addition to the other information contained in this prospectus, the following risks have the potential to impact our business and operations, as well as the market for our securities, including the Class A common stock offered hereby. These risk factors are not exhaustive and all investors are encouraged to perform their own investigation with respect our business, financial condition and prospects.

 

Risks Related to Our Business

 

Risks Related to Our Third Party Relationships and Government Regulation of Our Business

 

We are dependent on contractual arrangements with, and the cooperation of, owners and operators of biogas project sites where our Biogas Conversion Projects are located for the underlying biogas rights granted to us in connection with our Biogas Conversion Projects and for access to and operations on the biogas project sites where we utilize those underlying biogas rights.

 

We do not own any of the landfill or livestock waste sites, which we sometimes refer to in this prospectus as “biogas project sites,” from which our Biogas Conversion Projects collect biogas or on which we operate and manage our Biogas Conversion Projects, and therefore we depend on contractual relationships with, and the cooperation of, the biogas conversion project site owners and operators for our operations. The invalidity of, or any default or termination under, any of our gas rights agreements, leases, easements, licenses and rights-of-way may interfere with our rights to the underlying biogas and our ability to use and operate all or a portion of certain of our Biogas Conversion Projects facilities, which may have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We obtain biogas rights to utilize the biogas and the biogas project sites on which our projects operate under contractual arrangements, with the associated biogas rights generally being for fixed terms of 20 years (or more) and certain additional renewal options. The gas rights associated with our 30 projects in operation or under construction, 3 of which include Renewable Power projects that are in construction to be converted to RNG, are due to expire at varying points over the next 25 years. See “Business—Our Projects.” In addition, the biogas rights are typically specific to the right to produce electricity generated from renewable sources (“Renewable Power”) or RNG; and accordingly, when we pursue conversion of a project from the production of Renewable Power to the production of RNG, which has been part of our strategy over recent periods, we must secure the associated biogas rights for the production of RNG. While we have generally been successful in renewing biogas rights and in securing the additional rights necessary in connection with conversion from production of Renewable Power to RNG on specific projects, we cannot guarantee that this success will continue in the future on commercial terms that are attractive to us or at all, and any failure to do so, or any other disruption in the relationship with any of the biogas conversion project site owners and operators from whose biogas project sites our Biogas Projects obtain biogas or for whom we operate biogas facilities, may have a material adverse effect on our business operations, financial condition and operational results.

 

In addition, the ownership interests in the land subject to these licenses, easements, leases and rights-of-way may be subject to mortgages securing loans or other liens (such as tax liens) and other easements, lease rights and rights-of-way of third parties (such as leases of mineral rights). As a result, certain of our Biogas Conversion Projects’ rights under these licenses, easements, leases or rights-of-way may be subject, and subordinate, to the rights of those third parties in certain instances. We may not be able to protect our operating projects against all risks of loss of our rights to use the land on which our Biogas Conversion Projects are located, and any such loss or curtailment of our rights to use the land on which our projects are located and any increase in rent due on such lands could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

The owners and operators of biogas project sites generally make no warranties to us as to the quality or quantity of gas produced.

 

The biogas conversion project site owners and operators generally do not make any representation or warranty to us as to the quality or quantity of biogas produced at their sites. Accordingly, we may be affected by operational issues encountered by biogas conversion project site owners and operators in operating their facilities, such as, among other things: (i) their ability to perform in accordance with their commitments to third parties (other than us) under agreements and permits; (ii) transportation of source materials, (iii) herd health and labor issues at the dairy farms generating the manure to be processed at our digester facilities; (iv) gas collection issues at landfill projects such as broken pipes, ground water accumulation, inadequate landcover and labor issues, and (v) the particular character and mix of trash received, at the biogas conversion project site facilities. We cannot guarantee that our production will be free from operational risks, nor can we guarantee the production of a sufficient quantity and quality of biogas from the owners and operators of biogas conversion project sites. However, our facilities are engineered and designed to process varying levels of biogas quantities and varying levels of potential biogas impurities.

 

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We from time to time face disputes or disagreements with owners and operators of biogas project sites which could materially impact our ability to continue to develop and/or operate an existing Biogas Conversion Project on its current basis, or at all, and could materially delay or eliminate our ability to identify and successfully secure the rights to construct and operate other future Biogas Conversion Projects.

 

The success of our business depends, in part, on maintaining good relationships with biogas conversion project site owners and operators. As a result, our business may be adversely affected if we are unable to maintain these relationships.

 

Our economic interests in biogas conversion project sites are not always aligned with the economic interests of the site owners and operators. We may disagree with owners and operators about a number of concerns, including, without limitation, the operations of the biogas project sites, easement and access rights, the renewal of gas and manure rights on favorable terms, and temporary shutdowns for routine maintenance or equipment upgrades. Biogas conversion project site owners and operators may make unilateral decisions beneficial to them to address business concerns. They may or may not consult with us, including in circumstances where they have a contractual obligation to do so, and unilateral decisions made by the biogas conversion project site owners and operators regarding the operations or management of their business could impact our ability to produce RNG or Renewable Power, and generate the associated Environmental Attributes. If we have a favorable relationship with site owners and operators, we may be able to mitigate certain risks if given the opportunity to provide input into the owners’ and operators’ decision-making process.

 

In addition, the financial condition of the biogas conversion project sites may be affected in large part by conditions and events that are beyond our control. Significant deteriorations in the financial condition of any biogas conversion project waste site could cause the biogas conversion project site owners and operators to unilaterally decide to shut down or reduce their landfill or livestock waste operations. Any such closure or reduction of operations at a waste site could impact our ability to produce RNG or Renewable Power, and generate the associated Environmental Attributes, and we may not have an opportunity to propose a solution to protect our infrastructure in any existing Biogas Conversion Project.

 

If we are unable to maintain good relationships with these site owners and operators, or if they take any actions that disrupt or halt production of RNG or Renewable Power, our business, growth strategy, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

 

For the US transportation fuel market, we are dependent on the production of vehicles and engines capable of running on natural gas and we have no control over these vehicle and engine manufacturers. We are also dependent on the willingness of owners of truck fleets to adopt natural gas powered vehicles and to contract with us for the provision of CNG to said fleets.

 

Vehicle and engine manufacturers control the development, production, quality assurance, cost and sales and marketing of their products, all of which shape the performance, availability and reputation of such vehicles in the marketplace. We are dependent on these vehicle and engine manufacturers to succeed in our target RNG fuel dispensing markets, and we have no influence or control over their activities.

 

These vehicle and engine manufacturers may decide not to expand or maintain, or may decide to discontinue or curtail, their product lines for a variety of reasons, including, without limitation, as a result of the adoption of governmental policies or programs such as the rules adopted by the California Air Resources Board on June 25, 2020 requiring the sale of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks (the “Advanced Clean Trucks Regulation”) and Executive Order N-79-20 issued by the Governor of the State of California in September 2020 (the “September 2020 Executive Order”). The supply of engines or vehicle product lines by these vehicle and engine manufacturers may also be disrupted due to delays, restrictions or other business impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions or crises. The limited production of engines and vehicles that run on natural gas increases their cost and limits availability, which restricts large-scale adoption, and may reduce resale value. These factors may also contribute to operator reluctance to convert their vehicles to be compatible with natural gas fuel.

 

Failure of third parties to manufacture quality products or provide reliable services in a timely manner could cause delays in developing, constructing, bringing online and operating our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations, which could damage our reputation, adversely affect our partner relationships or adversely affect our growth.

 

Our success depends on our ability to design, develop, construct, maintain and operate Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations in a timely manner, which depends in part on the ability of third parties to provide us with timely and reliable products and services. In developing and operating our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations, we rely on products meeting our design specifications and components manufactured and supplied by third parties, and on services performed by our subcontractors. We also rely on subcontractors to perform some of the construction and installation work related to our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations, and we sometimes need to engage subcontractors with whom we have no prior experience in connection with these matters.

 

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If our subcontractors are unable to provide services that meet or exceed our counterparties’ expectations or satisfy our contractual commitments, our reputation, business and operating results could be harmed. In addition, if we are unable to avail ourselves of warranties and other contractual protections with our suppliers and service providers, we may incur liability to our counterparties or additional costs related to the affected products and services, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, any delays, malfunctions, inefficiencies or interruptions in these products or services could adversely affect our ability to timely bring a project online, the quality and performance of our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations, and may require considerable expense to find replacement products and to maintain and repair these facilities. These circumstances could cause us to experience interruption in (i) our production and distribution of RNG and Renewable Power, (ii) generation of related Environmental Attributes, (iii) meeting our obligations to dispense RNG at Fueling Stations, and (iv) maintaining current relationships and attracting new relationships, in each case, potentially harming our brand, reputation and growth prospects.

 

Our operations are subject to numerous stringent EHS laws and regulations that may expose us to significant costs and liabilities. From time to time, we have been issued notices of violations from government entities that our operations have failed to comply with such laws and regulations, particularly in regards to the operation of our landfill gas electric generating facilities. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations may result in the assessment of sanctions, including administrative, civil or criminal penalties, the imposition of investigatory or remedial obligations, and the issuance of orders limiting or prohibiting some or all of our operations.

 

Our operations are subject to stringent and complex federal, state and local EHS laws and regulations, including those relating to (i) the release, emission or discharge of materials into the air, water and ground, (ii) the generation, storage, handling, use, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials and wastes, and (iii) the health and safety of our employees and other persons.

 

These laws and regulations impose numerous obligations applicable to our operations, including (i) the acquisition of permits before construction and operation of our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations; (ii) the restriction of types, quantities and concentration of materials that can be released into the environment; (iii) the limitation or prohibition of our activities on certain lands lying within wilderness, wetlands and other protected areas; (iv) the application of specific health and safety criteria addressing worker protection; and (v) the imposition of substantial liabilities for pollution resulting from the operation of our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations. In addition, construction and operating permits issued pursuant to environmental laws are necessary to operate our business. Such permits are obtained through applications that require considerable technical documentation and analysis, and sometimes require long time periods to obtain or review. Delays in obtaining or renewing such permits, or denial of such permits and renewals, are possible, and would have a negative effect on our financial performance and prospects for growth. These laws, regulations and permitting requirements can necessitate expensive pollution control equipment or operational changes to limit actual or potential impacts to the environment.

 

Numerous government entities have the power to enforce difficult and costly compliance measures or corrective actions pursuant to these laws and regulations and the permits issued under them. We may be required to make significant capital and operating expenditures on an ongoing basis, or to perform remedial or other corrective actions in connection with our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations, to comply with the requirements of these environmental laws and regulations or the terms and conditions of our permits. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations or the terms or conditions of our permits may result in the assessment of sanctions, including administrative, civil or criminal penalties, the imposition of investigatory or remedial obligations, and the issuance of orders limiting or prohibiting some or all of our operations. In addition, we may experience delays in obtaining or be unable to obtain required environmental regulatory permits, consents, waivers or approvals, which may delay or interrupt our operations and limit our growth and revenue.

 

For example, our Arbor Hills landfill gas facility in Northville, MI has entered into a Consent Decree, which was fully executed and submitted to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on September 9, 2021, with the US Department of Justice, the EPA, Michigan Attorney General, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to resolve notices of violation relating to sulfur oxide emissions exceedances, failure to timely perform source testing and improper use of diesel fuel as an alternative to landfill gas for start-up combustion. The Company has agreed to pay total penalties of $750,000 and is required to install pollution control equipment to reduce emissions from the facility. See “Business—Legal Proceedings—Arbor Hills Matter.” In addition, on July 30, 2021, Richmond Energy, a Company subsidiary, entered into a Consent Order with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (“VDEQ”) related to an October 31, 2019 notice of violation for a failed source test conducted by VDEQ, which identified exceedances in total sulfur, volatile organic compounds and sulfur dioxide emissions from the Old Dominion landfill gas facility in Henrico, VA. Pursuant to the Consent Order, Richmond Energy paid a $99,000 penalty and is required to modify the facilities permit to account for these emissions. The facility has been shut down since April 3, 2020 while the Richmond Energy modifies the facility’s permit, which will require the installation of a chiller treatment system at an estimated cost of $1.0 million. The facility is expected to be back online within the next six to twelve months.

 

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Our operations inherently risk incurring significant environmental costs and liabilities due to the need to manage waste and emissions from our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations. Spills or other releases of regulated substances, including spills and releases that may occur in the future, could expose us to material losses, expenditures and liabilities under applicable environmental laws, rules and regulations. Under certain of such laws, rules 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 even if our operations met previous standards in the industry at the time they were conducted. In connection with certain acquisitions of Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations, we could acquire, or be required to provide indemnification against, environmental liabilities that could expose us to material losses. In addition, claims for damages to persons or property, including natural resources, may result from the EHS impacts of our operations. Our insurance may not cover all environmental risks and costs or may not provide sufficient coverage if an environmental claim is made against us.

 

Environmental laws, rules and regulations have changed rapidly in recent years and generally have become more stringent over time, and we expect this trend to continue. The most material of these changes relate to the control of air emissions from the combustion equipment and turbine engines we use to generate Renewable Power from landfill biogas. Such equipment, including internal combustion engines, are subject to stringent federal and state permitting and air emissions requirements. California has taken an aggressive approach to setting standards for engine emissions, and standards already in place have caused us to not be able to operate some of our electric generating equipment in areas of that state. If other states were to follow California’s lead, we could face challenges in maintaining our electric generating operations and possibly, other operations in such jurisdictions.

 

Continued governmental and public emphasis on environmental issues can be expected to result in increased future investments for environmental control compliance at our facilities. Present and future environmental laws, rules and regulations, and interpretations of such laws, rules and regulations, applicable to our operations, more vigorous enforcement policies and discovery of currently unknown conditions may require substantial costs or expenditures that could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. In January 2021, the current US presidential administration signed multiple executive orders related to the climate and environment. These executive orders (i) direct federal agencies to review and reverse more than one hundred actions taken by the previous US presidential administration on or relating to the environment, (ii) instruct the Director of National Intelligence to prepare a national intelligence estimate on the security implications of the climate crisis and direct all agencies to develop strategies for integrating climate considerations into their international work, (iii) establish the National Climate Task Force, which assembles leaders from across twenty one federal agencies and departments, (iv) commit to environmental justice and new, clean infrastructure projects, (v) commence development of emissions reduction targets and (vi) establish the special presidential envoy for climate on the National Security Council. At this time, we cannot predict the outcome of any of these executive orders on our operations.

 

Existing, and future changes to, federal, state and local regulations and policies, including permitting requirements applicable to us, and enactment of new regulations and policies, may present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to the generation, purchase and use of Renewable Power and RNG, and may adversely affect the market for the associated Environmental Attributes. A failure on our part to comply with any laws, regulations or rules, applicable to us may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations.

 

The markets for Renewable Power, RNG and the associated Environmental Attributes are influenced by US federal and state governmental regulations and policies concerning such resources. These regulations and policies are frequently modified, which could result in a significant future reduction in the potential demand for Renewable Power, RNG and the associated Environmental Attributes. Any new governmental regulations applicable to our Biogas Conversion Projects or markets for Renewable Power, RNG or the associated Environmental Attributes may result in significant additional expenses or related development costs and, as a result, could cause a significant reduction in demand by our current and future counterparties. Failure to comply with such requirements could result in (i) the disconnection and/or shutdown of the non-complying facility, (ii) our inability to sell Renewable Power or RNG from the non-complying facility, (iii) penalties and defaults arising from contracts that we have that contemplate production from the non-complying facility, (iv) the imposition of liens, fines, refunds and interest, and/or civil or criminal liability, and (vi) delay or prevent new Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations from being developed.

 

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) annually sets proposed and actual renewable volume obligations (“RVOs”) for the Renewable Identification Numbers (“RIN”) market in accordance with the mandates established by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (the “EISA”). The EPA’s issuance of timely and sufficient annual RVOs to accommodate the RNG industry’s growing production levels may be needed to stabilize the RIN market. There can be no assurance that the EPA will timely set annual RVOs or that the RVOs will continue to increase or be sufficient to satisfy the growing supply of RNG which may be targeted for the US transportation fuel market. The EPA may set RVOs inaccurately or inconsistently, and the manner in which the EPA sets RVOs may change under legislative or regulatory revisions. The current authorization for the EPA’s issuance of RVOs will expire beginning in 2023, and the EPA may issue RVOs under a modified system that has yet to be developed, which creates additional uncertainty as to RIN pricing. Uncertainty as to how the Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”) program will continue to be administered and supported by the EPA under the current US presidential administration can create price volatility in the RIN market. Given this regulatory uncertainty, we cannot assure that (i) we will be able to monetize RINs at the same price levels as we have in the past, (ii) production shortfalls will not impact our ability to monetize RINs at favorable current pricing, and (iii) the rising price environment for RINs will continue.

 

On the state level, the economics of RNG are enhanced by low-carbon fuel initiatives, particularly a well-established Low Carbon Fuel Standard (“LCFS”) program in California and similar developing programs in Oregon and Washington (with several other states also actively considering similar initiatives). In California’s case, in 2009, the California Air Resource Board (“CARB”) adopted LCFS regulations aimed at reducing the Carbon Intensity (“CI”) of transportation fuel sold and purchased in the state. A CI score is calculated as grams of CO₂ equivalent per megajoule of energy by the fuel. Under the California and California-type LCFS programs, the CI score is dependent upon a full lifecycle analysis that evaluates the greenhouse gases (“GHG”) emissions associated with producing, transporting, and consuming the fuel. LCFS credits can be generated in three ways: (i) fuel pathway crediting that provides low carbon fuels used in California transportation, (ii) project-based crediting that reduces GHG emissions in the petroleum supply chain, and (iii) zero emission vehicle crediting that supports the buildout of infrastructure. CARB awards these credits to RNG projects based on such project’s CI score relative to the targeted CI score for both gasoline and diesel fuels. The number of monetizable LCFS credits per unit of fuel increases with a lower CI score. We cannot assure that we will be able to maintain or reduce our CI score to monetize LCFS credits generated from our Biogas Conversion Projects. Moreover, the inability to sell LCFS credits could adversely affect our business.

 

Our ability to generate revenue from sales of RINs and LCFS credits depends on our strict compliance with such federal and state programs, which are complex and can involve a significant degree of judgment. If the agencies that administer and enforce these programs disagree with our judgments, otherwise determine that we are not in compliance, conduct reviews of our activities or make changes to the programs, then our ability to generate or sell these credits could be temporarily restricted pending completion of reviews or as a penalty, permanently limited or lost entirely, and we could also be subject to fines or other sanctions. Moreover, the inability to sell RINs and LCFS credits in general, or at unattractive prices, could adversely affect our business.

 

Additionally, our business is influenced by laws, rules and regulations that require reductions in carbon emissions and/or the use of renewable fuels, such as the programs under which we generate Environmental Credits. These programs and regulations, which have the effect of encouraging the use of RNG as a vehicle fuel, could expire or be repealed or amended for a variety of reasons. For example, parties with an interest in gasoline and diesel, electric or other alternative vehicles or vehicle fuels, including lawmakers, regulators, policymakers, environmental or advocacy organizations, producers of alternative vehicles or vehicle fuels or other powerful groups, may invest significant time and money in efforts to delay, repeal or otherwise negatively influence programs and regulations that promote RNG. Many of these parties have substantial resources and influence. Further, changes in federal, state or local political, social or economic conditions, including a lack of legislative focus on these programs and regulations, could result in their modification, delayed adoption or repeal. Any failure to adopt, delay in implementing, expiration, repeal or modification of these programs and regulations, or the adoption of any programs or regulations that encourage the use of other alternative fuels or alternative vehicles over RNG, could reduce the market demand for RNG as a vehicle fuel and harm our operating results, liquidity, and financial condition.

 

For instance, in certain states, including California, lawmakers and regulators have implemented various measures designed to increase the use of electric, hydrogen and other zero-emission vehicles, including establishing firm goals for the number of these vehicles operating on state roads by specified dates and enacting various laws and other programs in support of these goals. Although the influence and applicability of these or similar measures on our business remains uncertain, a focus on “zero tailpipe emissions” vehicles over vehicles such as those operating on RNG that have an overall net carbon negative emissions profile, but some tailpipe emissions, could adversely affect the market for our fuels.

 

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All of our current electric generating facilities are qualifying small power production facilities (“QFs”) under the Federal Power Act and the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, as amended. We are permitted to make wholesale sales (that is, sales for resale) of Renewable Electricity, capacity, and ancillary services from our QFs with a net generating capacity that does not exceed 20 megawatts or that is an “eligible” facility as defined by section 3(17)(E) of the Federal Power Act without obtaining (a) authorization by FERC pursuant to the Federal Power Act to sell electric energy, capacity and/or ancillary services at market-based rates, (b) acceptance by FERC of a tariff providing for such sales, and (c) granting by FERC of such regulatory waivers and blanket authorizations as are customarily granted by FERC to holders of market-based rate authority, including blanket authorization under section 204 of the Federal Power Act to issue securities and assume liabilities (“MBR Authority”) or any other approval from the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”). A QF typically may not use any fuel other than a FERC-approved alternative fuel, but for limited use of commercial-grade fuel for certain specified start-up, emergency and reliability purposes. We are required to document the QF status of each of our facilities in applications or self-certifications filed with FERC, which typically requires disclosure of upstream facility ownership, fuel and size characteristics, power sales, interconnection matters, and related technical disclosures Congress could amend the FPA and eliminate QF status, in which case we would likely have to obtain MBR Authority and sell competitively in the market. If this were to happen, in all likelihood our QFs would not be competitive in the market place.

 

We currently do not intend to develop, construct or operate electric generating facilities that would require us to apply for and receive MBR Authority from FERC. Nevertheless, were we to do so, eligibility for MBR Authority is predicated on a variety of factors, primarily including the overall market power that the power seller — together with all of its FERC-defined “affiliates” — has in the relevant market. FERC defines affiliates as entities with a common parent that own, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the voting securities in the two entities. Accordingly, our eligibility and the eligibility of our affiliates to obtain and maintain MBR Authority for additional facilities, were we or such affiliate required to obtain such authority, would require an evaluation of the energy assets owned directly or indirectly by us and each of our affiliates, satisfying market-power limitations established by FERC. If our affiliates invest heavily in generating or other electric facilities in a particular geographic market, their market presence could make it difficult for us or our affiliates to obtain and maintain such MBR Authority, or to secure FERC authorization to acquire additional generating facilities, in that market.

 

Our market-based sales are subject to certain market behavior rules established by FERC, and if any of our Biogas Conversion Projects that generate Renewable Power are deemed to have violated such rules, we will be subject to potential disgorgement of profits associated with the violation, penalties, refunds of unlawfully collected amounts with interest, and, if a facility obtains MBR Authority, suspension or revocation of such MBR Authority. If such projects that had MBR Authority were later to lose their MBR Authority, they would be required to obtain FERC’s acceptance of a cost-of-service rate schedule and could become subject to the significant accounting, record-keeping, and reporting requirements that are typically imposed on vertically-integrated utilities with cost-based rate schedules. This could have a material adverse effect on the rates we are able to charge for power from our facilities maintaining MBR Authority, if any, that generate Renewable Power.

 

The regulatory environment for electric generation has undergone significant changes in the last several years due to federal and state policies affecting wholesale competition and the creation of incentives for the addition of large amounts of new renewable generation and, in some cases, transmission assets. These changes are ongoing, and we cannot predict the future design of the wholesale power markets or the ultimate effect that the changing regulatory environment will have on our business.

 

Our biogas conversion project site owners and operators are also subject to extensive federal, state and local regulations and policies, including permitting requirements, on account of their separate operations. Any failure on their part to comply with any laws, regulations, rules or permits, applicable to them may also adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations.

 

The operations of biogas conversion project site owners and operators are also subject to stringent and complex governmental regulations and policies at the federal, state and local level in the United States. Many complex laws, rules, orders and interpretations govern environmental protection, health, safety, land use, zoning, transportation and related matters. At times, such governmental regulations and policies may require biogas conversion project site owners and operators to curtail their operations or close sites temporarily or permanently, which may adversely impact our business, investments and results of operations.

 

Certain permits are required to build, operate and expand sites owned by biogas conversion project site owners and operators, and such permits have become more difficult and expensive to obtain and maintain. Permits may often take years to obtain as a result of numerous hearing and compliance requirements with regard to zoning, environmental and other regulations. The permits required to be obtained and maintained by biogas conversion project site owners and operations are commonly subject to resistance from citizen or other groups and other political pressures, including allegations by such persons that a site is in violation of any applicable permits, laws or regulations. Failure by project site owners and operators to obtain or maintain any required permit to operate its site would adversely affect our production of Renewable Power, RNG and generation of the associated Environmental Attributes, as applicable.

 

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A failure by biogas conversion project site owners and operators to comply with extensive federal, state and local regulations and policies, including permitting requirements, may result in the suspension or cessation of waste site operations, which would reduce or halt Renewable Power or RNG production and generation of the Associated Environmental Attributes. Any such disruption could also damage the reputation of our brand. In the event our production of Renewable Power or RNG is disrupted, we may fail to meet the contractual obligations to some of our counterparties to deliver Renewable Power, RNG and the associated Environmental Attributes, in which case we would be subject to financial damage and/or penalty claims from these counterparties.

 

The financial performance of our business depends upon tax and other government incentives for the generation of RNG and Renewable Power, any of which could change at any time and such changes may negatively impact our growth strategy.

 

Our financial performance and growth strategy depend in part on governmental policies that support renewable generation and enhance the economic viability of owning Biogas Conversion Projects or Fueling Stations. These projects currently benefit from various federal, state and local governmental incentives such as investment tax credits, cash grants in lieu of investment tax credits, loan guarantees, Renewable Portfolio Standards (“RPS”) programs, modified accelerated cost-recovery system of depreciation and bonus depreciation. RNG specifically generates meaningful revenue through generation and monetization of Environmental Attributes provided for under several different programs, most commonly, RFS, LCFS and RPS.

 

Many states have adopted RPS programs mandating that a specified percentage of electricity sales come from eligible sources of renewable energy. However, the regulations that govern the RPS programs, including pricing incentives for renewable energy, or reasonableness guidelines for pricing that increase valuation compared to conventional power (such as a projected value for carbon reduction or consideration of avoided integration costs), may change. If the RPS requirements are reduced or eliminated, it could lead to fewer future power contracts or lead to lower prices for the sale of power in future power contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our future prospects. Such material adverse effects may result from decreased revenues, reduced economic returns on Biogas Conversion Projects and other potential future investments or joint ventures, increased financing costs, and/or difficulty obtaining financing.

 

If we are unable to utilize various federal, state and local governmental incentives to acquire additional Biogas Conversion Projects or Fueling Stations in the future, or the terms of such incentives are revised in a manner that is less favorable to us, we may suffer a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, we face similar risks with respect to the RFS program. See  “Existing, and future changes to, federal, state and local regulations and policies, including permitting requirements applicable to us, and enactment of new regulations and policies, may present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to the generation, purchase and use of Renewable Power and RNG, and may adversely affect the market for the associated Environmental Attributes. A failure on our part to comply with any laws, regulations or rules, applicable to us may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations.”

 

We rely on interconnection, transmission and pipeline facilities that we do not own or control and that are subject to constraints within a number of our regions. If these facilities fail to provide us with adequate capacity or have unplanned disruptions, we may be restricted in our ability to deliver Renewable Power and RNG to our counterparties and we may either incur additional costs or forego revenues.

 

We depend on electric interconnection and transmission facilities and gas pipelines owned and operated by others to deliver the energy and fuel we generate at our Biogas Conversion Projects to our counterparties. Some of our electric generating Biogas Conversion Projects may need to hold electric transmission rights in order to sell power to purchasers that do not have their own direct access to our generators. Our access to electric interconnection and transmission rights is subject to tariffs developed by transmission owners, ISOs and RTOs, which have been filed with and accepted by FERC or the Public Utility Commission in the jurisdictions in question. These tariffs establish the price for transmission service, and the terms under which transmission service is rendered. Under FERC’s open access transmission rules, tariffs developed and implemented by transmission owners, ISOs and RTOs must establish terms and conditions for obtaining interconnection and transmission services that are not unduly discriminatory or preferential. However, as a generator and seller of power, we do not have any automatic right, in any geographic market, to firm, long-term, grid-wide transmission service without first requesting such service, funding the construction of any upgrades necessary to provide such service, and paying a transmission service rate. Physical constraints on the transmission system could limit the ability of our electric generating projects to dispatch their power output and receive revenue from sales of Renewable Power.

 

A failure or delay in the operation or development of these distribution channels or a significant increase in the costs charged by their owners and operators could result in the loss of revenues or increased operating expenses. Such failures or delays could limit the amount of Renewable Power our operating facilities deliver or delay the completion of our construction projects, which may also result in adverse consequences under our power purchase agreements and landfill gas rights agreements. Further, such failures, delays or increased costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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Our RNG production projects are similarly interconnected with gas distribution and interstate pipeline systems that are necessary to deliver RNG. A failure or delay in the operation or development of these distribution or pipeline facilities could result in a loss of revenues or breach of contract because such a failure or delay could limit the amount of RNG that we are able to produce or delay the completion of our construction projects. In addition, certain of our RNG transportation capacity may be curtailed without compensation due to distribution and pipeline limitations, reducing our revenues and impairing our ability to capitalize fully on a particular project’s potential. Such a failure or curtailment at levels above our expectations could impact our ability to satisfy our contractual obligations and adversely affect our business. Additionally, we experience work interruptions from time to time due to federally required maintenance shutdowns of distribution and pipeline facilities.

 

We may acquire or develop RNG projects that require their own pipeline interconnections to available interstate pipeline and distribution networks. In some cases, these pipeline and distribution networks to which such projects are connected may cover significant distances. A failure in the construction or operation of these pipeline and distribution networks that causes the RNG project to be out of service, or subject to reduced service, could result in lost revenues because it could limit our production of RNG and the associated Environmental Attributes that we are able to generate.

 

We rely on third-party utility companies to provide our Biogas Conversion Projects with adequate utility supplies, including sewer, water, gas and electricity, in order to operate our Biogas Conversion Project facilities. Any failure on the part of such companies to adequately supply our facilities with such utilities, including any prolonged period of loss of electricity, may have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

 

We are dependent on third-party utility companies to provide sufficient utilities including sewer, water, gas and electricity, to sustain our operations and operate our Biogas Conversion Projects. Any major or sustained disruptions in the supply of utilities, such as water, gas or electricity or any fire, flood or other natural calamities, may disrupt our operations or damage our production facilities or inventories and could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we consume a significant amount of electricity in connection with our Biogas Conversion Projects and any increases in costs or reduced availability of such utilities could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

We are subject to risks associated with litigation or administrative proceedings that could materially impact our operations, including proceedings in the future related to our projects we subsequently acquire.

 

We are subject to risks and costs, including potential negative publicity, associated with lawsuits, in particular with respect to environmental claims and lawsuits or claims contesting the construction or operation of our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Station projects. The result of and costs associated with defending any such lawsuit or claim, regardless of the merits and eventual outcome, may be material and could have a material adverse effect on our operations. In the future, we may be involved in legal proceedings, disputes, administrative proceedings, claims and other litigation that arise in the ordinary course of our business related to Biogas Conversion Projects or Fueling Stations. For example, individuals and interest groups may sue to challenge the issuance of a permit for a Biogas Conversion Project or a Fueling Station project, or seek to enjoin construction or operation of that facility. We may also become subject to claims from individuals who live in the proximity of our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations based on alleged negative health effects related to our operations. In addition, we have been and may subsequently become subject to legal proceedings or claims contesting the construction or operation of our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations.

 

Any such legal proceedings or disputes could delay our ability to complete construction of a Biogas Conversion Project or Fueling Station in a timely manner or at all, or materially increase the costs associated with commencing or continuing commercial operations of such projects. Settlement of claims and unfavorable outcomes or developments relating to such proceedings or disputes, such as judgments for monetary damages, injunctions or denial or revocation of permits, could have a material adverse effect on our ability to implement our growth strategy and, ultimately, our business, financial condition and results of operations. See “Business—Legal Proceedings.”

 

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We currently own, and in the future may acquire, certain assets in which we have limited control over management decisions, including through joint ventures, and our interests in such assets may be subject to transfer or other related restrictions.

 

We own, and in the future may acquire, certain Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations through joint ventures. In the future, we may invest in other projects with a joint venture or strategic partner. Joint ventures inherently involve a lesser degree of control over business operations, which could result in an increase in the financial, legal, operational or compliance risks associated with a Biogas Conversion Project or Fueling Station, including, but not limited to, variances in accounting internal control requirements. Our co-venture partners may not have the level of experience, technical expertise, human resources management and other attributes necessary to operate these assets optimally. To the extent we do not have a controlling interest in a Biogas Conversion Project or Fueling Station, our joint venture partners could take actions that decrease the value of our investment and lower our overall return. In addition, conflicts of interest may arise in the future with our joint venture partners, where our joint venture partners’ business interests are inconsistent with our and our stockholders’ interests. Further, disagreements or disputes with our joint venture partners could result in litigation, resulting in increase of expenses incurred and potentially limit the time and effort our officers and directors are able to devote to remaining aspects of our business, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The approval of our joint venture partners also may be required for us to receive distributions of funds from assets or to sell, pledge, transfer, assign or otherwise convey our interest in such assets. Alternatively, our joint venture partners may have rights of first refusal, rights of first offer or other similar rights in the event of a proposed sale or transfer of our interests in such assets. In addition, we may have, and correspondingly our joint venture partners may have, rights to force the sale of the joint venture upon the occurrence of certain defaults or breaches by the other partner or other circumstances, and there may be circumstances in which our joint venture partner can replace our affiliated entities that provide operation and maintenance and asset management services if they default in the performance of their obligations to the joint venture. These restrictions and other provisions may limit the price or interest level for our interests in such assets, in the event we want to sell such interests.

 

Our gas rights agreements, power purchase agreements, fuel-supply agreements, interconnection agreements, RNG dispensing agreements and other agreements, including contracts with owners and operators of biogas conversion project sites, often contain complex provisions, including those relating to price adjustments, calculations and other terms based on gas price indices and other metrics, as well as other terms and provisions, the interpretation of which could result in disputes with counterparties that could materially affect our results of operations and customer or other business relationships.

 

Certain of our gas rights agreements, power purchase agreements, fuel supply agreements, interconnection agreements, RNG dispensing agreements and other agreements, including contracts with owners and operators of biogas conversion project sites, require us to make payments or adjust prices to counterparties based on past or current changes in natural gas price indices, project productivity or other metrics and involve complex calculations. Moreover, the underlying indices governing payments under such agreements are subject to change, may be discontinued or replaced. The interpretation of these price adjustments and calculations and the potential discontinuation or replacement of relevant indices or metrics could result in disputes with the counterparties with respect to such agreements. Any such disputes could adversely affect Biogas Conversion Project revenues, including revenue from associated Environmental Attributes, profit margins, customer or supplier relationships, or lead to costly litigation, the outcome of which we would be unable to predict.

 

Market Risks Related to Our Business

 

A reduction in the prices we can obtain for the Environmental Attributes generated from RNG, which include RINs, LCFS credits, and other incentives, could have a material adverse effect on our business prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

 

A significant portion of our revenues comes from the sale of RINs and LCFS credits, which exist because of legal and governmental regulatory requirements. A change in law or in governmental policies concerning renewable fuels, landfill or animal waste site biogas or the sale of RINs and LCFS could be expected to affect the market for, and the pricing of, the RINs and LCFS credits that we can generate through production at our Biogas Conversion Projects. A reduction in the prices we receive for RINs and LCFS credits, or a reduction in demand for RINs or LCFS credits, whether through market forces generally, through the actions of market participants generally, or through the consolidation or elimination of participants competing in the market for the purchase and retirement of RINs or LCFS credits, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

 

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The volatility in the price of oil, gasoline, diesel, natural gas, RNG, or Environmental Attribute prices could adversely affect our business.

 

Historically, the prices of Environmental Attributes, RNG, natural gas, crude oil, gasoline and diesel have been volatile and this volatility may continue to increase in future. Factors that may cause volatility in the prices of Environmental Attributes, RNG, natural gas, crude oil, gasoline and diesel include, among others, (i) changes in supply and availability of crude oil, RNG and natural gas; (ii) governmental regulations; (iii) inventory levels; (iv) consumer demand; (v) price and availability of alternatives; (vi) weather conditions; (vii) negative publicity about crude oil or natural gas drilling; (viii) production or transportation techniques and methods; (ix) macro-economic environment and political conditions; (x) transportation costs; and (xi) the price of foreign imports. Specifically, prices for crude oil, which is the commodity used to make gasoline and diesel, have been lower in recent years, due in part to over-production and increased supply without a corresponding increase in demand, and oil prices decreased further in 2020, hitting an all-time low due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More recently, that trend has reversed with oil prices rebounding substantially. Nevertheless, if the prices of crude oil, gasoline and diesel decline again, or if the price of RNG or natural gas increases without corresponding increases in the prices of crude oil, gasoline and diesel or Environmental Attributes, we may not be able to offer our counterparties an attractive price advantage for our vehicle fuels. The market adoption of our vehicle fuels could be slowed or limited, and/or we may be forced to reduce the prices at which we sell our vehicle fuels in order to try and attract new counterparties or prevent the loss of demand from existing counterparties. In addition, we expect that natural gas and crude oil prices will remain volatile for the near future because of market uncertainties over supply and demand, including but not limited to the current state of the world economies, energy infrastructure and other factors. Fluctuations in natural gas prices affect the cost to us of the natural gas commodity. High natural gas prices adversely affect our operating margins when we cannot pass the increased costs to our counterparties. Conversely, lower natural gas prices reduce our revenue when the commodity cost is passed to our counterparties.

 

Pricing conditions may also exacerbate the cost differential between vehicles that use our vehicle fuels and gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles, which may lead operators to delay or refrain from purchasing or converting to vehicles running on our fuels. Generally, vehicles that use our fuels cost more initially than gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles because the components needed for a vehicle to use our vehicle fuels add to the vehicle’s base cost. Operators then seek to recover the additional base cost over time through a lower cost to use alternative vehicle fuels. Operators may, however, perceive an inability to timely recover these additional initial costs if alternative vehicle fuels are not available at prices sufficiently lower than gasoline and diesel. Such an outcome could decrease our potential customer base and harm our business prospects.

 

We face significant upward pricing pressure in the market with respect to our securing the biogas rights necessary for proposed new Biogas Conversion Projects and our conversion of existing Renewable Power rights to RNG rights on existing Biogas Conversion Projects that we plan to convert.

 

We must reach agreement with the prospective biogas project site owner or developer in order to secure the biogas rights necessary for each proposed Biogas Conversion Project. Additionally, each project typically requires a site lease, access easements, permits, licenses, rights of way or other similar agreements. Historically, in exchange for the biogas rights and additional agreements, we have paid the site owner and/or developer a royalty or other similar payment based on revenue generated by the project or volume of biogas used by the project. Over recent years, as competition for development of biogas conversion project sites has increased and biogas project site owners and developers have become more sophisticated, it has become increasingly common for the prospective biogas project site owners and developers to ask for or require larger royalties or similar payments in order to secure the biogas rights. In addition, it is becoming increasingly common for some prospective biogas project site owners or developers to ask for or require equity participation in the prospective project.

 

In addition, we face similar pricing pressures when we attempt to renew our biogas rights on existing Biogas Conversion Projects at the end of their contractual periods and in situations where we plan to convert existing Renewable Power projects to RNG projects.

 

These pricing pressures could lead us to decide not to pursue certain prospective Biogas Conversion Projects or not to pursue the renewal or conversion of one or more existing Renewable Power projects and, accordingly, negatively impact our overall financial condition, results of operations and prospects. These pricing pressures could also impact the profitability of prospective Biogas Conversion Projects, and, accordingly, negatively impact our overall financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

We currently face declining market prices for LCFS credits specifically within California as well as significant upward pressure on the costs associated with dispensing RNG specifically within California to generate the LCFS credits.

 

The market prices for LCFS credits specifically within California have declined over the past twelve months, and the market for dispensing RNG with relatively low CI scores in California has become increasingly competitive because of increasing supply of RNG with these relatively low CI scores. As such, fleet operators using vehicles fueled by natural gas have been able to demand RNG marketers like us provide them with greater economic incentives for allowing us to dispense the fuel at the Fueling Stations, typically in the form of a greater share of our marketing fee or a greater share in the monetary value of the Environmental Attributes we generate when dispensing the fuel. The persistence of the current California dynamic is dependent upon future market developments, and as such the LCFS credits that we generate and sell may or may not produce future revenue that is comparable to historical LCFS revenue.

 

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A prolonged environment of low prices or reduced demand for Renewable Power could have a material adverse effect on our business prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Long-term Renewable Power and RNG prices may fluctuate substantially due to factors outside of our control. The price of Renewable Power and RNG can vary significantly for many reasons, including: (i) increases and decreases in generation capacity in our markets; (ii) changes in power transmission or fuel transportation capacity constraints or inefficiencies; (iii) power supply disruptions; (iv) weather conditions; (v) seasonal fluctuations; (vi) changes in the demand for power or in patterns of power usage, including the potential development of demand-side management tools and practices; (vi) development of new fuels or new technologies for the production of power; (vii) federal and state regulations; and (viii) actions of the Independent System Operators (“ISOs”) and Regional Transmission Organizations (“RTOs”) that control and administer regional power markets.

 

Increased rates of recycling and legislation encouraging recycling, increased use of waste incineration, advances in waste disposal technology, decreased demand for meat and livestock products could decrease the availability or change the composition of waste for biogas conversion project gas.

 

The volume and composition of landfill gas (“LFG”) produced at open landfill sites depends in large part on the volume and composition of waste sent to such landfill sites, which could be affected by a number of factors. For example, increased rates of recycling or increased use of waste incineration could decrease the volume of waste sent to landfills, while organics diversion strategies such as composting can reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfills. There have been numerous federal and state regulations and initiatives over the recent years that have led to higher levels of recycling of paper, glass, plastics, metal and other recyclables, and there are growing discussions at various levels of government about developing new strategies to minimize the negative environmental impacts of landfills and related emissions, including diversion of biodegradable waste from landfills. Although many recyclable materials other than paper do not decompose and therefore do not ultimately contribute to the amount of landfill gas produced at a landfill site, recycling and other similar efforts may have negative effects on the volume and proportion of biodegradable waste sent to landfill sites across the United States. As a consequence, the volume and composition of waste sent to landfill sites from which our Biogas Conversion Projects collect LFG could change, which could adversely affect our business operations, prospects, financial condition and operational results.

 

In addition, research and development activities are currently ongoing to provide alternative and more efficient technologies to dispose of waste, to produce by-products from waste and to produce energy, and an increasing amount of capital is being invested to find new approaches to waste disposal, waste treatment and energy generation.

 

It is possible that this deployment of capital may lead to advances which could adversely affect our sources of landfill gas or provide new or alternative methods of waste disposal or energy generation that become more accepted, or more attractive, than landfills.

 

We currently use, and may continue in the future to use, forward-sale and hedging arrangements, to mitigate certain risks, but the use of such arrangements could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

 

We currently use, and may continue in the future to use, forward sales transactions to sell Environmental Attributes and Renewable Power before they are generated. In addition, we use interest rate swaps to manage interest rate risk. We may use other types of hedging contracts, including foreign currency hedges if we expand into other countries. If we elect to enter into such hedges, the related asset could recognize financial losses on these arrangements as a result of volatility in the market values of the underlying asset or if a counterparty fails to perform under a contract. If actively quoted market prices and pricing information from external sources are not available, the valuation of such contracts would involve judgment or the use of estimates. As a result, changes in the underlying assumptions or use of alternative valuation methods could affect the reported fair value of such contracts. If the values of such contracts change in a manner that we do not anticipate, or if a counterparty fails to perform under such a contract, it could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

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Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

 

Additional Risk Factors Relating to Our Biogas Capture Business

 

Our ability to acquire, convert, develop and operate Biogas Conversion Projects, as well as expand production at current Biogas Conversion Projects, is subject to many risks.

 

Our business strategy includes (i) the conversion of LFG projects from Renewable Power to RNG production where we already controls biogas gas rights, (ii) growth through the procurement of landfill gas rights and manure rights to develop new RNG projects, (iii) the acquisition and expansion of existing Biogas Conversion Projects, and (iv) growth through the procurement of rights to other sources of biogas for production of additional transportation fuels and generation of associated Environmental Attributes. This strategy depends on our ability to successfully convert existing LFG projects and identify and evaluate acquisition opportunities and complete new Biogas Conversion Projects or acquisitions on favorable terms. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to successfully identify new opportunities, acquire additional biogas rights and develop new RNG projects or convert existing projects on favorable terms or at all. In addition, we may compete with other companies for these development and acquisition opportunities, which may increase our costs or cause us to refrain from making acquisitions at all.

 

We may also achieve growth through the expansion of production at certain of our current Biogas Conversion Projects as the related landfills and dairy farms are expanded or otherwise begin to produce more gas or manure, respectively, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to reach or renew the necessary agreements with site owners on economically favorable terms or at all. If we are unable to successfully identify and consummate future Biogas Conversion Project opportunities or acquisitions of Biogas Conversion Projects, or expand RNG production at our current Biogas Conversion Projects, it will impede our ability to execute our growth strategy. Further, we may also experience delays and cost overruns in converting existing facilities from Renewable Power to RNG production. During the conversion of existing projects, there may be a gap in revenue while the electricity project is offline until the conversion is completed and the new RNG facility commences operations, which may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

 

Our ability to acquire, convert, develop and operate Biogas Conversion Projects, as well as expand production at current Biogas Conversion Projects, is subject to several additional risks, including:

 

regulatory changes that affect the value of RNG and the associated Environmental Attributes, which could have a significant effect on the financial performance of our Biogas Conversion Projects and the number of potential Biogas Conversion Projects with attractive economics;

 

changes in energy commodity prices, such as natural gas and wholesale electricity prices, which could have a significant effect on our revenues and expenses;

 

changes in pipeline gas quality standards or other regulatory changes that may limit our ability to transport RNG on pipelines for delivery to third parties or increase the costs of processing RNG to allow for such deliveries;

 

changes in the broader waste collection industry, including changes affecting the waste collection and biogas potential of the landfill industry, which could limit the LFG resource that we currently target for our Biogas Conversion Projects;

 

substantial construction risks, including the risk of delay, that may arise due to forces outside of our control, such as those related to engineering and environmental problems, inclement weather, inflationary pressures on materials and labor, and supply chain and labor disruptions;

 

operating risks and the effect of disruptions on our business, including the effects of global health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, weather conditions, catastrophic events, such as fires, explosions, earthquakes, droughts and acts of terrorism, and other force majeure events that impact us, our counterparties, suppliers, distributors and subcontractors;

 

accidents involving personal injury or the loss of life;

 

entering into markets where we have less experience, such as our Biogas Conversion Projects for biogas recovery at livestock farms;

 

the ability to obtain financing for a Biogas Conversion Project on acceptable terms or at all and the need for substantially more capital than initially budgeted to complete Biogas Conversion Projects and exposure to liabilities as a result of unforeseen environmental, construction, technological or other complications;

 

failures or delays in obtaining desired or necessary land rights, including ownership, leases, easements, zoning rights and building permits;

 

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a decrease in the availability, increased pricing on, and a delay in the timeliness of delivery of raw materials and components, necessary for the Biogas Conversion Projects to function or necessary for the conversion of a Biogas Conversion Projects from Renewable Power to RNG production;

 

obtaining and keeping in good standing permits, authorizations and consents from local city, county, state and US federal government agencies and organizations;

 

penalties, including potential termination, under short-term and long-term contracts for failing to produce or deliver a sufficient quantity and acceptable quality of RNG in accordance with our contractual obligations;

 

unknown regulatory changes related to the transportation of RNG, which may increase the transportation cost for delivering under our contracts then in effect;

 

the consent and authorization of local utilities or other energy development off-takers to ensure successful interconnection to energy grids to enable power and gas sales; and

 

difficulties in identifying, obtaining and permitting suitable sites for new Biogas Conversion Projects.

 

Any of these factors could prevent us from acquiring, developing, converting, operating or expanding our Biogas Conversion Projects, or otherwise adversely affect our business, growth potential, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Acquiring Biogas Conversion Projects involves numerous risks, including potential exposure to pre-existing liabilities, unanticipated costs in acquiring and implementing the project, and lack of or limited experience in new geographic markets.

 

The acquisition of existing Biogas Conversion Projects involves numerous risks, many of which may be indiscoverable through the due diligence process, including exposure to previously existing liabilities and unanticipated costs associated with the pre-acquisition period; difficulty in integrating the acquired projects into our existing business; and, if the projects are in new markets, the risks of entering markets where we have limited experience, less knowledge of differences in market terms for gas rights agreements and dispensing agreements, and, for international projects, possible exposure to exchange-rate risk to the extent we need to finance development and operations of foreign projects to repatriate earnings generated by such projects. While we perform due diligence on prospective acquisitions, we may not be able to discover all potential operational deficiencies in such projects. A failure to achieve the financial returns we expect when we acquire Biogas Conversion Projects could have a material adverse effect on our ability to implement our growth strategy and, ultimately, our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Additional risks related to acquiring existing projects, include:

 

the purchase price we pay could significantly deplete our cash reserves or result in dilution to our existing stockholders;

 

the acquired companies or assets may not improve our customer offerings or market position as planned;

 

we may have difficulty integrating the operations and personnel of the acquired companies;
  
key personnel and counterparties of the acquired companies may terminate their relationships with the acquired companies as a result of or following the acquisition;

 

we may experience additional financial and accounting challenges and complexities in certain areas, such as tax planning and financial reporting;

 

we may incur additional costs and expenses related to complying with additional laws, rules or regulations in new jurisdictions;

 

we may assume or be held liable for risks and liabilities (including for environmental-related costs) as a result of our acquisitions, some of which we may not discover during our due diligence or adequately adjust for in our acquisition arrangements;

 

our ongoing business and management’s attention may be disrupted or diverted by transition or integration issues and the complexity of managing geographically diverse enterprises;

 

we may incur one-time write-offs or restructuring charges in connection with an acquisition;

 

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we may acquire goodwill and other intangible assets that are subject to amortization or impairment tests, which could result in future charges to earnings; and

 

we may not be able to realize the cost savings or other financial benefits we anticipated.

 

Our Biogas Conversion Projects face operational challenges, including among other things the breakdown or failure of equipment or processes or performance below expected levels of output or efficiency due to wear and tear of our equipment, latent defects, design or operator errors, force majeure events, or lack of transmission capacity or other problems with third party interconnection and transmission facilities.

 

The ongoing operation of our Biogas Conversion Projects involves risks that include the breakdown or failure of equipment or processes or performance below expected levels of output or efficiency due to wear and tear of our equipment, latent defects, design or operator errors or force majeure events, among other factors. Operation of our Biogas Conversion Projects also involves risks that we will be unable to transport our product to our counterparties in an efficient manner due to a lack of capacity or other problems with third party interconnection and transmission facilities. Unplanned outages of equipment, including extensions of scheduled outages due to mechanical failures or other problems, occur from time to time and are an inherent risk of our business. Unplanned outages typically increase our operation and maintenance expenses and may reduce our revenue. Biogas conversion project site owners and operators can also impact our production if, in the course of ongoing operations, they damage the site’s biogas collection systems. Our inability to operate our facilities efficiently, manage capital expenditures and costs and generate earnings and cash flow could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

We are generally also required under many of our agreements to deliver a minimum quantity of Renewable Power, RNG and/or the associated Environmental Attributes to the counterparty. Unless we can rely on a force majeure or other provisions in the related agreements, falling below such a threshold could subject us to financial expenses and penalties, as well as possible termination of key agreements and potential violations of certain permits, which could further impede our ability to satisfy production requirements. Therefore, any unexpected reduction in output at any of our Biogas Conversion Projects that leads to any of these outcomes could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

An unexpected reduction in RNG production by third-party producers of RNG with whom we maintain marketing agreements to purchase RNG and/or the associated Environmental Attributes, or their inability or refusal to deliver such RNG or Environmental Attributes as provided under such agreements, may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and could adversely affect or performance under associated dispensing agreements.

 

The success of our RNG business depends, in large part, on our ability to (i) secure, on acceptable terms, an adequate supply of RNG and/or Environmental Attributes from third-party producers, (ii) sell RNG in sufficient volumes and at prices that are attractive to counterparties and produce acceptable margins for us, and (iii) generate and monetize Environmental Attributes under applicable federal or state programs at favorable prices. If we fail to maintain and build new relationships with third party producers of RNG, we may be unable to supply RNG and the associated Environmental Attributes to meet the demand of our counterparties, which could adversely affect our business.

 

Our ability to dispense an adequate amount of RNG is subject to risks affecting RNG production. Biogas Conversion Projects that produce RNG often experience unpredictable production levels or other difficulties due to a variety of factors, including, among others, (i) problems with equipment, (ii) severe weather, pandemics, or other health crises, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, (iii) construction delays, (iv) technical difficulties, (v) high operating costs, (vi) limited availability, or unfavorable composition of collected feedstock gas, and (vii) plant shutdowns caused by upgrades, expansion or required maintenance. In addition, increasing demand for RNG will result in more robust competition for supplies of RNG, including from other vehicle fuel providers, gas utilities (which may have distinct advantages in accessing RNG supply including potential use of ratepayer funds to fund RNG purchases if approved by a utility’s regulatory commission) and other users and providers. If we or any of our third party RNG suppliers experience these or other difficulties in RNG production processes, or if competition for RNG development projects and supply increases, then our supply of RNG and our ability to resell it as a vehicle fuel and generate the associated Environmental Attributes could be jeopardized.

 

Construction, development and operation of our Biogas Conversion Projects involves significant risks and hazards.

 

Biogas Conversion Projects as well as construction and operation of Fueling Stations involve hazardous activities, including acquiring and transporting fuel, operating large pieces of rotating equipment and delivering our Renewable Electricity and RNG to interconnection and transmission systems, including gas pipelines. Hazards such as fire, explosion, structural collapse and machinery failure are inherent risks in our operations. These and other hazards can cause significant personal injury or loss of life, severe damage to and destruction of property, plant and equipment and contamination of, or damage to, the environment. The occurrence of any one of these hazards may result in curtailment or termination of our operations or liability to third parties for damages, environmental cleanup costs, personal injury, property damage and fines and/or penalties, any of which could be substantial.

 

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Our Biogas Conversion Projects facilities and Fueling Stations or those that we otherwise acquire, construct or operate may be targets of terrorist activities, as well as events occurring in response to or in connection with them, that could result in full or partial disruption of our facilities’ ability to generate, transmit, transport or distribute electricity or RNG. Strategic targets, such as energy-related facilities, may be at greater risk of future terrorist activities than other domestic targets. Hostile cyber intrusions, including those targeting information systems, as well as electronic control systems used at the generating plants and for the related distribution systems, could severely disrupt our business operations and result in loss of service to our counterparties, as well as create significant expense to repair security breaches or system damage. In the past we have experienced cyber security breaches, which we believe have not had a significant impact on the integrity of our systems or the security of data, including personal information maintained by us, but there can be no assurance that any future breach or disruption will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operations.

 

Furthermore, some of our facilities are located in areas prone to extreme weather conditions, most notably extreme cold such as has recently occurred in Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan and Minnesota. Certain of our other Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations as well as certain key vendors conduct their operations in other locations, such as California and Florida, that are susceptible to natural disasters. The frequency of weather-related natural disasters may be increasing due to the effects of greenhouse gas emissions or related climate change effects. The occurrence of natural disasters such as tornados, earthquakes, droughts, floods, wildfires or localized extended outages of critical utilities or transportation systems, or any critical resource shortages, affecting us could cause a significant interruption in our business or damage or destroy our facilities.

 

We rely on warranties from vendors and obligate contractors to meet certain performance levels, but the proceeds from such warranties or performance guarantees may not cover lost revenues, increased expenses or liquidated damages payments, should we experience equipment breakdown or non-performance by our contractors or vendors. We also maintain an amount of insurance protection that we consider adequate to protect against these and other risks, but we cannot provide any assurance that our insurance will be sufficient or effective under any or all circumstances and against any or all hazards or liabilities to which we may be subject. Also, our insurance coverage is subject to deductibles, caps, exclusions and other limitations. A loss for which we are not fully insured could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Because of rising insurance costs and changes in the insurance markets, we cannot provide any assurance that our insurance coverage will continue to be available at all or at rates or on terms similar to those presently available. Our insurance policies are subject to annual review by our insurers and may not be renewed on similar or favorable terms or at all. Any losses not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

Our failure to dispense a specified quality or quantity of RNG could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations, by subjecting us to, among other things, possible penalties or terminations under the various contractual arrangements under which we operate, including pursuant to a purchase and sale agreement related to the sale of our Environmental Attributes.

 

Our RNG business consists of producing RNG from Biogas Conversion Projects, procuring RNG from third party producers, and dispensing this RNG to counterparties through Fueling Stations and other potential end markets to generate and monetize the associated Environmental Attributes. If we fail to produce and dispense a specified quality or quantity of RNG, our business may be adversely impacted.

 

As an RNG supplier the quality and quantity of RNG we produce at our Biogas Conversion Projects may be negatively affected by, among other things, lack of feedstock or the relative mix in the components of the feedstock, mechanical breakdowns, faulty technology, competitive markets or changes to the laws and regulations that mandate the use of renewable energy sources. In addition, we rely in part on third party suppliers to provide us with certain amounts of the specified quality and quantity of RNG that we are obligated to deliver under contractual commitments to our distribution counterparties but that we have not otherwise produced at our Biogas Conversion Projects.

 

If we are unable to obtain an adequate supply of RNG through a combination of Biogas Conversion Project production and supplies from third party RNG producers, we may be forced to pay a financial penalty under such contracts, including under a purchase and sale agreement under which we market a substantial majority of our Environmental Attributes through NextEra. Even if we are able to produce and obtain an adequate supply of RNG to satisfy the quantity requirements of our counterparties, RNG and the associated Environmental Attributes must also meet or exceed quality standards. If we and our third party suppliers are unable to meet applicable quality standards, through one or more of the factors discussed above or otherwise, we could be subject to financial penalties under such contracts.

 

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In connection with the marketing of the Environmental Attributes generated from our activities, in November 2021, we signed a purchase and sale agreement with NextEra providing for the exclusive purchase by NextEra of 90% of our Environmental Attributes (RINs and LCFS credits), including those generated by our owned Biogas Conversion Projects and those granted to us in connection with dispensing of RNG on behalf of third-party projects. Under the agreement, we are to receive the net proceeds paid to NextEra by NextEra customers for the purchase of such Environmental Attributes (or in certain circumstances an index-based price or pre-negotiated price) less a specified discount. The agreement provides for an initial five year term, followed by automatic one-year renewals unless terminated by either party at least 90 days prior to the last day of the initial term or then-current renewal term.

 

Under the agreement, we have committed to sell a minimum quarterly volume of Environmental Attributes to NextEra, which if not satisfied on a cumulative basis (giving credit for certain excess volume sold to NextEra during the contract term) as of the end of the contract term (or upon an early termination of the agreement) would result in our paying NextEra a shortfall payment calculated by (i) multiplying the amount of the volume shortfall by a fraction of the then-current index price of the Environmental Attribute and (ii) adding a specified premium (the “Shortfall Amount”). Similarly, if the agreement is terminated by NextEra due to an event of default (generally defined as a failure by us to pay any undisputed amounts under the agreement, a material uncured breach of our representations or warranties or other obligations under the agreement, or the dissolution, bankruptcy or insolvency of us or certain of our affiliates), NextEra would be entitled to receive, without any duplication, any then-current Shortfall Amount plus an accelerated payment calculated based off of the remaining minimum quarterly volume commitments for the balance of the initial term (or for the next four quarters of the next renewal term, if neither party had provided notice of non-renewal as described above prior to the commencement of such renewal term), which accelerated payment would be similarly calculated by (i) multiplying such remaining minimum quarterly volume commitments by a fraction of the then-current index price of the Environmental Attribute and (ii) adding a specified premium. The amount of such potential payments declines over the course of the contract term as we deliver Environmental Attribute volume under the contract. Were, however, the agreement to be terminated as of the date of this prospectus and we were not to deliver any further Environmental Attribute volume to NextEra under the agreement, the maximum potential payment to NextEra under these provisions would be approximately $15.4 million based on current market prices for such Environmental Attributes.

 

The success of our RNG projects depends on our ability to timely generate and ultimately receive certification of the Environmental Attributes associated with our RNG production and sale. A delay or failure in the certification of such Environmental Attributes could have a material adverse effect on the financial performance of our Biogas Conversion Projects.

 

We are required to register our RNG projects with the EPA and relevant state regulatory agencies. Further, we qualify our RINs through a voluntary Quality Assurance Plan, which typically takes from three to five months from first injection of RNG into the commercial pipeline system. Although no similar qualification process currently exists for LCFS credits, we expect such a process to be implemented and would expect to seek qualification on a state-by-state basis under such future programs. Delays in obtaining registration, RIN qualification, and any future LCFS credit qualification of a new project could delay future revenues from the project and could adversely affect our cash flow. Further, we typically make a large investment in the project prior to receiving the regulatory approval and RIN qualification. By registering each RNG project with the EPA’s voluntary Quality Assurance Plan, we are subject to quarterly third-party audits and semi-annual on-site visits of our projects to validate generated RINs and overall compliance with the RFS program. We are also subject to a separate third party’s annual attestation review. The Quality Assurance Plan provides a process for RIN owners to follow, for an affirmative defense to civil liability, if used or transferred Quality Assurance Plan verified RINs were invalidly generated. A project’s failure to comply could result in remedial action by the EPA, including penalties, fines, retirement of RINs, or termination of the project’s registration, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Maintenance, expansion and refurbishment of our Biogas Conversion Projects involve the risk of unplanned outages or reduced output, resulting from among other things periodic upgrading and improvement, unplanned breakdowns in equipment, and forced outages.

 

Our Biogas Conversion Project facilities may require periodic upgrading and improvement. Any unexpected operational or mechanical failure, including failure associated with breakdowns and forced outages, could reduce our facilities’ generating capacity below expected levels, reducing our revenues and jeopardizing our ability to earn profits and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. If we make major modifications to our facilities, such modifications may result in material additional capital expenditures. We may also choose to repower, refurbish or upgrade our facilities based on our assessment that such expenditures will provide adequate financial returns. Such facility modifications require time before commencement of commercial operations, and key assumptions underpinning a decision to make such an investment may prove incorrect, including assumptions regarding construction costs, timing, available financing and future power and renewable natural gas prices. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

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In order to secure development, operational, dispensing and other necessary contract rights for our Biogas Conversion Projects, we typically face a long and variable development cycle that requires significant resource commitments and a long lead time before we realize revenues.

 

The development, design and construction process for our Biogas Conversion Projects generally lasts from 20 to 48 months, on average. Prior to signing a development agreement, we typically conduct a preliminary audit of the site host’s needs and assess whether the site is commercially viable based on our expected return on investment, investment payback period and other operating metrics, as well as the necessary permits to develop a Biogas Conversion Project on that site. This extended development process requires the dedication of significant time and resources from our sales and management personnel, with no certainty of success or recovery of our expenses. A potential site host may go through the entire sales process and not accept our proposal. Further, upon commencement of operations, it typically takes 4 to 12 months or longer for the Biogas Conversion Project to ramp up to our expected production level. All of these factors, and in particular, increased spending that is not offset by increased revenues, can contribute to fluctuations in our quarterly financial performance and increase the likelihood that our operating results in a particular period will fall below investor expectations.

 

Our Biogas Conversion Projects may not produce expected levels of output, and the amount of Renewable Power or RNG actually produced at each of our respective projects will vary over time, and, therefore so will generation of associated Environmental Attributes.

 

Our Biogas Conversion Projects rely on organic material, the decomposition of which causes the generation of gas consisting primarily of methane. The Biogas Conversion Projects use such methane gas to generate Renewable Power or RNG. The estimation of biogas production volume is an inexact process and dependent on many site-specific conditions, including the estimated annual waste volume, composition of waste, regional climate and the capacity and construction of the site. Production levels are subject to a number of additional risks, including (i) a failure or wearing out of our or our landfill operators’, counterparties’ or utilities’ equipment; (ii) an inability to find suitable replacement equipment or parts; (iii) less than expected supply or quality of the project’s source of biogas and faster than expected diminishment of such biogas supply; or (iv) volume disruption in our fuel supply collection system. As a result, the volume of Renewable Power or RNG generated from such sites may in the future vary from our initial estimates, and those variations may be material. In addition, we have in the past incurred, and may in the future incur, material asset impairment charges if any of our Biogas Conversion Projects incur operational issues that indicate our expected future cash flows from the relevant project are less than the project’s carrying value. Any such impairment charge could adversely affect our operating results in the period in which the charge is recorded.

 

In addition, in order to maximize collection of landfill gas, we may need to take various measures, such as drilling additional gas wells in the landfill sites to increase landfill gas collection, balancing the pressure on the gas field based on the data collected by the landfill site operator from the gas wells to ensure optimum landfill gas utilization and ensuring that we match availability of engines and related equipment to availability of landfill gas. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to take all necessary measures to maximize collection. In addition, the landfill gas available to our LFG projects is dependent in part on the actions of the landfill site owners and operators. We may not be able to ensure the responsible management of the landfill site by owners and operators, which may result in less than optimal gas generation or increase the likelihood of “hot spots” occurring. Hot spots can temporarily reduce the volume of gas that may be collected from a landfill site, resulting in a lower gas yield.

 

Biogas projects utilizing other types of feedstock, specifically livestock waste and dairy farm projects, typically produce significantly less RNG than landfill facilities. As a result, the commercial viability of such projects is more dependent on various factors and market forces outside of our control, such as changes to law or regulations that could affect the value of such projects or the incentives available to them. In addition, there are other factors currently unknown to us that may affect the commercial viability of other types of feedstock. Moreover, fluctuations in manure supply, the end use markets and the spread of diseases among herds could have a material impact on the success and completion of our Biogas Conversion Projects. As such, continued expansion into other types of feedstock could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

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Our business plans include expanding from Renewable Power and RNG production projects into additional transportation-related infrastructure, including production and development of hydrogen vehicle fueling stations. Any such expansions may present unforeseen challenges and result in a competitive disadvantage relative to our more-established competitors in the markets into which we wish to expand.

 

We currently operate Biogas Conversion Projects that convert primarily landfill biogas into Renewable Power and RNG. However, we are actively developing projects that use anaerobic digesters to capture and convert emissions into low-carbon RNG, electricity and green hydrogen, and may expand into additional feedstocks in the future. We are also actively developing hydrogen fueling infrastructure. In addition, we are actively considering expansion into other lines of business, including carbon sequestration and Renewable Power for our projects, and the production of green hydrogen. These initiatives could expose us to increased operating costs, unforeseen liabilities or risks, and regulatory and environmental concerns associated with entering new sectors of the energy industry, including requiring a disproportionate amount of our management’s attention and resources, which could have an adverse impact on our business as well as place us at a competitive disadvantage relative to more established non-LFG market participants.

 

Sequestering carbon dioxide is subject to numerous laws and regulations with uncertain permitting timelines and costs. We also intend to explore the production of renewable hydrogen sourced from a number of our projects’ RNG, and we may enter into long-term fixed price off-take contracts for green hydrogen that we may produce at our projects. We are currently working with a leading developer of on-site hydrogen generators to put in place construction design and services agreements in order to develop hydrogen gas-as-a-service offerings at Fueling Stations. We do not have an operating history in the green hydrogen market and our forecasts are based on uncertain operations in the future.

 

Some LFG projects in which we might invest in the future may be subject to cost-of-service rate regulation, which would limit our potential revenue from such LFG projects. If we invest, directly or indirectly, in an electric transmitting LFG project that allows us to exercise transmission market power, FERC could require our affiliates with MBR Authority to implement mitigation measures as a condition of maintaining our or our affiliates’ MBR Authority. FERC regulations limit using a transmission project for proprietary purposes, and we may be required to offer others (including competitors) open-access to our transmission asset, should we acquire one. Such acquisitions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Our gas and manure rights agreements for Biogas Conversion Projects are subject to certain conditions. A failure to satisfy such conditions could result in the loss of such rights.

 

Our gas and manure rights agreements for Biogas Conversion Projects generally require that we achieve commercial operations for a project as of a specified date. If we do not satisfy such a deadline, the agreement may be terminated at the option of the biogas conversion project site owner without any reimbursement of any portion of the purchase price paid for the gas or manure rights or any other amounts we have invested in the project. Delays in construction or delivery of equipment may result in our failing to meet the commercial operations deadline in a gas or manure rights agreement. The denial or loss of a permit essential to a Biogas Conversion Project could impair our ability to construct or operate a project as required under the relevant agreement. Delays in the review and permitting process for a project can also impair or delay our ability to construct or acquire a project and satisfy any commercial operations deadlines, or increase the cost such that the project is no longer attractive to us.

 

Furthermore, certain of our gas and manure rights agreements for Biogas Conversion Projects require us to purchase a certain amount of LFG and manure, respectively. Any issues with our production at the corresponding projects, including due to weather, unplanned outages or transmission problems, to the extent not caused by the landfill or dairy farm, or covered by force majeure provisions in the relevant agreement, could result in failure to purchase the required amount of LFG or manure and the loss of these gas rights. Our gas and manure rights agreements often grant us the right to build additional generation capacity in the event of increased supply, but failure to use such increased supply after a prescribed period of time can result in the loss of these rights. In addition, we typically need approval from landfill owners in order to implement Renewable Power-to-RNG conversion projects, and we are also dependent on landfill owners for additional gas rights as well as land leases and easements for these conversion projects.

 

Additional Risk Factors Relating to Our Dispensing Business

 

Our commercial success depends in part on our ability to identify, acquire, develop and operate public and private Fueling Stations for public and commercial fleet vehicles in order to dispense RNG for use as vehicle fuel and generate the associated Environmental Attributes.

 

Our specific focus on RNG to be used as a transportation fuel in the United States exposes us to risks related to the supply of and demand for RNG and the associated Environmental Attributes, the cost of capital expenditures, governmental regulation, and economic conditions, among other factors. As an RNG dispenser we may also be negatively affected by lower RNG production resulting from lack of feedstock, mechanical breakdowns, faulty technology, competitive markets or changes to the laws and regulations that mandate the use of renewable energy sources.

 

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In addition, other factors related to the development and operation of renewable energy projects could adversely affect our business, including: (i) changes in pipeline gas quality standards or other regulatory changes that may limit our ability to transport RNG on pipelines or increase the costs of processing RNG; (ii) construction risks, including the risk of delay, that may arise because of inclement weather or labor disruptions; (iii) operating risks and the effect of disruptions on our business; (iv) budget overruns and exposure to liabilities because of unforeseen environmental, construction, technological or other complications; (v) failures or delays in obtaining desired or necessary rights, including leases and feedstock agreements; and (vi) failures or delays in obtaining and keeping in good standing permits, authorizations and consents from local city, county, state and US federal government agencies and organizations. Any of these factors could prevent completion or operation of projects, or otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

Our success is dependent on the willingness of commercial fleets and other counterparties to adopt, and continue use of RNG, which may not occur in a timely manner, at expected levels or at all. Our vehicle fleet counterparties may choose to invest in renewable vehicle fuels other than RNG.

 

Our success is highly dependent on the adoption by commercial fleets and other consumers of natural gas vehicle fuels, which has been slow, volatile and unpredictable in many sectors. For example, adoption and deployment of natural gas in heavy and medium-duty trucking has been slower and more limited than we anticipated. Also, other important fleet markets, including airports and public transit, had slower than expected volume and customer growth in 2018, 2019 and 2020, which was largely reversed in 2021, but may continue into 2022 and beyond. If the market for natural gas vehicle fuels does not develop at improved rates or levels, or if a market develops but we are not able to capture a significant share of the market or the market subsequently declines, our business, growth potential, financial condition, and operating results would be harmed.

 

Additional factors that may influence the adoption of natural gas vehicle fuels, many of which are beyond our control, include, among others:

 

Lack of demand for trucks that use natural gas vehicle fuels due to business disruptions and depressed oil prices;

 

Adoption of governmental policies or programs or increased publicity or popular sentiment in favor of vehicles or fuels other than natural gas, including long-standing support for gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles, changes to emissions requirements applicable to vehicles powered by gasoline, diesel, natural gas, or other vehicle fuels and/or growing support for electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles;

 

Perceptions about the benefits of natural gas vehicle fuels relative to gasoline, diesel and other alternative vehicle fuels, including with respect to factors such as supply, cost savings, environmental benefits and safety;

 

The volatility in the supply, demand, use and prices of crude oil, gasoline, diesel, RNG, natural gas and other vehicle fuels, such as electricity, hydrogen, renewable diesel, biodiesel and ethanol;

 

Inertia among fleets and fleet vehicle operators, who may be unable or unwilling to prioritize converting a fleet to our vehicle fuels over an operator’s other general business concerns, particularly if the operator is not sufficiently incentivized by emissions regulations or other requirements or lacks demand for the conversion from its counterparties or drivers;

 

Vehicle cost, fuel efficiency, availability, quality, safety, convenience (to fuel and service), design, performance and residual value, as well as operator perception with respect to these factors, generally and in our key customer markets and relative to comparable vehicles powered by other fuels;

 

The development, production, cost, availability, performance, sales and marketing and reputation of engines that are well-suited for the vehicles used in our key customer markets, including heavy and medium-duty trucks and other fleets;

 

Increasing competition in the market for vehicle fuels generally, and the nature and effect of competitive developments in such market, including improvements in or perceived advantages of other vehicle fuels and engines powered by such fuels;

 

The availability and effect of environmental, tax or other governmental regulations, programs or incentives that promote our products or other alternatives as a vehicle fuel, including certain programs under which we generate Environmental Attributes by selling RNG as a vehicle fuel, as well as the market prices for such credits; and

 

Emissions and other environmental regulations and pressures on producing, transporting, and dispensing our fuels.

 

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In June 2020, CARB adopted the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, which requires manufacturers to sell a gradually increasing proportion of zero-emission electric trucks, vans and pickup trucks from 2024 onwards. By the year 2045, the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation seeks to have every new commercial vehicle sold in California be zero-emissions. Further, in September 2020, the Governor of the State of California issued the September 2020 Executive Order providing that it shall be the goal of California that (i) 100% of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks will be zero-emission by 2035, (ii) 100% of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in California will be zero-emission by 2045 for all operations, where feasible, and by 2035 for drayage trucks, and (iii) the state will transition to 100% zero-emission off-road vehicles and equipment by 2035 where feasible. The September 2020 Executive Order also directed CARB to develop and propose regulations and strategies aimed at achieving the foregoing goals. Among other things, we believe the intent of the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation and the September 2020 Executive Order is to limit and ultimately discontinue the production and use of internal combustion engines because such engines have “tailpipe” emissions. If either the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation or any additional regulations adopted by CARB, including because of the September 2020 Executive Order, is permitted to take effect, it may slow, delay or prevent the adoption by fleets and other commercial consumers of our vehicle fuels, particularly in California. Moreover, because of the adoption of the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation and the issuance of the September 2020 Executive Order, other states have taken steps to enact similar regulations, which actions may accelerate if either regulation is permitted to take effect, thereby slowing, delaying or preventing the adoption of our vehicle fuels in those states as well.

 

Acquisition, financing, construction, and development of Fueling Station projects by us or our partners that own projects may not commence on anticipated timelines or at all.

 

Our strategy is to continue to expand, including through the acquisition of additional Fueling Station projects and by signing additional supply agreements with third party project owner partners. From time to time we and our partners enter into nonbinding letters of intent for projects. Until the negotiations are final, however, and the parties have executed definitive documentation, we or our partners may not be able to consummate any development or acquisition transactions, or any other similar arrangements, on the terms set forth in the applicable letter of intent or at all.

 

The acquisition, financing, construction and development of projects involves numerous risks, including:

 

difficulties in identifying, obtaining, and permitting suitable sites for new projects;

 

failure to obtain all necessary rights to land access and use;

 

inaccuracy of assumptions with respect to the cost and schedule for completing construction;

 

inaccuracy of assumptions with respect to the biogas potential, including quality, volume, and asset life;

 

the ability to obtain financing for a project on acceptable terms or at all;

 

delays in deliveries or increases in the price of equipment or other materials;

 

permitting and other regulatory issues, license revocation and changes in legal requirements;

 

increases in the cost of labor, labor disputes and work stoppages or the inability to find an adequate supply of workers;

 

failure to receive quality and timely performance of third-party services;

 

unforeseen engineering and environmental problems;

 

cost overruns or supply chain disruptions;

 

accidents involving personal injury or the loss of life

 

weather conditions, health crises, pandemics, catastrophic events, including fires, explosions, earthquakes, droughts and acts of terrorism, and other force majeure events; and

 

interconnection and access to utilities.

 

In addition, new projects have no operating history. A new project may be unable to fund principal and interest payments under its debt service obligations or may operate at a loss.

 

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Our Fueling Station construction activities for commercial fleets and other counterparties are subject to business and operational risks, including predicting demand in a particular market or markets, land use, permitting or zoning difficulties, responsibility for actions of sub-contractors on jobs in which we serve as general contractor, potential labor shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise, and cost overruns.

 

As part of our business activities, we design and construct Fueling Stations that we either own and operate ourselves or provide these services for our counterparties. These activities require a significant amount of judgment in determining where to build and open Fueling Stations, including predictions about fuel demand that may not be accurate for any of the locations we target. As a result, we may build Fueling Stations that we may not open for fueling operations, and we may open Fueling Stations that fail to generate the volume or profitability levels we anticipate, either or both of which could occur due to a lack of sufficient customer demand at the specific locations or for other reasons. For any Fueling Stations that are completed but unopened, we would have substantial investments in assets that do not produce revenue, and for Fueling Stations that are open and underperforming, we may decide to close them.

 

We also face many operational challenges in connection with our Fueling Station design and construction activities. For example, we may not be able to identify suitable locations for the Fueling Stations we or our counterparties seek to build. Additionally, even if preferred sites can be located, we may encounter land use or zoning difficulties, problems with utility services, challenges obtaining and retaining required permits and approvals or local resistance, including due to reduced operations of permitting agencies because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, any of which could prevent us or our counterparties from building new stations on such sites or limit or restrict the use of new or existing stations. Any such difficulties, resistance or limitations or any failure to comply with local permit, land use or zoning requirements could restrict our activities or expose us to fines, reputational damage or other liabilities, which would harm our business and results of operations.

 

In addition, we act as the general contractor and construction manager for new Fueling Station construction and facility modification projects, and we typically rely on licensed subcontractors to perform the construction work. We may be liable for any damage we or our subcontractors cause or for injuries suffered by our employees or our subcontractors’ employees during the course of work on our projects. Additionally, shortages of skilled subcontractor labor and any supply chain disruptions affecting access to and cost of construction materials could significantly delay a project or otherwise increase our costs. Further, our expected profit from a project is based in part on assumptions about the cost of the project, and cost overruns, delays or other execution issues may, in the case of projects we complete and sell to counterparties, result in our failure to achieve our expected margins or cover our costs, and in the case of projects we build and own, result in our failure to achieve an acceptable rate of return. If any of these events occur, our business, operating results and cash flows could be negatively affected.

 

Additional Risk Factors Relating to Our Business in General

 

Certain of our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations are newly constructed or are under construction and may not perform as we expect.

 

We have a number of Biogas Conversion Projects under construction that will begin production over the next 18-24 months. Therefore, our expectations of the operating performance of these facilities are based on assumptions and estimates made without the benefit of operating history. Our forecasts with respect to our new and developing projects, and related estimates and assumptions, are based on limited or future operating history. These facilities also include digesters under development for which we have no operating history. The ability of these facilities to meet our performance expectations is subject to the risks inherent in newly constructed energy generation and RNG production facilities and the construction of such facilities, including delays or problems in construction, degradation of equipment in excess of our expectations, system failures, and outages. The failure of these facilities to perform as we expect could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

Our contracts with government entities may be subject to unique risks, including possible termination of or reduction in the governmental programs under which we operate, instances in which our contract provisions allow the government entity to terminate, amend or change terms at their convenience, and competitive bidding processes for the award of contracts.

 

We have, and expect to continue to seek, long-term Fueling Station construction, maintenance and fuel sale contracts with various government entities. In addition to normal business risks, including the other risks discussed in these risk factors, our contracts with government entities are often subject to unique risks, some of which are beyond our control. For example, long-term government contracts and related orders are subject to cancellation if adequate appropriations for subsequent performance periods are not made. Further, the termination of funding for a government program supporting any of our government contracts could result in the loss of anticipated future revenue attributable to such contract. Moreover, government entities with which we contract are often able to modify, curtail or terminate contracts with us at their convenience and without prior notice, and would only be required to pay for work completed and commitments made at or prior to the time of termination.

 

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In addition, government contracts are frequently awarded only after competitive bidding processes, which are often protracted. In many cases, unsuccessful bidders for government contracts are provided the opportunity to formally protest the contract awards through various agencies or other administrative and judicial channels. The protest process may substantially delay a successful bidder’s contract performance, result in cancellation of the contract award entirely and distract management. As a result, we may not be awarded contracts for which we bid, and substantial delays or cancellation of government contracts may follow any successful bids as a result of any protests by other bidders. The occurrence of any of these risks could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

 

Our level of indebtedness and preferred stock redemption obligations could adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations and acquisitions. It could also expose us to the risk of increased interest rates and limit our ability to react to changes in the economy or our industry. We may be unable to obtain additional financing to fund our operations or growth.

 

Our pro forma consolidated indebtedness as of June 30, 2022 would have been approximately $210.5 million, or approximately 41.7% of our total pro forma capitalization of $504.6 million at such date. See “Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Information” elsewhere in this prospectus for a discussion of the related pro forma adjustments and assumptions. Additionally, on November 29, 2021, we entered into an Exchange Agreement with Hillman pursuant to which Opco issued to Hillman Series A-1 Preferred Units of Opco, which are redeemable after four years at the option of Hillman for an aggregate redemption price of $30.0 million plus accrued and unpaid dividends thereon. In addition, we have drawn down the NextEra $100.0 million subscription commitment and issued to NextEra 1,000,000 Series A Preferred Units of Opco, which are redeemable after four years at the option of NextEra for an aggregate redemption price of $100.0 million plus accrued and unpaid dividends thereon.

 

Our substantial indebtedness and preferred units redemption obligations could have important consequences, including, for example:

 

being required to accept then-prevailing market terms in connection with any required refinancing of such indebtedness or redemption obligations, which may be less favorable than existing terms;

 

failure to refinance, or to comply with the covenants in the agreements governing, these obligations could result in an event of default under those agreements, which could be difficult to cure or result in our bankruptcy;

 

our debt service and dividend obligations require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt and dividends on our preferred units, thereby reducing the funds available to us and our ability to borrow to operate and grow our business;

 

our limited financial flexibility could reduce our ability to plan for and react to unexpected opportunities; and

 

our substantial debt service obligations make us vulnerable to adverse changes in general economic, credit and capital markets, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation and place us at a disadvantage compared with competitors with less debt or mandatorily redeemable preferred units.

 

Any of these consequences could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If we do not comply with our obligations under our debt instruments or with respect to our preferred units, we may be required to refinance all or part of our existing debt and preferred units, borrow additional amounts or sell securities, which we may not be able to do on favorable terms or at all. In addition, increases in interest and dividend rates and changes in debt and preferred equity covenants may reduce the amounts that we can borrow or otherwise finance, reduce our cash flows and increase the equity investment we may be required to make to complete construction of our Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations. These increases could cause some of our projects to become economically unattractive. If we are unable to raise additional capital or generate sufficient operating cash flow to repay our indebtedness and preferred unit obligations, we could be in default under our lending agreements and preferred unit designations and could be required to delay construction of new projects, reduce overhead costs, reduce the scope of our projects or abandon or sell some or all of our projects, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Our existing credit facilities contain financial covenants and our credit facilities and preferred stock designations contain other restrictive covenants that limit our ability to return capital to equity holders or otherwise engage in activities that may be in our long-term best interests. Our inability to comply with those covenants could result in an event of default or material breach which, if not cured or waived, may entitle the related lenders or preferred unit holders to higher interest or dividend payment to demand repayment or enforce their security interests (in the case of indebtedness) and other remedies, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, failure to comply with such covenants may entitle the related lenders to demand repayment and accelerate all such indebtedness. Further, in certain circumstances following a failure to timely redeem our Preferred Stock, holders of such Preferred Stock have the right to designate a director to our board of directors.

 

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In connection with certain project development opportunities, we have utilized project-level financing in the past and may need to do so again in the future; however, we may not be able to obtain such financing on commercially reasonable terms or at all. The agreements governing such financings typically contain financial and other restrictive covenants that limit a project subsidiary’s ability to make distributions to its parent or otherwise engage in activities that may be in its long-term best interests. Project-level financing agreements generally prohibit distributions from the project entities to us unless certain specific conditions are met, including the satisfaction of certain financial ratios or a facility achieving commercial operations. Our inability to comply with such covenants may prevent cash distributions by the particular project or projects to us and could result in an event of default which, if not cured or waived, may entitle the related lenders to demand repayment or enforce their security interests, which could result in a loss of project assets and/or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

Liabilities and costs associated with hazardous materials and contamination and other environmental conditions may require us to conduct investigations or remediation at the properties underlying our projects, may adversely impact the value of our projects or the underlying properties, and may expose us to liabilities to third parties.

 

We may incur liabilities for the investigation and cleanup of any environmental contamination at the properties underlying or adjacent to our projects, or at off-site locations where we arrange for the disposal of hazardous substances or wastes. Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 and other federal, state and local laws, an owner or operator of a property may become liable for costs of investigation and remediation, and for damages to natural resources. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the release of such hazardous substances or whether the conduct giving rise to the release was legal at the time when it occurred. In addition, liability under certain of these laws is joint and several, which means that we may be assigned liabilities for hazardous substance conditions that exceed our action contributions to the contamination conditions. We also may be subject to related claims by private parties alleging property damage and personal injury due to exposure to hazardous or other materials at or from those properties. We may incur substantial investigation costs, remediation costs or other damages, thus harming our business, financial condition and results of operations, as a result of the presence or release of hazardous substances at locations where we operate or as a result of our own operations.

 

The presence of environmental contamination at a project may adversely affect an owner’s ability to sell such project or borrow funds using the project as collateral. To the extent that an owner of the real property underlying one of our projects becomes liable with respect to contamination at the real property, the ability of the owner to make payments to us may be adversely affected.

 

We may also face liabilities in cases of exposure to hazardous materials, and claims for such exposure can be brought by any third party, including workers, employees, contractors and the general public. Claims can be asserted by such persons relating to personal injury or property damage, and resolving such claims can be expensive and time consuming, even if there is little or no basis for the claim.

 

We have a history of accounting losses and may incur additional losses in the future.

 

Opco and its predecessor companies have incurred net losses historically, including a net loss of $6.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, net income attributable to OPAL Fuels LLC of $41.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 and net loss of $25.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, respectively. We may incur losses in future periods, and we may never sustain profitability, either of which would adversely affect our business, prospects and financial condition and may cause the price of Common Stock to fall. Furthermore, historical losses may not be indicative of future losses due to many factors outside of our control including but not limited to the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our future losses may be greater than our past losses. In addition, to try to achieve or sustain profitability, we may choose or be forced to take actions that result in material costs or material asset or goodwill impairments. We review our assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable, and we perform a goodwill impairment test on an annual basis and between annual tests in certain circumstances, in each case in accordance with applicable accounting guidance and as described in the financial statements and notes to the financial statements included in this report. Changes to the use of our assets, divestitures, changes to the structure of our business, significant negative industry or economic trends, disruptions to our operations, inability to effectively integrate any acquired businesses, further market capitalization declines, or other similar actions or conditions could result in additional asset impairment or goodwill impairment charges or other adverse consequences, any of which could have material adverse effects on our financial condition, our results of operations and the trading price of Common Stock.

 

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Loss of our key management could adversely affect our business performance. Our management team has limited experience in operating a public company such as us.

 

We are dependent on the efforts of our key management. Although we believe qualified replacements could be found for any departures of key executives, the loss of their services could adversely affect our performance and the value of our Class A common stock.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic and measures intended to reduce its spread have, and may continue to, adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

Beginning in late 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) spread throughout the world, including the United States, ultimately being declared a pandemic. Global health concerns and increased efforts to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted federal, state and local governments to restrict normal daily activities, which resulted in lockdowns, travel bans, quarantines, “shelter-in-place” orders requiring individuals to remain in their homes other than to conduct essential services or activities, business limitations and shutdowns (subject to exceptions for certain essential operations and businesses, including our business). Some of these governmental restrictions have since been scaled back or lifted, although an increase in the prevalence of COVID-19 cases and the spread of new variants may result in the re-imposition of certain restrictions and may lead to other restrictions being implemented in response to efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Given the dynamic nature of these circumstances and the related adverse impact these restrictions have had, and may continue to have, on the economy generally, our business and financial results may continue to be adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Our operations have been designated “essential critical infrastructure work” in the energy sector by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, meaning that we have been able to continue full operations. Despite our essential designation and our continued operations, however, we are subject to various risk and uncertainties because of the COVID-19 pandemic that could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition, including the following:

 

a further delay in the adoption of natural gas vehicle fuels by heavy-duty trucks and/or a delay in increasing the use of our vehicle fuels;

 

a continued or further decrease in the volume of truck and fleet operations, including shuttle busses at airports, and lower-than-normal levels of public transportation generally, which have resulted in, and may continue to result in, decreased demand for our vehicle fuels;

 

the impact of business disruptions on the production of vehicles and engines that use our fuels, which has resulted in, and may continue to result in, plant closures, decreased manufacturing capacity, and delays in deliveries; and

 

depressed oil and diesel prices, especially relative to natural gas prices and for a prolonged period, which may decrease the price-related incentive for operators to adopt trucks that use our vehicle fuels.

 

The duration and extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and financial results will depend on future developments, including the duration, severity and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, actions taken to contain its spread, any further resurgence of COVID-19, the severity and transmission rates of new variants of COVID-19, the availability, distribution and efficacy of vaccines and therapeutics for COVID-19 and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can (and will) resume within the markets in which we operate, each of which are highly uncertain at this time and are outside of our control. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, we may continue to experience adverse effects to our business and financial results because of its global economic impact, including any economic downturn or recession that has occurred or may occur. The adverse effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations and financial condition could be material.

 

Some relationships with our counterparties and suppliers may experience disruptions as a result of the Business Combination, which may limit our business.

 

Parties with which Opco did business prior to the Business Combination or with which we may do business in the future, including our counterparties and suppliers, may experience uncertainty as a result of the Business Combination, including with respect to current or future business relationships with us. As a result, our business relationships may be subject to disruptions if our counterparties and suppliers or others attempt to negotiate changes in existing business relationships or consider entering into business relationships with parties other than us. For example, certain of our counterparties, suppliers and third-party providers may have had contractual consent rights or termination rights that were triggered by a change of control or assignment of the rights and obligations of contracts that was transferred in connection with the Business Combination These disruptions could harm relationships with our existing third parties with whom we have relationships and preclude us from attracting new third parties, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, cash flows, and/or share price.

 

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We have identified material weaknesses in Opco’s and ArcLight’s internal controls over financial reporting. If we are unable to remediate these material weaknesses, or if we identify additional material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fails to maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to accurately or timely report its financial condition or results of operations, which may adversely affect our business and stock price.

 

In connection with the preparation and audit of Opco’s consolidated financial statements for each of the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, material weaknesses were identified in Opco’s internal control over financial reporting. In addition, a material weakness in the internal controls over financial reporting of ArcLight was identified as of November 24, 2021.

 

A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of its annual or interim consolidated financial statements will not be prevented, or detected and corrected, on a timely basis.

 

With respect to Opco, these material weaknesses identified were as follows:

 

There is a lack of an adequate control environment, including internal communications, to allow for timeliness of reviews for the accounting and disclosures of significant and unusual transactions and contracts;

 

There is a lack of appropriate segregation of duties and appropriate access controls as certain employees have the ability to prepare and post journal entries while other employees have inappropriate access to certain financial systems. For various transactions and account reconciliations, the same person was the originator and preparer of financial information without further review by an independent person with sufficient accounting and/or financial reporting competence and authority;

 

Opco did not have timely and effective reviews over standard account reconciliations and related accounting analysis which resulted in various audit adjustments that we corrected; and

 

Review controls over application of ASC-606 were not designed and implemented appropriately during the current year.

 

With respect to ArcLight, in connection with the preparation of ArcLight’s financial statements as of December 31, 2021, ArcLight concluded it was appropriate to restate the presentation of ArcLight Class A Ordinary Shares subject to possible redemption to reflect its ordinary shares within temporary equity after determining the ordinary shares’ redemption feature is not solely within its control. As part of such process, ArcLight identified a material weakness in its internal controls over financial reporting related to the accounting for its complex financial instruments (including redeemable equity instruments as described above).

 

These material weaknesses could result in a misstatement of substantially all of our accounts or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement to our annual or interim financial statements that would not be prevented or detected.

 

We have developed and begun executing on a plan to remediate these material weaknesses, including the hiring of a Chief Financial Officer and a Chief Accounting Officer. Our remediation plans may include measures such as: hiring additional accounting and financial reporting personnel with appropriate technical accounting knowledge and public company experience in financial reporting; designing and implementing formal processes, policies and procedures supporting our financial close process, including creating standard balance sheet reconciliation templates and journal entry controls; and designing and implementing controls to formalize roles and review responsibilities to align with our team’s skills and experience in designing and implementing formal controls over segregation of duties.

 

While we believe these efforts are likely to remediate the material weaknesses identified, we may not be able to complete our evaluation, testing or any required remediation in a timely fashion, or at all. The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting is subject to various inherent limitations, including cost limitations, judgments used in decision making, assumptions about the likelihood of future events, the possibility of human error and the risk of fraud. If we are unable to remediate the material weaknesses identified, our ability to record, process and report financial information accurately, and to prepare financial statements within the time periods specified by the forms of the SEC, could be adversely affected which, in turn, may adversely affect our reputation and business and the market price of our securities, including the Class A common stock. In addition, any such failures could result in litigation or regulatory actions by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, loss of investor confidence, delisting of our securities and harm to our reputation and financial condition, or diversion of financial and management resources from the operation of our business.

 

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Our failure to timely and effectively implement controls and procedures required by Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could have a material adverse effect on its business.

 

We are currently not subject to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. However, we are required to provide management’s attestation on internal controls commencing with our annual report for the year ending December 31, 2022 in accordance with applicable SEC guidance. The standards required for a public company under Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act are significantly more stringent than those required of Opco historically as a privately-held company or by ArcLight prior to the closing of the Business Combination. Our management team may not be able to effectively and timely implement controls and procedures that adequately respond to the increased regulatory compliance and reporting requirements as a result of the Business Combination. If we are not able to implement the additional requirements of Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in a timely manner or with adequate compliance, we may not be able to assess whether its internal controls over financial reporting are effective, which may subject it to adverse regulatory consequences and could harm investor confidence and the market price of our securities.

 

Risks Related to the Company

 

Future sales and issuances of our Class A common stock could result in additional dilution of the percentage ownership of our shareholders and could cause our share price to fall.

 

We expect that significant additional capital will be needed in the future to pursue our growth plan. To raise capital, we may sell shares of our Class A common stock, convertible securities or other equity securities in one or more transactions at prices and in a manner we determine from time to time. If we sell shares of our Class A common stock, convertible securities or other equity securities, investors may be materially diluted by subsequent sales. Such sales may also result in material dilution to our existing shareholders, and new investors could gain rights, preferences, and privileges senior to existing holders of our Class A common stock.

 

Future sales of a substantial number of shares of our Class A common stock, or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of shares of Class A common stock intend to sell shares, could reduce the market

price of our Class A common stock.

 

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our Class A common stock in the public market, including the resale of the shares of held by our stockholders, could occur at any time. These sales, or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of shares of Class A common stock intend to sell shares, could reduce the market price of our Class A common stock. The shares of Class A common stock being offered for resale pursuant to this prospectus by the Selling Holders represent approximately 708% of shares of Class A common stock outstanding of the Company as of October 13, 2022 (without giving effect to the issuance of shares upon exercise of outstanding Warrants and upon the conversion of Class C common stock to be issued to the Opco Common Equityholders upon the exchange by them of Opco Common Units).

 

Approximately 155,237,646 of these shares of Class A common stock are currently subject to restrictions on transfer under a 180-day lock-up agreement entered into between us and the holders of those shares. These restrictions are due to expire on January 17, 2023, resulting in these shares becoming eligible for public sale on January 18, 2023. Sales of such shares may be made under the registration statement filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of which this prospectus is a part or in reliance upon an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Pursuant to the Investor Rights Agreement, those stockholders are entitled to have the registration statement under the Securities Act of which this prospectus is a part kept effective for a prolonged period of time such that registered resales of their shares of Class A common stock can be made.

 

After this registration statement is effective and until such time that it is no longer effective, the registration statement registering such securities will permit the resale of these shares. The resale, or expected or potential resale, of a substantial number of shares of our Class A common stock in the public market could adversely affect the market price for our Class A common stock and make it more difficult for you to sell your holdings at times and prices that you determine are appropriate. Furthermore, we expect that, because there is a large number of shares being registered pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the Selling Holders thereunder will continue to offer the securities covered thereby for a significant period of time, the precise duration of which cannot be predicted. Accordingly, the adverse market and price pressures resulting from an offering pursuant to the registration statement may continue for an extended period of time. Sales of substantial numbers of such shares in the public market, including the resale of the shares of Class A common stock held by our stockholders, could adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock.

 

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If certain holders of our Class A common stock sell a significant portion of their securities, it may negatively impact the market price of the shares of our Class A common stock and such holders still may receive significant proceeds.

 

As of the date of this prospectus, the market price of our Class A common stock is below $10.00 per share, which was the price per unit sold in the initial public offering of our predecessor, ArcLight, the per-share price of the 11,080,600 shares of our Class A common stock sold to the PIPE Investors and also the per share value of the consideration issued to Opco Common Equityholders upon consummation of our Business Combination. However, certain of our shareholders who hold shares of our Class A common stock that were originally purchased by Arclight’s Sponsor in a private placement prior to Arclight’s initial public offering (the “Founder Shares”), may nonetheless be inclined to sell such Founder Shares as they were originally purchased at an effective price significantly less than $10.00 per share. The currently outstanding 7,779,076 Founder Shares were purchased at an effective price of $0.003 per share. Accordingly, holders of the Founder Shares could sell their securities at a per-share price that is less than $10.00 and still realize a significant profit from the sale of those securities that could not be realized by our other shareholders. On October 13, 2022, the closing price of our Class A common stock was $6.23. Based on this closing price, the aggregate sales price of the Founder Shares would be approximately $48,463,643.

 

The Founder Shares are currently subject to restrictions on transfer under applicable lock-up agreements; however, these restrictions are due to expire on January 17, 2023, resulting in these shares becoming eligible for public sale on January 18, 2023, if they are registered under the Securities Act, or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. 

 

Litigation or legal proceedings could expose us to significant liabilities and have a negative impact on our reputations or business.

 

We may become subject to claims, litigation, disputes and other legal proceedings from time to time. We evaluate these claims, litigation, disputes and other legal proceedings to assess the likelihood of unfavorable outcomes and to estimate, if possible, the amount of potential losses. Based on these assessments and estimates, we may establish reserves, as appropriate. These assessments and estimates are based on the information available to each management team at the time of its respective assessment and involve a significant amount of management judgment. Actual outcomes or losses may differ materially from our assessments and estimates.

 

Under the terms of ArcLight’s placement agent agreements with BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofA”), Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (“CS”), Barclays Capital Inc. (“Barclays”) and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“Citi” and together with BofA, CS and Barclays, the “Advisors”) entered into in connection with the PIPE Investment, its financial advisory agreement with Citi entered into in connection with the Business Combination, and its Underwriting Agreement with Citi and Barclays entered in connection with ArcLight’s IPO, ArcLight agreed to indemnify and hold harmless each of the respective Advisors, their affiliates and each of their respective directors, officers, agents and employees from and against any losses and claims arising in any manner out of or in connection with the services provided to ArcLight thereunder. Under the terms of Opco’s financial advisory agreements with BofA and CS, Opco agreed to indemnify and hold harmless each of BofA and CS, their affiliates and each of their respective directors, officers, employees and agents from and against any losses and claims arising in any manner out of or in connection with the services provided to Opco thereunder. Accordingly, if any claims, litigation, disputes or other legal proceedings are brought by third parties against any of the Advisors in relation to the services it provided to ArcLight or Opco under any of these agreements, then we may be liable to pay for or reimburse such Advisor or Advisors for the losses and costs it incurs unless the losses and costs are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Advisor or Advisors or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents. Additionally, each of the agreements described above contains a contribution provision in the event that such indemnification is unavailable or otherwise prohibited by law, however, the contribution obligations of each Advisor are limited to the amount of compensation or fees actually paid to such party in respect of the engagement. As a result, the contribution obligations of Barclays and Citi under the Underwriting Agreement are limited to the initial underwriting commission paid at the time of ArcLight’s IPO and the Advisors otherwise have no further contribution liability under the other agreements (including the Underwriting Agreement) because they waived their rights to any fees or deferred underwriting commissions in connection with their resignations as described under Summary—Recent Developments. Therefore, as a result of the Advisors’ resignations, and in contrast to other transactions where the underwriters and financial advisors did not resign and waive rights to fees or deferred underwriting commissions, as the case may be, our potential financial liability with respect to an indemnified loss where such indemnification is otherwise unavailable to the indemnified party may be higher under the respective agreements than it would have been had such underwriters and financial advisors not resigned and waived their rights to any fees or deferred underwriting commissions.

 

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Even when not merited or whether or not we ultimately prevail, the defense of these lawsuits may divert management’s attention, and we may incur significant expenses in defending these lawsuits. The results of litigation and other legal proceedings are inherently uncertain, and adverse judgments or settlements in some of these legal disputes may result in adverse monetary damages, penalties or injunctive relief against us which could negatively impact any of our financial positions, cash flows or results of operations. Further, any liability or negligence claim against us in US courts may, if successful, result in damages being awarded that contain punitive elements and therefore may significantly exceed the loss or damage suffered by the successful claimant. Any claims or litigation, even if fully indemnified or insured, could damage our reputation and make it more difficult to compete effectively or to obtain adequate insurance in the future. A settlement or an unfavorable outcome in a legal dispute could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and/or prospects.

 

Furthermore, while we maintain insurance for certain potential liabilities, such insurance does not cover all types and amounts of potential liabilities and is subject to various exclusions as well as caps on amounts recoverable. Even if we believe a claim is covered by insurance, insurers may dispute its entitlement to recovery for a variety of potential reasons, which may affect the timing and, if the insurers prevail, the amount of our recovery.

 

Our business and operations could be negatively affected if we become subject to any securities litigation or shareholder activism, which could cause us to incur significant expense, hinder execution of business and growth strategy and impact its stock price.

 

In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation has often been brought against that company. Shareholder activism, which could take many forms or arise in a variety of situations, has been increasing recently. Volatility in the stock price of our Class A common stock or other reasons may in the future cause it to become the target of securities litigation or shareholder activism. Securities litigation and shareholder activism, including potential proxy contests, could result in substantial costs and divert management’s and our board’s attention and resources from our business. Additionally, such securities litigation and shareholder activism could give rise to perceived uncertainties as to our future, adversely affect our relationships with service providers and make it more difficult to attract and retain qualified personnel. Also, we may be required to incur significant legal fees and other expenses related to any securities litigation and activist shareholder matters. Further, our stock price could be subject to significant fluctuation or otherwise be adversely affected by the events, risks and uncertainties of any securities litigation and shareholder activism.

 

We are subject to changing law and regulations regarding regulatory matters, corporate governance and public disclosure that will increase both our costs and the risk of noncompliance.

 

We are subject to rules and regulations by various governing bodies, including, for example, the SEC, which are charged with the protection of investors and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded, and to new and evolving regulatory measures under applicable law. Our efforts to comply with new and changing laws and regulations has resulted in increased general and administrative expenses.

 

Moreover, because these laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance becomes available. This evolution may result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and additional costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to our disclosure and governance practices. If we fail to address and comply with these regulations and any subsequent changes, we may be subject to penalty and our business may be harmed.

 

The Warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock.

 

As of the date of this prospectus, we have 6,223,233 outstanding Public Warrants to purchase 6,223,233 shares of our Class A common stock, exercisable at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, which expire on the earlier to occur of July 21, 20272 or redemption; and (ii) 9,223,261 outstanding Private Warrants to purchase 9,223,261 shares of our Class A common stock, exercisable at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, which expire on the earlier to occur of July 21, 20273 or redemption. The exercise of a significant number of the Warrants in the future may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock, in that it may increase the number of shares that are available for sale in the market.

 

The exercise of Warrants, and any proceeds we may receive from their exercise, are highly dependent on the price of our Class A common stock and the spread between the exercise price of the Warrant and the price of our Class A common stock at the time of exercise. For example, to the extent that the price of our Class A common stock exceeds $11.50 per share, it is more likely that holders of our Warrants will exercise their warrants. If the price of our Class A common stock is less than $11.50 per share, it is unlikely that such holders will exercise their warrants. As of October 13, 2022, the closing price of our Class A common stock was $6.23 per share. There can be no assurance that all of our Warrants will be in the money prior to their expiration. Further, our Sponsor and its permitted transferees have the option to exercise the Private Warrants on a cashless basis.

 

 

2Five years after the Closing of the IBC.
3Five years after the Closing of the IBC.

 

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We are an “emerging growth company,” and our election to comply with the reduced disclosure requirements as a public company may make our Class A common stock less attractive to investors.

 

For so long as we remain an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various requirements that are applicable to public companies that are not “emerging growth companies,” including not being required to comply with the independent auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, being required to provide fewer years of audited financial statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

 

We may lose our emerging growth company status and become subject to the SEC’s internal control over financial reporting management and auditor attestation requirements. If we are unable to certify the effectiveness of our internal controls, or if our internal controls have a material weakness, we could be subject to regulatory scrutiny and a loss of confidence by stockholders, which could harm our business and adversely affect the market price of the Common Stock. We will cease to be an “emerging growth company” upon the earliest to occur of: (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue; (ii) the date we qualify as a large accelerated filer, with at least $700.0 million of equity securities held by non-affiliates; (iii) the date on which we have, in any three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; and (iv) December 31, 2026 (the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of ArcLight becoming a public company).

 

As an emerging growth company, we may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these reduced reporting burdens. Accordingly, the information we provide to our stockholders may be different than the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold stock. In addition, the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. We have elected to take advantage of this extended transition period under the JOBS Act. As a result, our operating results and financial statements may not be comparable to the operating results and financial statements of other companies who have adopted the new or revised accounting standards. It is possible that some investors will find our Class A common stock less attractive as a result, which may result in a less active trading market for our Class A common stock and higher volatility in our stock price.

 

Our current majority stockholder has control over all stockholder decisions of us because it controls a substantial majority of our voting power through “high vote” voting stock. Such majority stockholder, and the persons controlling such majority stockholder, including Fortistar and Mr. Mark Comora, our Chairman of the Board of, may have potential conflicts of interest in connection with existing or proposed business relationships and decisions impacting us and, even in situations where it does not have a conflict of interest, its interests in such matters may be different than the other stockholders.

 

The dual-class structure of our common stock has the effect of concentrating voting control with Mr. Mark Comora who, through his control of OPAL Holdco and Hillman, beneficially owns in the aggregate a substantial majority of the voting power of our capital stock on most issues of corporate governance. Mr. Mark Comora beneficially owns 145,279,637 shares of OPAL, comprising 85.7% of our outstanding Common Stock as of July 21, 2022. All of these shares (with the exception of 800,600 shares of Class A common stock purchased by Fortistar in the PIPE Investment) are Class D common stock, which have no economic rights but are entitled to five votes per share, giving Mr. Mark Comora control over 96.6% of our voting power. OPAL Holdco and Hillman are controlled, indirectly, by Mr. Mark Comora through entities affiliated with Mr. Mark Comora, including Fortistar and certain of its other affiliates. Mr. Mark Comora is the Chairman of our board.

 

Accordingly, Mr. Mark Comora is able to control most matters submitted to our stockholders for approval. This concentrated control will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters for the foreseeable future, including the election of directors, amendments to our organizational documents, and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or other major corporate transaction requiring stockholder approval. This may prevent or discourage unsolicited acquisition proposals or offers for our capital stock that you may feel are in your best interest as one of our stockholders. More specifically, Mr. Mark Comora has the ability to control our management and our major strategic investments and decisions as a result of his ability to control the election or, in some cases, the replacement of our directors. In the event of the death of Mr. Mark Comora, control of the shares of Common Stock controlled by Mr. Mark Comora will be transferred to the persons or entities that he has designated. In his position as the Chairman of our board, Mr. Mark Comora owes a fiduciary duty to our stockholders and must act in good faith in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of our stockholders. As a beneficial owner of our common stock, even as a controlling stockholder Mr. Mark Comora is entitled to vote the shares he controls, in his own interests, which may not always be in the interests of our stockholders generally.

 

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Future transfers by holders of Class C common stock and Class D common stock, which carry five votes per share, will generally result in those shares converting to Class A common stock and Class B common stock, respectively, which carry only one vote per share, unless in each case made to a Qualified Stockholder (as defined in the Second A&R LLC Agreement). The conversion of Class D common stock to Class B common stock and the conversion of Class C common stock to Class A common stock, as the case may be, means that no third party stockholders can leverage the high vote to offset the voting power held by the OPAL Holdco and Hillman.

 

In addition, Fortistar and certain of its affiliates (other than our subsidiaries), which are controlled by Mr. Mark Comora (who also controls OPAL Holdco and Hillman), manage numerous investment vehicles and separately managed accounts. Fortistar and these affiliates may compete with us for acquisition and other business opportunities, which may present conflicts of interest for these persons. If these entities or persons decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from procuring such opportunities. In addition, investment ideas generated within Fortistar and these affiliates may be suitable both for us and for current or future investment vehicles managed by Fortistar and these affiliates and may be directed to such investment vehicles rather than to us.  Neither Fortistar nor members of our management team who are also members of the management of Fortistar or of any of these affiliates, including Mr. Mark Comora and Mr. Nadeem Nisar (who serves on our board), have any obligation to present us with any potential business opportunity of which they become aware, unless, (i) such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a one of our directors or officers, (ii) such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and (iii) the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation. Fortistar and/or members of our management team, such as Mr. Mark Comora or Mr. Nisar in their capacities as management of Fortistar or in their other endeavors, may be required to present potential business opportunities to the related entities described above, current or future affiliates of Fortistar, or third parties, before they present such opportunities to us. The personal and financial interests of such persons described above may be in conflict with the interests of ours and influence their motivation in identifying and selecting our business opportunities, their support or lack thereof for pursuing such business opportunities and our operations.

 

The existence of a family relationship between Mr. Mark Comora, as our Chairman of our board, and Mr. Adam Comora, as our Co-Chief Executive Officer, may result in a conflict of interest on the part of such persons between what he, in his capacity as Chairman or Co-Chief Executive Officer, respectively, may believe is in our best interests and the interests of our stockholders in connection with a decision to be made by us through our board, standing committees thereof, and management and what he may believe is best for himself or his family members in connection with the same decision.

 

Mr. Mark Comora and Mr. Adam Comora are father and son. In his position as the Chairman of our board, Mr. Mark Comora owes a fiduciary duty to our stockholders and must act in good faith in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the stockholders. And in his position as our Co-Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Adam Comora owes a fiduciary duty to our stockholders and must act in good faith in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the stockholders. Nevertheless, the existence of this family relationship may result in a conflict of interest on the part of such persons between what he may believe is in our best interests and the best interests of our stockholders and what he may believe is best for himself or his family members in connection with a business opportunity or other matter to be decided by OPAL through its board, standing committees thereof, and management. Moreover, even if such family relationship does not create an actual conflict, the perception of a conflict in the press or the financial or business community generally could create negative publicity or other reaction with respect to the business opportunity or other matters to be decided by us through our board, standing committees thereof, and management, which could adversely affect the business generated by us and our relationships with its existing customers and other counterparties, impact the behavior of third party participants or other persons in the proposed business opportunity or other matter to be decided, otherwise negatively impact our business prospects related to such matter, or negatively impact the trading market for our securities.

 

Our only material assets are our direct interests in Opco, and we are accordingly dependent upon distributions from Opco Fuels to pay dividends and taxes and other expenses.

 

We are a holding company and have no material assets other than our ownership of Class A Units in Opco. We therefore have no independent means of generating revenue. We intend to cause our subsidiaries (including Opco) to make distributions in an amount sufficient to cover all applicable taxes and other expenses payable and dividends, if any, declared by us. The agreements governing our debt facilities impose, and agreements governing our future debt facilities are expected to impose, certain restrictions on distributions by such subsidiaries to us, and may limit our ability to pay cash dividends. The terms of any credit agreements or other borrowing arrangements that we may enter into in the future may impose similar restrictions. To the extent that we needs funds, and any of our direct or indirect subsidiaries is restricted from making such distributions under these debt agreements or applicable law or regulation, or is otherwise unable to provide such funds, it could materially adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition.

 

39

 

 

If we are deemed an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act as a result of our ownership of Opco, applicable restrictions could make it impractical for us to continue our business as contemplated and could have a material adverse effect on its business.

 

A person may be deemed to be an “investment company” for purposes of the Investment Company Act if it owns investment securities having a value exceeding 40% of the value of its total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items), absent an applicable exemption. We have no material assets other than our interests in Opco. As managing member of Opco, we generally have control over all of the affairs and decision making of Opco. On the basis of our control over Opco, we believe our direct interest in Opco is not an “investment security” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. If we were to cease participation in the management of Opco, however, our interest in Opco could be deemed an “investment security,” which could result in our being required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act and becoming subject to the registration and other requirements of the Investment Company Act.

 

The Investment Company Act and the rules thereunder contain detailed parameters for the organization and operations of investment companies. Among other things, the Investment Company Act and the rules thereunder limit or prohibit transactions with affiliates, impose limitations on the issuance of debt and equity securities, prohibit the issuance of stock options and impose certain governance requirements. We intend to conduct our operations so that we will not be deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act. However, if anything were to happen which would require us to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, requirements imposed by the Investment Company Act, including limitations on its capital structure, ability to transact business with affiliates and ability to compensate key employees, could make it impractical for us to continue our business as currently conducted, impair the agreements and arrangements between and among us, Opco, members of their respective management teams and related entities or any combination thereof and materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

We are a controlled company, and thus not subject to all of the corporate governance rules of Nasdaq. You will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to such requirements.

 

We are considered a “controlled company” under the rules of Nasdaq. Controlled companies are exempt from the Nasdaq corporate governance rules requiring that listed companies have (i) a majority of the board of directors consist of “independent” directors under the listing standards of Nasdaq, (ii) a nominating/corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors and a written nominating/corporate governance committee charter meeting the Nasdaq requirements and (iii) a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors and a written compensation committee charter meeting the requirements of Nasdaq.  We expect to take advantage of some or all of the exemptions described above for so long as we are a controlled company. If we use some or all of these exemptions, you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq.

 

The dual-class structure of our common stock may adversely affect the trading market for the shares of Class A common stock.

 

We cannot predict whether our dual class structure, which affords the shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock one vote per share while affording the shares of Class C common stock and Class D common stock with five votes per share, combined with our concentrated voting control by OPAL Holdco due to its ownership of shares of Class D common stock, will result in a lower or more volatile market price of the shares of Class A common stock or in adverse publicity or other adverse consequences. For example, certain index providers have announced restrictions on including companies with multiple-class share structures in certain of their indexes. Under any such announced policies or future policies, our dual class capital structure could make us ineligible for inclusion in certain indices, and as a result, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other investment vehicles that attempt to passively track those indices will not be investing in our stock. It is unclear what effect, if any, these policies will have on the valuations of publicly traded companies excluded from such indices, but it is possible that they may depress valuations as compared to similar companies that are included. As a result, the market price of shares of Class A common stock could be adversely affected.

 

40

 

 

There are no assurance that we will be able to comply with the continued listing standards of Nasdaq.

 

Our shares of Class A common stock and the Public Warrants are listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “OPAL” and “OPALW,” respectively. If Nasdaq delists our securities from trading on its exchange for failure to meet the listing standards, we and our stockholders could face significant negative consequences including:

 

limited availability of market quotations for our securities;

 

a determination that the Class A common stock is a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in the Class A common stock to adhere to more stringent rules;

 

possible reduction in the level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for shares of the Class A common stock;

 

a limited amount of analyst coverage; and

 

a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.

 

Because there are no current plans to pay cash dividends on shares of Common Stock for the foreseeable future, you may not receive any return on investment unless you sell your shares of Common Stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

 

We intend to retain future earnings, if any, for future operations, expansion and debt repayment and there are no current plans to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. The declaration, amount and payment of any future dividends on shares of Common Stock will be at the sole discretion of our board, who may take into account general and economic conditions, our financial condition and results of operations, our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs, capital requirements, contractual, legal, tax, and regulatory restrictions, implications on the payment of dividends by us to our its stockholders or by our subsidiaries to us and such other factors our board may deem relevant. In addition, our ability to pay dividends is limited by covenants of any indebtedness we incur. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in the shares of Class A common stock unless you sell your shares of Class A common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

 

Anti-takeover provisions are contained in the Organizational Documents that could delay or prevent a change of control.

 

Certain provisions of the Organizational Documents may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, defer or prevent a merger, acquisition, tender offer, takeover attempt or other change of control transaction that a stockholder of ours might consider is in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of our Class A common stock.

 

These provisions, among other things:

 

authorize our board to issue new series of preferred stock without stockholder approval and create, subject to applicable law, a series of preferred stock with preferential rights to dividends or our assets upon liquidation, or with superior voting rights to the existing shares of Common Stock;

 

eliminate the ability of stockholders to call special meetings of stockholders;

 

eliminate the ability of stockholders to fill vacancies on our board;

 

establish advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by stockholders at annual stockholder meetings;

 

permit our board to establish the number of directors;

 

provide that our board is expressly authorized to make, alter or repeal the Bylaws; and

 

limit the jurisdictions in which certain stockholder litigation may be brought.

 

These anti-takeover provisions, together with the control of the voting power of by OPAL Holdco, could make it more difficult for a third -party to acquire us, even if the third party’s offer may be considered beneficial by many of our stockholders. As a result, our stockholders may be limited in their ability to obtain a premium for their shares. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to elect directors of your choosing and to cause us to take other corporate actions you desire. See “Description of Securities—Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Delaware Law and the Organizational Documents.”

 

41

 

 

In certain cases, payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement may be accelerated and/or significantly exceed the actual benefits that we realize in respect of the tax attributes subject to the Tax Receivable Agreement.

 

Payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement will be based on the tax reporting positions that we determine, and the IRS or another tax authority may challenge all or a part of the existing tax basis, tax basis increases, or other tax attributes subject to the Tax Receivable Agreement, and a court could sustain such challenge. The parties to the Tax Receivable Agreement will not reimburse us for any payments previously made if such tax basis is, or other tax benefits are, subsequently disallowed, except that any excess payments made to a party under the Tax Receivable Agreement will be netted against future payments otherwise to be made under the Tax Receivable Agreement, if any, after the determination of such excess.

 

If we experience a change of control (as defined under the Tax Receivable Agreement, which includes certain mergers, any plan of liquidation and other forms of business combinations or changes of control) or the Tax Receivable Agreement terminates early (at our election or as a result of a breach, including a breach for our failing to make timely payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement for more than three months, except in the case of certain liquidity exceptions), we could be required to make a substantial, immediate lump-sum payment based on the present value of hypothetical future payments that could be required under the Tax Receivable Agreement. The calculation of the hypothetical future payments would be made using certain assumptions and deemed events set forth in the Tax Receivable Agreement, including (i) the sufficiency of taxable income to fully utilize the tax benefits, (ii) any Opco Common Units (other than those held by us) outstanding on the termination date are exchanged on the termination date and (iii) the utilization of certain loss carryovers over a certain time period. Our ability to generate net taxable income is subject to substantial uncertainty. Accordingly, as a result of the assumptions, the required lump-sum payment may be significantly in advance of, and could materially exceed, the realized future tax benefits to which the payment relates.

 

As a result of either an early termination or a change of control, we could be required to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement that exceed our actual cash savings. Consequently, our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement could have a substantial negative impact on our liquidity and could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing certain mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combinations or other changes of control. For example, assuming no material changes in the relevant tax law, we expect that if we experienced a change of control the estimated TRA lump-sum payment would range from approximately $316.0 million to approximately $356.0 million depending on Opco’s rate of recovery of the tax basis increases associated with the deemed exchange of the Opco Common Units (other than those held by us). This estimated TRA lump-sum payment is calculated using a discount rate equal to 3.58%, applied against an undiscounted liability of approximately $433.0 million. If the TRA Participants were to exchange all of their Opco Common Units, OPAL would recognize a deferred tax asset of approximately $508.0 million and a related liability for payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement of approximately $432.0 million, assuming (i) that the TRA Participants redeemed or exchanged all of their Opco Common Units on the Closing Date; (ii) a price of $10.00 per share; (iii) a constant combined effective income tax rate of 26.47%; (iv) OPAL will have sufficient taxable income in each year to realize the tax benefits that are subject to the Tax Receivable Agreement; and (v) no material changes in tax law. These amounts are estimates and have been prepared for informational purposes only. The actual amount of deferred tax assets and related liabilities that we will recognize will differ based on, among other things, the timing of the exchanges, the price of the shares of Class A common stock at the time of the exchange, and the tax rates then in effect. There can be no assurance that we will be able to finance our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement.

 

It is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized in accordance with ASC Topic 740, ‘Income Taxes’ (“ASC 740”). As such, ArcLight has reduced the full carrying amount of the deferred tax assets with a valuation allowance under both scenarios. Management will continue to monitor and consider the available evidence from quarter to quarter, and year to year, to determine if more or less valuation allowance is required at that time.

 

Finally, because we are a holding company with no operations of its own, its ability to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement depends on the ability of Opco to make distributions to it. To the extent that OPAL is unable to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement for any reason, such payments will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid, which could negatively impact OPAL’s results of operations and could also affect its liquidity in periods in which such payments are made.

 

We may be required to repurchase up to 2 million shares of our Class A common stock from an investor with whom we entered into a forward purchase agreement in connection with the Business Combination Closing, which would reduce the amount of cash available to us to fund our growth plan.

 

In connection with the Closing of the Business Combination, Arclight entered into the Forward Purchase Agreement with Meteora, pursuant to which Meteora purchased 2,000,000 Class A ordinary shares of ArcLight from shareholders that had previously tendered such shares for redemption but agreed to reverse their redemption and sell such shares to Meteora at the redemption price, resulting in Meteora holding a total of 2,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, which Meteora agreed not to redeem in connection with the Business Combination. We have agreed that on the six-month anniversary of the Closing of the Business Combination, to the extent Meteora still holds such shares, Meteora may elect to cause us to purchase such shares at a per share price of $10.02 per share. If Meteora holds some or all of the 2 million shares on that date, and the per share trading price of our Class A common shares is less than $10.02 per share, we would expect that Meteora will exercise this repurchase right with respect to such shares. The Company has placed $20,040,000 in escrow to secure its purchase obligations to Meteora under the Forward Purchase Agreement and has accounted for such an amount as restricted cash on its balance sheet.

 

42

 

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

All of the shares of Class A common stock offered by the Selling Holders pursuant to this prospectus will be sold by the Selling Holders for their respective accounts. We will not receive any of the proceeds from these sales. We could receive up to an aggregate of $177,634,681 if all of the Warrants are exercised for cash. However, we will only receive such proceeds if and when the holders of the Warrants choose to exercise them. The exercise of the Warrants, and any proceeds we may receive from their exercise, are highly dependent on the price of our Class A common stock and the spread between the exercise price of the Warrants and the price of our Class A common stock at the time of exercise. We have 15,446,494 outstanding Warrants to purchase 15,446,494 shares of our Class A common stock, exercisable at an exercise price of $11.50 per share. If the market price of our Class A common stock is less than the exercise price of a holder’s Warrants, it is unlikely that holders will choose to exercise. As of October 13, 2022, the closing price of our Class A common stock was $6.23 per share. There can be no assurance that the Warrants will be in the money prior to their expiration. In addition, the Sponsor (as defined herein), or its permitted transferees, have the option to exercise the Private Placement Warrants on a cashless basis. As such, it is possible that we may never generate any cash proceeds from the exercise of our Warrants.

 

The Selling Holders will pay any underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses incurred by the Selling Holders for brokerage, accounting, tax or legal services or any other expenses incurred by the Selling Holders in disposing of the securities. We will bear the costs, fees and expenses incurred in effecting the registration of the securities covered by this prospectus, including all registration and filing fees, and fees and expenses of our counsel and our independent registered public accounting firm.

 

43

 

 

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information has been prepared in accordance with Article 11 of SEC Regulation S-X as amended by the final rule, Release No. 33-10786 “Amendments to Financial Disclosures about Acquired and Disposed Businesses” to aid you in your analysis of the financial aspects of the Transactions (as defined below) and is for informational purposes only. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information presents the pro forma effects of the following transactions, collectively referred to as the “Transactions” for purposes of this section, and other related events as described in Note 1 to the accompanying Notes to the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information:

 

The combination of Opal Fuels LLC (“Opco”) and ArcLight Clean Transition Corp II (“ArcLight”), referred to herein as the “Business Combination”, including the other events contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement;

 

The NextEra Subscription Agreement with Mendocino Capital, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“NextEra”), pursuant to which NextEra purchased 1,000,000 Opco Series A Preferred Units (the “NextEra Subscription”) as of June 30, 2022; and

 

The acquisition of Beacon RNG LLC (“Beacon”) by Opco in May of 2021 (the “Beacon Transaction”).

 

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet of Opco as of June 30, 2022 combines the historical unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet of Opco as of June 30, 2022 and the historical unaudited condensed balance sheet of ArcLight as of June 30, 2022, adjusted to give pro forma effect to the Business Combination, the PIPE Investment and certain other events related to the Business Combination between Opco and ArcLight, in each case, as if the Business Combination, PIPE Investment, and other events had been consummated on June 30, 2022. The Beacon Transaction was consummated on May 1, 2021 and, accordingly, activity relating to Beacon is reflected within the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet of Opco as of June 30, 2022.

 

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations of Opco for the six months ended June 30, 2022 combines the historical unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations of Opco for the six months ended June 30, 2022, and the historical unaudited condensed statement of operations of ArcLight for the six months ended June 30, 2022, on a pro forma basis as if the Business Combination, the PIPE Investment and other related events contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, the NextEra Subscription as described below and in the accompanying notes to the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements, had been consummated on January 1, 2021.

 

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations of Opco for the year ended December 31, 2021 combines the historical audited consolidated statement of operations of Opco for the year ended December 31, 2021, the historical audited consolidated statement of operations of ArcLight for the period from January 13, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, and the historical audited statement of operations of Beacon for the four-month period ended April 30, 2021, on a pro forma basis as if the Business Combination, the PIPE Investment and other related events contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, the NextEra Subscription as described below and in the accompanying notes to the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements, had been consummated on January 1, 2021.

 

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet does not purport to represent, and is not necessarily indicative of, what the actual financial condition of the Combined Company (as defined in Note 1 below) would have been had the Transactions taken place as of June 30, 2022, nor is it indicative of the financial condition of the Combined Company as of any future date. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information is for illustrative purposes only and is not necessarily indicative of what the actual results of operations and financial position would have been had the Business Combination and the PIPE Transaction taken place on the dates indicated, nor are they indicative of the future consolidated results of operations or financial position of the Combined Company. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information is subject to several uncertainties and assumptions as described in the accompanying notes.

 

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information should be read in conjunction with:

 

The accompanying Notes to the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements;

 

  The historical unaudited condensed financial statements of ArcLight, as of, and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, and the historical audited financial statements of ArcLight as of December 31, 2021 and for the period from January 13, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, included elsewhere in this prospectus;

 

  The historical unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Opco, as of, and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, and the historical audited consolidated financial statements of Opco as of and for the year ended December 31, 2021, included elsewhere in this prospectus;

 

The historical audited consolidated financial statements of Beacon, as of, and for the four months ended April 30, 2021, included elsewhere in this prospectus and

 

The section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

44

 

 

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED BALANCE SHEET
AS OF JUNE 30, 2022
(in thousands)

 

   Historical   Transaction
Accounting
     
   OPAL
Fuels
   ArcLight
(Note 4)
   Adjustments
(Note 6)
    Pro Forma
Combined
 
Assets                  
Current Assets                  
Cash and cash equivalents  $97,091   $ 219 4a  $ 110,806  6b  $235,661 
              311,616  6a     
              (9,259 )6e     
              (274,187 )6i     
              (625 )6l     
Accounts receivable, net   24,781    -    -      24,781 
Fuel tax credits receivable   1,136    -    -      1,136 
Contract assets   15,589    -    -      15,589 
Parts inventory   8,398    -    -      8,398 
Note receivable   9,518    -    -      9,518 
Environmental credits held for sale   646    -    -      646 
Prepaid expense and other current assets   5,810    546 4b   -      6,356 
Total current assets   162,969    765    138,351      302,085 
                       
Capital spares   3,066    -    -      3,066 
Property, plant, and equipment, net   229,411    -    -      229,411 
Investment in other entities   47,113    -    -      47,113 
Note receivable - variable fee component   1,792    -    -      1,792 
Investments held in Trust Account   -    311,616    (311,616 )6a   - 
Deferred financing costs   7,143    -    (6,443 )6e   700 
Intangible assets, net   2,463    -    -      2,463 
Restricted cash   3,188    -    -      3,188 
Goodwill   54,608    -    -      54,608 
Deferred tax assets   -    -    -  6j   - 
Other long-term assets   489    -    -      489 
Total assets   512,242    312,381    (179,708 )   644,915 
                       
Liabilities and Equity                      
Current liabilities                      
Accounts payable   7,676    69    -      7,745 
Accounts payable, related party   1,141    5    -      1,146 
Fuel tax credits payable   683    -    -      683 
Accrued payroll   4,410    -    -      4,410 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities   12,803    6,222 4c   (1,400 )6e   15,582 
              (6,243 )6e     
              4,200 6e     
Accrued capital expenses   18,263    -    -      18,263 
Contract liabilities   7,159    -    -      7,159 
Sunoma loan, current portion   1,418    -    -      1,418 
Senior secured credit facility - term loan, current portion, net of debt issuance costs   72,396    -    -      72,396 
Senior secured credit facility - working capital facility, current portion   7,500    -    -      7,500 
OPAL term loan, current portion   19,332    -    -      19,332 
Municipality loan - current portion   174    -    -      174 
Derivative financial liability, current portion   592    -    5,000  6l   5,592 
Asset retirement obligation, current portion   1,586    -    -      1,586 
Other current liabilities   625    -    -      625 
Total current liabilities   155,758    6,296    1,557      163,611 
                       
Asset retirement obligation, non-current portion   4,301    -    -      4,301 
Convertible note payable   60,820    -    (30,410 )6d   30,410 
Sunoma loan, net of debt issuance costs   17,469    -    -      17,469 
Opal Term Loan   62,013    -    -      62,013 
Derivative warrant liabilities   -    16,219    -      16,219 
Tax receivable agreement liability   -    -    -  6j   - 
Earnout liability   -    -    51,900  6k   51,900 
Other long-term liabilities   4,962    -    -      4,962 
Total liabilities   305,323    22,515    23,047      350,885 

 

45

 

 

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED BALANCE SHEET
AS OF JUNE 30, 2022 — (Continued)
(in thousands)

 

    Historical     Transaction Accounting        
    Opco     ArcLight
(Note 4)
    Adjustments
(Note 6)
      Pro Forma Combined  
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption; 31,116,305 shares at redemption value of $10.00     -       311,516       (311,516 ) 6f     -  
Redeemable preferred units                                  
Series A preferred units     101,228       -       (101,228 ) 6c     -  
Series A-1 preferred units     31,417       -       (31,417 ) 6c     -  
Redeemable preferred noncontrolling interest     -       -       101,228   6c     132,645  
                      31,417   6c        
Redeemable noncontrolling interest                     56,636   6h     136,553  
                      (3,585 ) 6e        
                      83,503   6h        
Equity                                  
Common units     47,681       -       (47,681 ) 6h     -  
                      -   6g        
Preference shares, $0.0001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding     -       -       -         -  
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized (excluding 31,116,305 shares subject to possible redemption)     -       -       -   6f     -  
Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 7,779,076 shares issued and outstanding     -       1       (1 ) 6f     -  
New OPAL Class A common stock     -       -       4   6g     6  
                      1   6b        
                      -   6d        
                      4   6f        
                      (3 ) 6i        
New OPAL Class B common stock     -       -       -   6g     -  
New OPAL Class D common stock     -       -       15   6g     15  
Additional paid-in capital     -       -       (19 ) 6g     7,788  
                      110,805   6b        
                      30,410   6d        
                      311,513   6f        
                      (51,900 ) 6k        
                      (21,651 ) 6g        
                      (1,616 ) 6e        
                      (6,443 ) 6e        
                      (274,184 ) 6i        
                      (83,503 ) 6h        
                      (5,625 ) 6l        
                      -   6m        
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)     8,955       (21,651 )     21,651   6g     (615 )
                      (8,955 ) 6h        
                      (615 ) 6e        
Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries     17,638       -       -         17,638  
Total equity     74,274       (21,650 )     (27,793 )       24,831  
Total liabilities and equity   $ 512,242     $ 312,381     $ (179,708 )     $ 644,915  

 

46

 

 

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2022
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

 

    Historical       Transaction Accounting        
    Opco     ArcLight
(Note 4)
      Adjustments
(Note 7)
      Pro Forma Combined  
Revenues                            
RNG fuel   $ 50,815     $ -         -       $ 50,815  
Renewable power     19,152       -         -         19,152  
Fuel station services     32,297       -         -         32,297  
Total revenues     102,264       -         -         102,264  
Operating expenses                                    
Cost of sales - RNG fuel     30,884       -         -         30,884  
Cost of sales - Renewable power     15,948       -         -         15,948  
Cost of sales - Fuel station services     28,757       -         -         28,757  
Selling, general and administrative     18,810       3,125   4d     -         21,935  
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion     6,558       -         -         6,558  
Total expenses     100,957       3,125         -         104,082  
Operating income (loss)     1,307       (3,125 )       -         (1,818 )
Other income (expense)                                    
Interest and financing expense, net     (6,408 )     440   4e     (440 ) 7c     (6,408 )
Realized and unrealized gain on interest rate swaps, net     328       -         -         328  
Change in fair value of derivative warrant liabilities     -       9,577         -         9,577  
Loss from equity method investments     (36 )     -         -         (36 )
Gain on settlement of underwriting fees     -       280         -         280  
Income before provision for income taxes     (4,809 )     7,172         (440 )       1,923  
(Provision for) Benefit from income taxes                       -   7a     -  
Net (loss) income     (4,809 )     7,172         (440 )       1,923  
Paid in kind preferred dividend     2,435       -         2,772   7b     5,207  
Net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest     -       -         (8,124 ) 7b     (8,124 )
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest     (499 )     -         -         (499 )
Net (loss) income attributable to Stockholders   $ (6,745 )   $ 7,172       $ 4,912       $ 5,339  
Weighted average common units outstanding, basic and diluted     1,000                              
Basic and diluted net loss per common unit, basic and diluted   $ (6,745 )                            
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class A common stock, basic and diluted             31,116,305                      
Basic and diluted net income per ordinary share           $ 0.18                      
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class B common stock, basic and diluted             7,779,076                      
Basic and diluted net income per ordinary share           $ 0.18                      
Weighted average shares outstanding of New OPAL Class A common stock – basic and diluted                                 24,757,483  
Pro forma net income per share attributable to New OPAL Class A common stockholders - basic and diluted                               $ 0.22  

 

47

 

 

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

 

   Historical     Beacon
Pro Forma
    Pro Forma
Combined
OPAL
   Historical     Transaction
Accounting
       
   Opco   Beacon
(Note 5)
    Adjustments
(Note 7)
    Fuels and
Beacon
   ArcLight
(Note 4)
    Adjustments
(Note 7)
     Pro Forma
Combined
 
Revenues                                     
RNG fuel  $70,360   $ 13,312  5a  $-      83,672   $-     $-      $83,672 
Renewable power   45,324    -      -      45,324    -      -       45,324 
Fuel station services   50,440    -      -      50,440    -      -       50,440 
Total revenues   166,124    13,312      -      179,436    -      -       179,436 
Operating expenses                                            
Cost of sales - RNG fuel   41,075    6,397  5b   -      47,472    -      -       47,472 
Cost of sales - Renewable power   31,152    -      -      31,152    -      -       31,152 
Cost of sales - Fuel station services   42,838    -      -      42,838    -      -       42,838 
Environmental credit processing services   -    1,134      (1,134)  5e   -    -      -       - 
Selling, general and administrative   29,380    456  5c   -      29,836    4,945  4f   4,200  7h    38,981 
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion   10,653    1,060  5d   (300)  7d   11,413    -      -       11,413 
Total expenses   155,098    9,047      (1,434 )   162,711    4,945      4,200       171,856 
Operating income   11,026    4,265      1,434      16,725    (4,945 )   (4,200 )    7,580 
Other income (expense)                                            
Interest and financing expense, net   (7,467)   -      -      (7,467)   (450)  4g   (13)  7g    (7,930)
Realized and unrealized loss on derivative financial instruments, net   99    -      -      99    -      -       99 
Change in fair value of derivative warrant liabilities   -    -      -      -    (10,800 )   -       (10,800)
Income from equity method investments   2,268    -      (2,392)  7d   (124)   -      -       (124)
Gain on acquisition of equity method investment   19,818    -      -      19,818    -      -       19,818 
Gain on deconsolidation of VIEs   15,025    -      -      15,025    -      -       15,025 
Other income   -    1,134      (1,134)  5e   -    -      -       - 
Income before provision for income taxes   40,769    5,399      (2,092 )   44,076    (16,195 )   (4,213 )    23,668 
(Provision for) Benefit from income taxes   -    -      -      -    -      -  7e    - 
Net income (loss)   40,769    5,399      (2,092 )   44,076    (16,195 )   (4,213 )    23,668 
Paid in kind preferred dividend   210    -      -      210    -      8,000  7f    8,210 
Net income (loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest   -    -      -      -    -      27,718  7f    27,718 
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest   (804)   -      -      (804)   -      -       (804)
Net income (loss) attributable to Stockholders  $41,363   $5,399     $(2,092 )  $44,670   $(16,195 )  $(39,931 )   $(11,456)
Weighted average common units outstanding, basic and diluted   987                                        
Basic and diluted net income per common unit, basic and diluted  $41,908                                        
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class A common stock, basic and diluted                           25,360,688                
Basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share                          $(0.49 )             
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class B common stock, basic and diluted                           7,611,848                
Basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share                          $(0.49 )             
Weighted average shares outstanding of New OPAL Class A common stock – basic and diluted                                          24,757,483 
Pro forma net loss per share attributable to New OPAL Class A common stockholders - basic and diluted                                         $(0.46)

 

48

 

 

Note 1 — Description of the Transactions

 

Business Combination

 

Pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, on July 21, 2022 ArcLight changed its jurisdiction of incorporation by deregistering as a Cayman Islands exempted company and continuing and domesticating as a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Domestication”). Following the Domestication, on July 21, 2022, ArcLight changed its name to “OPAL Fuels Inc.” (which is referred to herein as “New OPAL”) and each outstanding ArcLight Class B ordinary share converted into one ArcLight Class A ordinary share, each outstanding ArcLight Class A ordinary share became one share of Class A common stock of New OPAL, par value $0.0001 per share (the “New OPAL Class A common stock”), and each outstanding warrant to purchase one ArcLight Class A ordinary share became a warrant to purchase one share of New OPAL Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share.

 

Following the consummation of the Business Combination on July 21, 2022, the Combined Company (“Combined Company” refers to New OPAL and its subsidiaries, including Opco, following consummation of the Business Combinations) is organized in an “Up-C” structure. New OPAL is the managing member of Opco. Opco directly or indirectly holds substantially all of the consolidated assets and business of New OPAL.

 

In connection with consummation of the Business Combination, the events summarized below, among others, occurred:

 

At the Closing, Opal HoldCo LLC (“OPAL Holdco”) and Opco caused Opco’s existing limited liability company agreement to be amended and restated to, among other things, admit New OPAL as a member of Opco and to re-classify Opco’s existing limited liability company membership interests into Class B Units of Opco, calculated as a function of the pre-transaction equity value for Opco equal to $1,501,870,000, less all principal and accrued interest outstanding immediately after the Closing pursuant to certain convertible promissory note, dated as of May 1, 2021 (as amended, including that certain First Amendment to Convertible Note, dated November 29, 2021), held by ARCC Beacon LLC (“Ares”);

 

At the Closing, ArcLight (i) contributed to Opco $128,362,579 in cash, representing the sum of cash in the Trust Account as of immediately prior to the Closing (after giving effect to the ACT Share Redemptions from the Trust Account and the set aside of funds in escrow to support a forward purchase agreement (described further below)) plus the aggregate proceeds of the PIPE Investment received as of the Closing and (ii) issued to Opco 144,399,037 shares of Class D common stock of New OPAL, par value $0.0001 per share (“New OPAL Class D common stock”) (which it in turn distributed to OPAL Holdco and Hillman) at a per share value of $10.00 per share, and (iii) issued 3,059,533 shares of New OPAL Class A common stock to Ares, collectively, in exchange for a number of Class A Units of Opco equal to the 25,171,390 shares of New OPAL Class A common stock issued and outstanding.

 

In connection with entering into the Business Combination Agreement, ArcLight entered into the Subscription Agreements with the PIPE Investors, pursuant to which, among other things, in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, the PIPE Investors party thereto purchased an aggregate of 11,080,600 shares of New OPAL Class A common stock at a cash purchase price of $10.00 per share, resulting in aggregate proceeds of $110.8 million from the PIPE Investment ($105.8 million of which was received as of the Closing and $5.0 million of which was received subsequent to the Closing).

 

Other related events that have taken place in connection with the Business Combination are summarized below:

 

Immediately prior to the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, Opco entered into the Hillman Exchange Agreement with Hillman RNG Investments LLC (“Hillman”), pursuant to which Hillman has exchanged all of its equity interests in Opco’s subsidiaries for 300,000 Opco Series A-1 Preferred Units and 14 Pre-Closing Company Common Units. This transaction was consummated in November 2021, and has been reflected in the historical audited consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2021;

 

  Immediately prior to the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company entered into the NextEra Subscription Agreement with Mendocino Capital, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“NextEra”), pursuant to which NextEra agreed to subscribe for up to an aggregate amount of 1,000,000 Company Series A Preferred Units. The Company had drawn $100.0 million as of June 30, 2022, issuing 1,000,000 Series A Preferred Units as of such date;
     
  Immediately prior to the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, Opco entered into that certain First Amendment to Convertible Note, dated November 29, 2021 (the “Ares First Amendment”), with Ares, pursuant to which Ares irrevocably agreed to exercise its right to convert fifty percent (50%) of the principal and accrued interest outstanding pursuant to the Ares Note into pre-Closing Opco common units; On July 21, 2022, Ares elected to receive New OPAL Class A common stock in lieu of pre-Closing Opco common units.

 

49

 

 

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Sponsor Letter Agreement entered into on December 2, 2021 among ArcLight, ArcLight CTC Holdings II, L.P. (“Sponsor”), Opco and certain other persons concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement (the “Sponsor Letter Agreement”), the Sponsor agreed to subject 10% of its New OPAL Class A common stock (received as a result of the conversion of its ArcLight Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the Closing) to vesting and forfeiture conditions relating to VWAP targets for New OPAL Class A common stock sustained over a period of 60 months following the Closing (“Sponsor Earnout Awards”). For more information, see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Sponsor Letter Agreement.”

 

  Effective immediately after the Closing, and upon the date on which New OPAL’s annual EBITDA for the calendar year 2023 exceeds $238.0 million (the “First Earnout Triggering Event”), (i) New OPAL will issue to Opco Common Equity holders (the “Earnout Participants”) an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares of New OPAL Class B common stock and New OPAL Class D common stock and corresponding OPAL Common Units (collectively, the “First Earnout Tranche”) in accordance with the allocations set forth in the Business Combination Agreement. Additionally, upon the date on which New OPAL’s annual EBITDA for the calendar year 2024 exceeds $446.0 million (the “Second Earnout Triggering Event”), (i) New OPAL will issue to the Earnout Participants an aggregate of 5,000,000 additional shares of New OPAL Class B common stock and New OPAL Class D common stock and corresponding OPAL Common Units (collectively, the “Second Earnout Tranche”) in accordance with the allocations set forth in the Business Combination Agreement (“OPAL Earnout Awards”).

 

  Pursuant to a forward share purchase agreement (the “Forward Purchase Agreement”) entered into between ArcLight and Meteora Capital Partners and its affiliates (collectively, “Meteora”), prior to the closing of the Business Combination Meteora purchased 2,000,000 Class A ordinary shares of ArcLight from shareholders which had previously tendered such shares for redemption but agreed to reverse their redemption and sell such shares to Meteora at the redemption price, resulting in Meteora holding a total of 2,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, which Meteora agreed not to redeem in connection with the Business Combination. Additionally, ArcLight placed $20,040,000 in escrow at the closing of the Business Combination to secure its obligation to repurchase these 2,000,000 shares at Meteora’s option for a price of $10.02 per share on the date that is six months after Closing of the Business Combination.
     
  Pursuant to a July 21, 2022 agreement between Encompass Capital Advisors LLC (“Encompass”) and the Sponsor, prior to the closing of the Business Combination, certain fund entities and managed accounts for which Encompass exercises investment discretion purchased 1,320,849 Class A ordinary shares of ArcLight, in the aggregate, from shareholders that had previously tendered such shares for redemption but agreed to reverse their redemption and sell such shares to Encompass, resulting in Encompass’ beneficial ownership of a total of 1,320,849 Class A ordinary shares, which Encompass agreed not to redeem in connection with the Business Combination. Additionally, the Sponsor agreed to transfer to Encompass for no consideration, 1,985,236 of the Sponsor’s private placement warrants, which warrants are subject to a 9.9% beneficial ownership limitation on exercise.

 

  Additionally, in connection with the Closing, Opco and Sponsor entered into a letter agreement (the “Sponsor Side Letter”) whereby Sponsor agreed to transfer, pledge or forfeit up to 150,000 shares of New OPAL Class A common stock held by Sponsor for the benefit of a third party non-affiliate of the Company where no consideration is received by Sponsor in respect thereof, upon and in accordance with the written direction of Opco. Pursuant to such letter agreement, Sponsor further agreed that if the Company were to receive less than $6,800,000 in cash upon the release of the escrow fund established pursuant to the Forward Purchase Agreement (such shortfall amount being referred to as the “Shortfall Amount”), Sponsor shall transfer, pledge or forfeit up to an additional 102,000 of the Sponsor Earnout Awards (shares of New OPAL Class A common stock subject to vesting conditions noted above), with such maximum number of shares pro-rated on a directly proportionate basis based on the size of the Shortfall Amount relative to $6,800,000.

 

Upon the completion of the Business Combination, New OPAL entered into the Tax Receivable Agreement with OPAL Holdco and Hillman (such persons, and any other persons that from time to time become a party to such agreement, collectively, the “TRA Participants”), pursuant to which New OPAL generally will be required to pay to the TRA Participants, in the aggregate, 85% of the amount of cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax or franchise tax that New OPAL actually realizes as a result of (i) increases to the tax basis of Opco’s assets resulting from future redemptions or exchanges of OPAL Units (together with voting shares of New OPAL Common Stock) for shares of New OPAL Class A common stock or New OPAL Class C common stock, as applicable, or cash, (ii) tax benefits related to imputed interest, and (iii) tax attributes resulting from payments made under the Tax Receivable Agreement. The payment obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement are New OPAL’s obligations and not obligations of Opco. For more information about the Tax Receivable Agreement, see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Sponsor Letter Agreement.”

 

50

 

 

In May 2022, ArcLight’s and Opco’s Advisors resigned and withdrew from their engagements in connection with the Business Combination. Please see “Summary — Recent Developments” for a description of the potential impacts of such resignation on the Business Combination and Note 6 to this unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information.

 

Beacon Transaction

 

On June 30, 2021, Opco and Ares signed the Exchange Agreement (the “Exchange Agreement”) which outlines terms that were substantially agreed to on April 30, 2021. Pursuant to the Exchange Agreement, Opco issued an unsecured convertible promissory note (the “Convertible Note”) in return for Ares’ assignment of its 58% Class B units in Beacon JV to Opco (the “Assignment Agreement”). The transfer date of the aforementioned consideration was set to May 1, 2021. As agreed to on April 30, 2021, Opco obtained unilateral control over Beacon JV on May 1, 2021.

 

Note 2 — Basis of Presentation

 

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements were prepared in accordance with Article 11 of SEC Regulation S-X as amended by the final rule, Release No. 33-10786 “Amendments to Financial Disclosures about Acquired and Disposed Businesses.” Release No. 33-10786 replaces the existing pro forma adjustment criteria with simplified requirements to depict the accounting for the transaction (“Transaction Accounting Adjustments”) and present the reasonably estimable synergies and other transaction effects that have occurred or are reasonably expected to occur (“Management’s Adjustments”). Only Transaction Accounting Adjustments are presented in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information and the notes thereto. The adjustments presented in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements have been identified and presented to provide relevant information necessary for an understanding of the Combined Company following consummation of the Transactions.

 

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information is subject to several uncertainties and assumptions as described herein. The combined financial information presents the pro forma effects of the Business Combination and other events as described in Note 1.

 

Management has made significant estimates and assumptions in its determination of the Transaction Accounting Adjustments. As the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information has been prepared based on these preliminary estimates, the final amounts recorded may differ materially from the information presented.

 

The Transaction Accounting Adjustments reflecting the consummation of the Transactions are based on certain currently available information and certain assumptions and methodologies that ArcLight believes are reasonable under the circumstances. The Transaction Accounting Adjustments, which are described in the accompanying notes, may be revised as additional information becomes available and is evaluated. Therefore, it is likely that the actual adjustments will differ from the Transaction Accounting Adjustments, and it is possible the difference may be material. New OPAL believes that its assumptions and methodologies provide a reasonable basis for presenting all of the significant effects of the Transactions based on information available to management at this time and that the Transaction Accounting Adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions and are properly applied in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information.

 

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information does not give effect to any anticipated synergies, operating efficiencies, tax savings, or cost savings that may be associated with the Transactions. ArcLight has not had any historical relationship with Opco prior to the Business Combination. Accordingly, no Transaction Accounting Adjustments were required to eliminate activities between the companies.

 

   Class of
New OPAL
Common
Stock (2)
  Pro forma
Combined
(Shares)
   %
Ownership
 
ArcLight Public Shareholders  Class A   3,752,181    2.2%
Sponsor Shareholders (1)  Class A   7,779,076    4.6%
PIPE Investors  Class A   11,080,600    6.5%
Ares  Class A   3,059,533    1.8%
Opco Common Equityholders      144,399,037    84.9%
Hillman  Class D   2,021,587    1.2%
OPAL HoldCo  Class D   142,377,450    83.7%
Pro forma common stock at Closing      170,070,427    100.0%

 

(1)Includes 763,907 of New OPAL Class A common stock held directly by the Sponsor that are legally issued and outstanding, and subject to forfeiture pursuant to the Sponsor Letter Agreement dated December 2, 2021, and an additional 150,000 of New OPAL Class A common stock held directly by the Sponsor that are subject to forfeiture pursuant to the Sponsor Side Letter.

 

(2)Please refer to the section titled “Description of Securities”.

 

51

 

 

Note 3 — Accounting for the Transactions

 

Business Combination

 

The Business Combination is a common control transaction accounted for similar to a reverse recapitalization, with no goodwill or other intangible assets recorded, in accordance with GAAP. OPAL HoldCo held a controlling financial interest in Opco prior to the closing date. At transaction close, OPAL HoldCo obtained a controlling financial interest in New OPAL and indirectly retained control over Opco through New OPAL. OPAL HoldCo did not relinquish control over Opco during the transaction, instead it affected a transfer of a controlled subsidiary (i.e., Opco) to a newly-controlled subsidiary (i.e., New OPAL) in exchange for issuing Class A common units of Opco for the net assets of New OPAL. As there was no change in control, Opco has been determined to be the accounting acquirer. Under this method of accounting, ArcLight is treated as the “acquired” company for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, for accounting purposes, the transaction is treated as the equivalent of Opco issuing stock for the net assets of ArcLight, accompanied by a recapitalization. The net assets of ArcLight are stated at historical cost, with no goodwill or other intangible assets recorded.

 

Earnout

 

Sponsor Earnout Awards

 

Sponsor Earnout Awards will be classified as a liability as their settlement terms contain certain variables that preclude them from being considered indexed to New OPAL’s common stock under the “fixed-for-fixed” requirement in ASC 815-40. The estimated fair value of the Sponsor Earnout Awards liability is approximately $5.9 million.

 

The fair value of Sponsor Earnout Awards was determined using a Monte Carlo valuation model with a distribution of potential outcomes on a daily basis over the 5-year post-close period, and incorporating the most reliable information available as of the June 30, 2022 valuation date. Assumptions used in the valuation are as follows:

 

Current stock price — The ArcLight closing stock price of $9.95 as of June 30, 2022;

 

Expected volatility — The volatility rate was determined based on historical and implied volatilities of selected industry peers deemed to be comparable to our business corresponding to the expected term of the awards;

 

Risk-free interest rate — The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of issuance for zero-coupon U.S. Treasury notes with maturities corresponding to the expected five-year term of the earnout period;

 

Expected term — The expected term is the 5 years following the closing; and

 

Expected dividend yield — The expected dividend yield is zero, as we do not anticipate distributing dividends on the common stock in the expected term.

 

The fair value of Sponsor Earnout Awards has been recorded in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet. See Note 6(k). Topic 815 provides guidance that changes in the fair value of the Sponsor Earnout Awards liability in future periods will be recognized in the statement of operations.

 

OPAL Earnout Awards

 

OPAL Earnout Awards will be classified as a liability under Topic 480 because they are considered indexed to an obligation to repurchase shares by delivering cash or other assets as a result of certain settlement provisions. OPAL Earnout Awards are a possible exception to this accounting treatment as Ares elected to receive New Opal Class A common stock in lieu of pre-Closing Opco common units. The accounting conclusion regarding the classification of the OPAL Earnout Awards is still under evaluation, and for purposes of the unaudited condensed combined pro forma information these awards are presented as liability classified on a preliminary basis. The estimated fair value of the OPAL Earnout Awards liability is approximately $46.0 million.

 

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The fair value of OPAL Earnout Awards was determined using a Monte Carlo valuation model with a distribution of potential outcomes for stock price and EBITDA over the 2-year period commencing on January 1, 2023 and ending on December 31, 2024, and incorporating the most reliable information available as of the June 30, 2022 valuation date. Assumptions used in the valuation are as follows:

 

Current stock price — The ArcLight closing stock price of $9.95 as of June 30, 2022;

 

Weighted average cost of capital (“WACC”) — The WACC reflected a derived cost of capital informed by research on cost of capital of a selection of comparable public companies;

 

Expected volatility — The volatility rate was determined by using an average of historical volatilities of selected industry peers deemed to be comparable to our business corresponding to the expected term of the awards;

 

Risk-free interest rate — The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of issuance for zero-coupon U.S. Treasury notes with maturities corresponding to the expected five-year term of the earnout period;

 

Expected term — The expected term is the 2 years earnout period;

 

Expected dividend yield — The expected dividend yield is zero, as we do not anticipate distributing dividends on the common stock in the expected term; and

 

EBITDA forecast internally derived by Opco for the earnout period.

 

The fair value of the OPAL Earnout Awards has been recorded in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet. See Note 6(k). Topic 480 provides guidance that changes in the fair value of the OPAL Earnout Awards liability in future periods will be recognized in the statement of operations.

 

Forward Purchase Agreement

 

The put option written to Meteora on 2,000,000 Class A common stock under the Forward Purchase Agreement is presented as a liability based on the company’s preliminary accounting analysis under ASC 480. The estimated fair value of the Forward Purchase Agreement liability is approximately $5.0 million.

 

The fair value of the Forward Purchase Agreement liability was determined using a Monte Carlo valuation model with a distribution of potential outcomes on a daily basis over the 6-month post-close period, and incorporating the most reliable information available as of the June 30, 2022 valuation date Assumptions used in the valuation are as follows:

 

Current stock price — The ArcLight closing stock price of $9.95 as of June 30, 2022;

 

Expected volatility — The volatility rate was determined based on historical and implied volatilities of selected industry peers deemed to be comparable to our business corresponding to the expected term of the option;

 

Risk-free interest rate — The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of issuance for zero-coupon U.S. Treasury notes with maturities corresponding to the expected five-year term of the earnout period;

 

Expected term — The expected term is the 6 months following the closing; and

 

Expected dividend yield — The expected dividend yield is zero, as we do not anticipate distributing dividends on the common stock in the expected term.

 

The fair value of the Forward Purchase Agreement liability has been recorded in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet. See Note 6(l). Topic 480 provides guidance that changes in the fair value of the Forward Purchase Agreement liability in future periods will be recognized in the statement of operations.

 

Beacon Transaction

 

The acquisition of Beacon has been treated as a business combination and has been accounted for using the acquisition method. OPAL has recorded the fair value of assets and liabilities acquired from Beacon at the acquisition date.

 

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Note 4 — Reclassifications Made to ArcLight Financial Statement Presentation

 

Certain reclassification adjustments have been made to conform ArcLight’s financial statement presentation to that of Opco’s.

 

The following reclassification adjustments were made to the unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet as of June 30, 2022:

 

(a)Reflects the reclassification of $219 thousand from ArcLight’s Cash to Cash and cash equivalents.

 

(b)Reflects the reclassification of $546 thousand from ArcLight’s Prepaid expenses to Prepaid expenses and other current assets.

 

(c)Reflects the reclassification of $30 thousand from ArcLight’s Accrued expenses and $6,192 thousand from ArcLight’s Deferred legal fees to Accrued expenses and other current liabilities.

 

The following reclassification adjustments were made to the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the three months ended June 30, 2022:

 

(d)Reflects the reclassification of $3,125 thousand from ArcLight’s General and administrative expenses to Selling, general and administrative.

 

(e)Reflects the reclassification of $440 thousand from ArcLight’s Net gain on investments held in Trust Account to Interest and financing expense, net.

 

The following reclassification adjustments were made to the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the period from January 13, 2021 (inception) to December 31, 2021:

 

(f)Reflects the reclassification of $4,945 thousand from ArcLight’s General and administrative expenses to Selling, general and administrative.

 

(g)Reflects the reclassification of $463 thousand from ArcLight’s Financing costs — warrant liabilities and $13 thousand from ArcLight’s Net gain on investments held in Trust Account to Interest and financing expense, net.

 

Note 5 — Reclassifications Made to Beacon Financial Statement Presentation

 

The following reclassification adjustments were made to the pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the four months ended April 30, 2021 to conform Beacon financial statement presentation to that of Opco’s:

 

(a)Reflects the reclassification of $1,137 thousand from Renewable gas sales, $12,101 thousand from RIN sales, and $74 thousand from Transportation sales to RNG Fuel.

 

(b)Reflects the reclassification of $5,937 thousand from Operations and $460 thousand from Repairs and Maintenance to Costs of sales — RNG fuel.

 

(c)Reflects the reclassification of $317 thousand from General and administrative and $139 thousand from Insurance to Selling, general and administrative.

 

(d)Reflects the reclassification of $1,049 thousand from Depreciation and $11 thousand from Asset retirement obligation accretion to Depreciation, amortization, and accretion.

 

(e)Reflects the elimination of an intercompany transaction between Opco and Beacon for the amount of $1,134 thousand from Environmental credit processing service and $1,134 thousand from Other.

 

Note 6 — Adjustments to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Balance Sheet

 

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet as of June 30, 2022 has been prepared to illustrate the effect of the Transactions and has been prepared for informational purposes only. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet as of June 30, 2022 includes Transaction Accounting Adjustments that are directly attributable to the Business Combination, and other related events described in Note 1 above.

 

The pro forma transaction accounting adjustments are as follows:

 

(a)Reflects the reclassification of cash held in ArcLight’s Trust Account to cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2022 to reflect the cash available to effectuate the Transactions or to fund redemption of existing Public Shareholders. Note that on the Closing date, the actual balance of cash in the Trust Account including accumulated interest earned during the period prior to redemption is approximately $311.6 million.

 

(b)Reflects the proceeds of approximately $110.8 million from the issuance and sale of 11,080,600 shares of New OPAL common stock at $10.00 per share pursuant to the Amended Subscription Agreements entered into with the PIPE Investors in connection with the PIPE Investment and subsequent PIPE Extension.

 

(c)Reflects the reclassification of the carrying value of Opco’s Series A and Series A-1 Preferred Units to Redeemable preferred noncontrolling interest.

 

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  (d) Reflects the conversion of fifty percent (50%) of the principal and accrued interest outstanding pursuant to the Ares Note into New OPAL Class A common stock.
     
  (e) Reflects recording of estimated additional transaction costs to be incurred of $1,616 thousand in additional paid in capital. The amount represents the estimated incremental advisory, legal, accounting and auditing fees and other professional fees as of June 30, 2022, that are deemed to be direct and incremental costs of the Business Combination and related transactions. The transaction costs excluded $24.9 million in aggregate fees due to ArcLight’s and Opco’s financial advisors for the transaction, including deferred underwriting commissions from ArcLight’s initial public offering. The advisors withdrew from the transaction and waived their fees in whole.

 

The $1,400 thousand and $6,243 thousand decreases to accrued expenses and other current liabilities represent the adjustment to account for payments of accrued transaction cost liabilities in both Opco and ArcLight’s historical balance sheets, respectively, with an offsetting decrease to cash. The $6,443 deferred transaction costs incurred by Opco are adjusted against additional paid-in capital. Additionally, a $4,200 thousand adjustment was made to accrue for estimated fees related to directors’ and officers’ insurance tail policy (which is required as part of the business combination agreement), with offsetting decreases to retained earnings (accumulated deficit) and redeemable noncontrolling interests based on ownership percentage interests.

 

  (f) Reflects the reclassification, prior to ArcLight Class A ordinary shareholders exercise their redemption rights, of Class A ordinary shares of $311,516 thousand to permanent equity. The Transaction Accounting Adjustment also includes conversion of outstanding ArcLight Class A and Class B ordinary shares into New OPAL Class A common stock concurrent with the consummation of the Business Combination.

 

  (g) Reflects the recapitalization of prior ArcLight shares with 38,895,381 shares of New OPAL Class A common stock and the elimination of the accumulated deficit of ArcLight. As a result of the recapitalization, ArcLight’s historical accumulated deficit balance of $21,651 thousand on June 30, 2022 was derecognized and reclassified into additional paid in capital. The shares of New OPAL’s Class D common stock issued in exchange for Opco’s capital were recorded at par value in the amount of $15 thousand.

 

  (h) Following the completion of the Transactions, New OPAL, as the registrant, does not own 100% of the economic interests in Opco due to the existing equityholders of Opco owning an approximately 85.4% economic interest in Opco. This percentage excludes the 913,907 forfeitable ArcLight Sponsor shares which are recognized as a liability at fair value as detailed above. The calculation of redeemable noncontrolling interest is based on the net assets of Opco and the ownership percentage held by existing equityholders of Opco in Opco following the completion of the Transactions. Shares pursuant to the earnout arrangements have been excluded from the calculation of the redeemable noncontrolling interest until such time they become vested. Accordingly, redeemable noncontrolling interest increased to $136,553 thousand with a corresponding decrease to additional paid-in capital. In addition, as a result of the recapitalization, the carrying value of Opco’s historical members’ equity of $47,681 thousand and retained earnings of $8,955 thousand were reclassified into redeemable noncontrolling interest.

 

  (i) Reflects the redemption of 27,364,124 Class A ordinary shares for approximately $274.2 million allocated to ArcLight common stock and additional paid in capital, using a par value of $0.0001 per share at a redemption price of approximately $10.02 per share.

 

  (j) In connection with the Business Combination, New OPAL entered into the tax receivable agreement (the “Tax Receivable Agreement”) with OPAL Holdco and Hillman such persons, together with such other persons from time to time that become party thereto, collectively, the “TRA Participants”). Pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement, New OPAL will be required to pay the TRA Participants 85% of the amount of savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax that New OPAL actually realizes (computed using certain simplifying assumptions) as a result of the increases in tax basis and certain other tax benefits related to any exchanges of OPAL Common Units (together with voting shares of New OPAL) for shares of New OPAL Class A common stock or Class C common stock.

 

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Due to the uncertainty as to the amount and timing of future exchanges of OPAL Common Units by the TRA Participants and as to the price of New OPAL Class A common stock at the time of any such exchanges, the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information assumes that no existing equityholders of Opco have exchanged OPAL Common Units in a transaction that would create an obligation under the Tax Receivable Agreement. Therefore, no increases in tax basis in New OPAL’s assets or other tax benefits that may be realized under the Tax Receivable Agreement have been reflected in the unaudited condensed combined pro forma financial information. Future exchanges will result in incremental tax attributes and potential cash tax savings for New OPAL. Depending on New OPAL’s assessment on realizability of such tax attributes, the arising Tax Receivable Agreement liability will be recorded at the exchange date against equity, or at a later point through income. If the TRA Participants were to exchange all of their OPAL Common Units, New OPAL would recognize a deferred tax asset of approximately $508.0 million and a related liability for payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement of approximately $432.0 million, assuming (i) that the TRA Participants redeemed or exchanged all of their OPAL Common Units on the closing date; (ii) a price of $10.00 per share; (iii) a constant combined effective income tax rate of 26.47%; (iv) New OPAL will have sufficient taxable income in each year to realize the tax benefits that are subject to the Tax Receivable Agreement; and (v) no material changes in tax law. These amounts are estimates and have been prepared for informational purposes only. The actual amount of deferred tax assets and related liabilities that we will recognize will differ based on, among other things, the timing of the exchanges, the price of the shares of Class A common stock at the time of the exchange, and the tax rates then in effect.

 

It is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized in accordance with ASC Topic 740, ‘Income Taxes’ (“ASC 740”). As such, ArcLight has reduced the full carrying amount of the deferred tax assets with a valuation allowance under both scenarios. Management will continue to monitor and consider the available evidence from quarter to quarter, and year to year, to determine if more or less valuation allowance is required at that time.

 

  (k) Reflects the fair value of $5,900 and $46,000 thousand of the Sponsor Earnout Awards and the OPAL Earnout Awards, respectively. Refer to Note 3 for more information.

 

  (l) Reflects the $5,000 thousand fair value of the Forward Purchase Agreement liability and associated fees of $625 thousand. The accounting treatment of these costs is still under evaluation, and for purposes of the unaudited condensed combined pro forma information these costs are presented as an adjustment to the equity issuance proceeds from the business combination.

 

  (m) Reflects the $2,084 thousand fair value of private placement warrants transferred by Sponsor to Encompass. The accounting treatment of these costs is still under evaluation, and for purposes of the unaudited condensed combined pro forma information these costs are presented as an offsetting contribution and adjustment to issuance proceeds from the business combination.

 

Note 7 — Adjustments to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Statements of Operations

 

The pro forma adjustments included in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the three months ended June 30, 2022 are as follows:

 

  (a) As it is more likely than not that the ArcLight deferred tax assets will not be realized in accordance with ASC 740, no income tax benefit is recognized.

 

  (b) Represents the adjustment for the Net income (loss) attributable to redeemable preferred noncontrolling interest and redeemable noncontrolling interest. The Net income (loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest is based on a 85.4% percentage interest in Opco. The adjustment to the net income (loss) redeemable preferred noncontrolling interest represents the accrued dividends that would be settled in cash in connection with item 6(d) above.

 

  (c) Represents the elimination of interest earned on marketable securities held in ArcLight’s Trust Account.

 

The pro forma adjustments included in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 are as follows:

 

  (d) Reflects adjustments to eliminate the income (loss) from the equity method investments in connection with Beacon prior to the acquisition, and to reflect the reduced depreciation expense pertaining to the acquired property, plant and equipment that was measured at the acquisition date fair value.
     
  (e) As it is more likely than not that the ArcLight deferred tax assets will not be realized in accordance with ASC 740, no income tax benefit is recognized.

 

  (f) Represents the adjustment for the Net income (loss) attributable to redeemable preferred noncontrolling interest and redeemable noncontrolling interest. The Net income (loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest is based on a 85.4% common ownership interest in Opco. The adjustment to the net income (loss) redeemable preferred noncontrolling interest represents the accrued dividends that would be settled in cash in connection with item 6(d) above.

 

  (g) Represents the elimination of interest earned on marketable securities held in ArcLight’s Trust Account.

 

  (h) Reflects a $4,200 thousand adjustment for estimated costs attributable to a directors’ and officers’ insurance tail policy which will be contingently incurred upon closing of the transaction.

 

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Note 8 — Net Income (Loss) per Share

 

Represents the net income (loss) per share calculated using the historical weighted average shares outstanding and the issuance of additional shares in connection with the Business Combination, the PIPE Investment, and other related events, assuming such additional shares were outstanding since January 1, 2021. As the Business Combination and PIPE Investment are being reflected as if they had occurred as of January 1, 2021, the calculation of weighted average shares outstanding for basic and diluted net income (loss) per share assumes the shares issued in connection with the Business Combination and PIPE Investment have been outstanding for the entire periods presented.

 

New OPAL has 6,223,233 public warrants and 9,223,261 private placement warrants. The warrants are exercisable at their $11.50 strike price which exceeds the current market price for New OPAL Class A common stock. The warrants are considered anti-dilutive and were excluded from the diluted earnings per share for the period presented below. In addition, the shares pursuant to the earnout arrangements as discussed in Note 1 were excluded from the diluted earnings per share calculation since such shares are contingently issuable or forfeitable, and the contingencies have not been resolved. Diluted earnings per share also does not reflect the conversion of Opco’s Class B units into New OPAL Class A common stock as the result would be anti-dilutive. As a result, the basic and diluted net income (loss) per share is the same for the periods presented.

 

   For the
Six Months
Ended
   For the
Year Ended
 
(in thousands, except shares and per share data)  June 30,
2022
   December 31,
2021
 
Numerator        
Pro forma net income (loss) attributable to stockholders - basic and diluted  $5,339   $(11,456)
Denominator          
Weighted average shares outstanding of New OPAL Class A common stock – basic   24,757,483    24,757,483 
Weighted average shares outstanding of New OPAL Class A common stock – diluted   24,761,483    24,761,483 
           
Pro forma net income (loss) per share (Basic) attributable to New OPAL Class A common stockholders (1)  $0.22   $(0.46)
Pro forma net income (loss) per share (Diluted) attributable to New OPAL Class A common stockholders (1)  $0.22   $(0.46)
           
Weighted average shares outstanding — basic          
ArcLight Public Shareholders   3,752,181    3,752,181 
Sponsor Shareholders (2)   6,865,169    6,865,169 
PIPE Investors   11,080,600    11,080,600 
Ares   3,059,533    3,059,533 
           
Weighted average shares outstanding — diluted          
ArcLight Public Shareholders (3)   3,756,181    3,756,181 
Sponsor Shareholders (2)   6,865,169    6,865,169 
PIPE Investors   11,080,600    11,080,600 
Ares   3,059,533    3,059,533 

 

(1)New OPAL’s Class B and Class D common stock outstanding do not participate in earnings or losses and therefore are not participating securities. As such, a separate presentation of basic and diluted earnings per share of Class B and Class D common stock under the two-class method has not been presented.

 

(2)Excludes 763,907 of New OPAL Class A common stock held directly by the Sponsor that are subject to forfeiture pursuant to the Sponsor Letter Agreement and an additional 150,000 of New OPAL Class A common stock held directly by the Sponsor that are subject to forfeiture pursuant to the Sponsor Side Letter

 

(3)Includes 4,000 dilutive shares of New OPAL Class A Common Stock pursuant to the Forward Purchase Agreement under the reverse treasury stock method.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

In this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations section, references to “OPAL”, “we”, “us”, “our”, and the “Company” refer to Opco and its consolidated subsidiaries. The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with Opco’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2022 and for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, its audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the related notes, and other information included elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion and analysis should also be read in conjunction with Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Information. In addition to historical information, this discussion and analysis includes certain forward-looking statements which reflect our current expectations. Our actual results may materially differ from these forward-looking statements.

 

Overview

 

We are a renewable energy company specializing in the capture and conversion of biogas for the (i) production of RNG for use as a vehicle fuel for heavy and medium-duty trucking fleets, (ii) generation of Renewable Power for sale to utilities, (iii) generation and sale of Environmental Attributes associated with RNG and Renewable Power, and (iv) sales of RNG as pipeline quality natural gas. We also design, develop, construct, operate and service Fueling Stations for trucking fleets across the country that use natural gas to displace diesel as their transportation fuel. The Biogas Conversion Projects currently use landfill gas and dairy manure as the source of the biogas. In addition, we have has recently begun implementing design, development, and construction services for hydrogen fueling stations, and we are pursuing opportunities to diversify its sources of biogas to other waste streams.

 

We separately design, develop, construct, operate and service fueling stations for vehicle fleets across the country that dispense RNG and/or CNG to displace diesel as a fleet transportation fuel. During the six months ended June 30, 2022, we dispensed 13.1 million gasoline gallon equivalents (“GGEs”) of RNG to the transportation market, generating corresponding Environmental Attributes, utilizing its network of 241 Fueling Stations in 40 states in the United States, including more than 32 stations in California as of July 31, 2022. This is a substantial increase from 75 total stations as of December 2021, due to 129 new fueling stations from one fuel dispensing contract. We have has served as the general contractor or supervised qualified third-party contractors to complete over 387 Fueling Station projects and currently service more than 14,000 trucks on a daily basis.

 

Opco was formed in December 2020 as a wholly owned subsidiary of OPAL Holdco under the laws of the State of Delaware. On December 31, 2020, Fortistar and certain of its affiliated entities (for purposes of this discussion, our “Ultimate Parent”) contributed their respective ownership interests in the following legal entities to Opco in a common-control reorganization: TruStar Energy LLC, Fortistar RNG LLC, Fortistar Methane 3 Holdings LLC, Fortistar Methane 3 LLC, Fortistar Contracting LLC, Fortistar Services LLC, Gas Recovery Systems, LLC, Minnesota Methane LLC and Fortistar Methane 4 LLC. Opco accounted for its receipt of these interests as a transfer under common control, and accordingly retained the historical basis of accounting by its Ultimate Parent as if the entities had always been held by Opco.

 

Recent Developments

 

Business combination

 

On July 21, 2022, we completed the proposed business combination as per the terms of the Business Combination Agreement. In addition, pursuant to subscription agreements entered into with certain investors (the “PIPE Investors”) in connection with the Business Combination (the “PIPE Investment”), concurrently with the closing of the Business Combination (the “Closing”), we received $105.8 million in proceeds from the PIPE Investors, in exchange for which we issued 10,580,600 shares of Class A common stock to the PIPE Investors. We received the remaining $5.0 million subscribed for pursuant to the PIPE Investment from one of the PIPE Investors subsequent to the Closing and issued 500,000 shares of Class A common stock.

 

After giving effect to the Business Combination, the redemption of public shares as described below, the consummation of the PIPE Investment, and the separation of the former ArcLight units, there are currently (i) 25,671,390 shares of our Class A common stock issued and outstanding, (ii) 144,399,037 shares of our Class D common stock issued and outstanding, (iii) no shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class B common stock”) issued and outstanding (shares of Class B common stock do not have any economic value but entitle the holder thereof to one vote per share) and (iv) no shares of our Class C common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, (“Class C common stock”) issued and outstanding (shares of Class C common stock entitle the holder thereof to five votes per share).

 

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The Class A common stock and warrants commenced trading on Nasdaq under the symbols “OPAL” and “OPALW,” respectively, on July 22, 2022, subject to ongoing review of our satisfaction of all listing criteria following the Business Combination.

 

An aggregate of $274.2 million was paid from the trust account to holders that properly exercised their right to have their public shares redeemed, and the remaining balance immediately prior to the Closing of $37.6 million remained in the trust account. The remaining amount in the trust account, together with the proceeds from the PIPE Investment, were contributed by us to Opco after the set aside of funds in escrow to support a forward purchase agreement.

 

The shares of Class A common stock being offered for resale pursuant to this prospectus by the Selling Holders represent approximately 708% of shares of Class A common stock outstanding of the Company as of October 13, 2022 (without giving effect to the issuance of shares upon exercise of outstanding Warrants and upon the conversion of Class C common stock to be issued to the Opco Common Equityholders upon the exchange by them of Opco Common Units). The resale, or expected or potential resale, of these shares in the public market could adversely affect the market price for our Class A common stock and make it more difficult for you to sell your holdings at times and prices that you determine are appropriate. Furthermore, we expect that, because there is a large number of shares being registered pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the Selling Holders thereunder will continue to offer the securities covered thereby for a significant period of time, the precise duration of which cannot be predicted. Accordingly, the adverse market and price pressures resulting from an offering pursuant to the registration statement may continue for an extended period of time. Sales of substantial numbers of such shares in the public market, including the resale of the shares of Class A common stock held by our stockholders, could adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock.

 

Business

 

On November 29, 2021, we entered into a purchase and sale agreement with NextEra for the Environmental Attributes generated by the RNG Fuels business. Under this agreement, we plan to sell a minimum of 90% of the Environmental Attributes generated and will receive net proceeds based on the agreed upon price less a specified discount. A specified volume of Environmental Attributes sold per quarter will incur a small fee per environmental attribute in addition to the specified discount. The agreement became effective in the first quarter of 2022. During the six months ended June 30, 2022, we earned net revenues after discount of $29.7 million under this contract which was recorded as part of our “RNG fuels” revenue.

 

On December 10, 2021, we entered into a new 50/50 joint venture and formed Emerald RNG LLC (“Emerald”) to convert an existing electric facility into an RNG facility. As of June 30, 2022, we contributed $16.9 million as our share of capital investment towards the project.

 

Financing

 

On November 29, 2021, Mendocino Capital LLC (“NextEra”) subscribed for up to 1,000,000 Series A preferred units, which are issuable (in whole or in increments) at our discretion prior to June 30, 2022. As of June 30, 2022, we issued 1,000,000 units for total proceeds of $100.0 million.

 

Key Factors and Trends Influencing our Results of Operations

 

The principal factors affecting our results of operations and financial condition are the markets for RNG, Renewable Power, and associated Environmental Attributes, and access to suitable biogas production resources. Additional factors and trends affecting our business are discussed in “Risk Factors” elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

Market Demand for RNG

 

Demand for our converted biogas and associated Environmental Attributes, including RINs and LCFS credits, is heavily influenced by United States federal and state energy regulations together with commercial interest in renewable energy products. Markets for RINs and LCFS credits arise from regulatory mandates that require refiners and blenders to incorporate renewable content into transportation fuels. The EPA annually sets proposed RVOs for D3 RINs in accordance with the mandates established by the EISA. The EPA’s issuance of timely and sufficient annual RVOs to accommodate the RNG industry’s growing production levels is necessary to stabilize the RIN market. The current authorization for the EPA’s issuance of RVOs will expire beginning in 2023, and the EPA may issue RVOs under a modified system that has yet to be developed, which creates additional uncertainty as to RIN pricing. On the state level, the economics of RNG are enhanced by low-carbon fuel initiatives, particularly well-established programs in California and Oregon (with several other states also actively considering LCFS initiatives similar to those in California and Oregon). Federal and state regulatory developments could result in significant future changes to market demand for the RINs and LCFS credits we produce. This would have a corresponding impact to our revenue, net income, and cash flow.

 

Commercial transportation, including heavy-duty trucking, generates approximately 30% emissions of overall CO₂ and other climate-harming GHGs in the United States, and transitioning this sector to low and negative carbon fuels is a critical step towards reducing overall global GHG emissions. The adoption rate of RNG-powered vehicles by commercial transportation fleets will significantly impact demand for our products.

 

We are also exposed to the commodity prices of natural gas and diesel, which serve as alternative fuel for RNG and therefore impact the demand for RNG.

 

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Renewable Power Markets

 

We also generate revenues from sales of RECs and Renewable Power generated by our biogas-to-Renewable Power projects. RECs exist because of legal and governmental regulatory requirements, and a change in law or in governmental policies concerning Renewable Power, LFG, or the sale of RECs could be expected to affect the market for, and the pricing of, the RECs that we can generate through production at our Biogas Conversion Projects. We periodically evaluate opportunities to convert existing biogas-to-Renewable Power projects to RNG production. This strategy has been an increasingly attractive avenue for growth when RNG from landfills became eligible for D3 RINs. We have been negotiating with several of our Renewable Power off-takers to enter arrangements that would free up the LFG resource to produce RNG. Changes in the price we receive for RECs and Renewable Power, together with the revenue opportunities and conversion costs associated with converting our LFG sites to RNG production, could have a significant impact on our future profitability.

 

Key Components of Our Results of Operations

 

We generate revenues from the sale of RNG fuel, Renewable Power, and associated Environmental Attributes, and from the construction, fuel supply, and servicing of Fueling Stations for commercial transportation vehicles. These revenue sources are presented in our statement of operations under the following captions:

 

RNG Fuel. Revenues are derived from the production and sale of RNG and Environmental Attributes to public utilities and other credit-worthy third parties, including direct sales of RNG to commercial fueling stations. We generally sell brown gas in the spot market, RIN and LCFS credits under a medium-term contract, and CNG under 10-year contracts. Contract pricing is generally based on market price at the time of delivery, and our contracts generally do not have minimum volume commitments. Revenues presented under this caption include the results of our reportable segments “RNG Fuel Supply” and “RNG Fuel Dispensing.”

 

Renewable Power. Revenues are derived from the production and sale of both Renewable Power and RECs to public utilities and other credit-worthy counterparties under Power Purchase Agreements (“PPA”)s and other arrangements throughout the United States. The majority of our Renewable Power and REC production is sold together on a bundled basis under long-term contracts with fixed per-unit pricing, and without minimum volume commitments. Additionally, we receive revenue from public utilities to maintain capacity so that peak electricity demand may be met on an as-needed basis and from operating and maintenance agreements with landfill owners to maintain the site’s gas collection system. In an effort to reduce volatility in our revenues earned from sale of Renewable Power, we enter into certain commodity swap arrangements from time to time. In these arrangements, we deliver megawatt hour (“MWh”) capacity and receive a variable price based on market conditions. We convert this variable fee to a fixed fee by paying or receiving funds from the counterparty to the commodity swap arrangement based on the difference between the contract fixed price and the market price. Revenues presented under this caption include the results of our reportable segments “Renewable Power 3 Portfolio” and “Renewable Power 4 Portfolio.”

 

Fuel Station Services. Revenues are derived from our services to design and construct RNG vehicle fueling stations for fleet operators, and to provide ongoing maintenance services to station owners. Our design and construction arrangements are generally performed within one year and have a guaranteed maximum fixed price. Our maintenance services are generally performed under medium to long-term contracts with volume-based pricing. Revenues presented under this caption include the results of our reportable segments “Fuel Construction Services” and “Fuel Station Services.”

 

Our costs of sales associated with each revenue category are as follows:

 

RNG Fuel. Includes royalty payments to biogas site owners for the gas we capture; service provider costs; salaries and other indirect expenses related to the production process; utilities; transportation, storage, and insurance; and depreciation of production facilities.

 

Renewable Power. Includes land usage costs; service provider costs; salaries and other indirect expenses related to the production process; utilities; and depreciation of production facilities.

 

Fuel Station Services. Include equipment supplier costs; service provider costs; and salaries and other indirect expenses.

 

Selling, general, and administrative expense consists of costs involving corporate overhead functions, including cost of services provided to us by an affiliate, and marketing costs.

 

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Depreciation and amortization primarily relate to depreciation associated with property, plant, and equipment and amortization of acquired intangibles arising from PPAs and interconnection contracts. We are in the process of expanding our RNG and Renewable Power production capacity and expect depreciation costs to increase as new projects are placed into service.

 

See our period-over-period comparisons below for more information about our performance for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, as well as the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

 

Comparison of the Six Months Ended June 30, 2022, and 2021, and the Fiscal Years Ended December 31, 2021 and 2020

 

The following table presents the period-over-period change for each line item in the Company’s statement of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021 and the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

 

   Six Months Ended
June 30,
   $   %   Fiscal Year Ended
December 31,
   $   % 
(in thousands)  2022   2021   Change   Change   2021   2020   Change   Change 
Revenues:                                
RNG fuel  $50,815   $19,174   $31,641    165%  $70,360   $11,545   $58,815    509%
Renewable power   19,152    21,437    (2,285)   (11)%   45,324    51,250    (5,926)   (12)%
Fuel station service   32,297    17,173    15,124    88%   50,440    54,911    (4,471)   (8)%
Total revenues   102,264    57,784    44,480    77%   166,124    117,706    48,418    41%
Operating expenses:                                        
Cost of sales - RNG fuel   30,884    11,080    19,804    179%   41,075    7,376    33,699    457%
Cost of sales - Renewable power   15,948    17,888    (1,940)   (11)%   31,152    37,755    (6,603)   (17)%
Cost of sales - Fuel station service   28,757    14,317    14,440    101%   42,838    45,037    (2,199)   (5)%
Selling, general, and administrative   18,810    11,185    7,625    68%   29,380    20,474    8,906    43%
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion   6,558    4,059    2,499    62%   10,653    8,338    2,315    28%
Impairment of assets               %       17,689    (17,689)   (100)%
Gain on termination of PPA               %       (1,292)   1,292    100%
Loss on sale/disposal of assets                            165    (165)   100%
Total expenses   100,957    58,529    42,428    72%   155,098    135,542    19,556    14%
Operating  income (loss)   1,307    (745)   2,052    275%   11,026    (17,836)   28,862    162%
Other income (expense)                                        
Interest and financing expense, net   (6,408)   (3,305)   (3,103)   (94)%   (7,467)   (6,655)   (812)   (12)%
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on derivative financial instruments   328    17    311    1829%   99    (2,197)   2,296    105%
(Loss) Income  from equity method investments   (36)   2,392    (2,428)   (102)%   2,268    (475)   2,743    577%
Gain on acquisition of equity method investment       19,818    (19,818)   100%   19,818        19,818    100%
Gain on PPP loan forgiveness               %       1,792    (1,792)   (100)%
Net (loss) income   (4,809)   18,177    (22,986)   (126)%   40,769    (25,371)   66,140    261%
Paid-in-kind preferred dividends   2,435        2,435    100%   210        210    100%
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests   (499)   (198)   (301)   (152)%   (804)   (13)   (791)   (6085)%
Net (loss) income attributable to OPAL Fuels LLC  $(6,745)  $18,375    (25,120)   (137)%  $41,363   $(25,358)   66,721    263%

 

Revenues

 

RNG Fuel

 

Revenue from RNG Fuel increased by $31.6 million, or 165%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. This change was attributable primarily to a $22.0 million increase from acquiring the remaining 56% interest in Beacon. Beacon was accounted for as an equity method investment for the period between January 1 to April 30, 2021. There was an increase of $6.8 million from sale of environmental credits coupled with an increase of $1.4 million in fuel dispensing from increase in volumes due to five new sites. Additionally, there was an revenue increase of $1.0 million due to two new RNG facilities coming online - Sunoma and New River.

 

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Revenue from RNG Fuel increased by $58.8 million, or 509%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This change was primarily attributable to the introduction of Beacon revenues upon consolidation in 2021 and the termination of an off-market RNG sales agreement effective in late 2020 resulting in an increase of revenues of $47.3 million. Additionally, revenues increased from the sale of environmental credits of $8.1 million primarily due to increased volumes, and an increase in fuel dispensing sales of $2.9 million as a result of an increase in third party dispensing and OPAL-owned fueling stations.

 

Renewable Power

 

Revenue from Renewable Power decreased by $2.3 million, or 11%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. This change was attributable primarily due to a decrease of $1.9 million from gas production downtime related to the conversion of a facility from Renewable Power to RNG. Additionally, there was a decrease of $1.0 million due to unplanned maintenance at two facilities offset by a $1.0 million decrease in unrealized loss on commodity swaps.

 

Revenue from Renewable Power decreased by $5.9 million, or 12%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This change was attributable primarily to a decrease of $3.1 million from the reduction in production volumes as a result of closure of two facilities that were impaired in December 2020. Additionally, there was a reduction of $1.3 million due to the change in fair value of commodity swap contracts, a $0.7 million decrease due to the expiration of an existing contract, and a $0.6 million decrease from lower volume of REC sales.

 

Fuel Station Service

 

Revenue from Fuel Station Service increased by $15.1 million, or 88%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. This change was primarily attributable to an increase of $12.8 million in construction revenue from additional projects and an increase of $2.6 million from additional service volumes from the addition of 16 new fueling service sites.

 

Revenue from Fuel Station Service decreased by $4.5 million, or 8%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This was primarily attributable to a decrease of revenue by $7.2 million from third party construction projects which were delayed into 2022, partially offset by an increase in revenues from fuel station services of $2.6 million as we built new fuel stations during the year.

 

Cost of sales

 

RNG Fuel

 

Cost of sales from RNG Fuel increased by $19.8 million, or 179%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. This change was attributable primarily to the introduction of Beacon’s cost of sales upon consolidation in the second quarter of 2021 resulting in an increase of $9.8 million. There was an increase of $2.2 million from new RNG facilities coming online at Sunoma and New River. The Company incurred $0.8 million of development costs for its Emerald and Central Valley facilities that are currently under construction. Additionally, there was an increase of $4.8 million in costs in downstream dispensing and an increase of $1.7 million in costs for additional brown gas sales.

 

Cost of sales from RNG Fuel increased by $33.7 million, or 457%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This change was attributable primarily to the introduction of Beacon’s cost of sales upon consolidation in 2021 resulting in an increase of $22.4 million, a $1.9 million increase in development costs for building new RNG facilities and a $8.8 million increase relating to increased dispensing fees from an increased volume of environmental credits generated.

 

Renewable Power

 

Cost of sales from Renewable Power decreased by $1.9 million, or 11%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. The decrease was primarily attributable to a $0.7 million decrease in major maintenance at two of our facilities due to timing and a $0.9 million decrease in LFG expense at one of our facilities due to lower Renewable Power generation due to gas issues.

 

Cost of sales from Renewable Power decreased by $6.6 million, or 17%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This change is attributable primarily to closure of two facilities that were previously impaired in December 2020, a $0.4 million decrease as a result of lower royalty fees, and a $2.5 million decrease relating to timing of major maintenance on existing facilities.

 

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Fuel Station Service

 

Cost of sales from Fuel Station Service increased by $14.4 million, or 101%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. This change was primarily attributable to an increase of $13.3 million from construction of additional projects and an increase of $1.0 million increase in service from higher volumes.

 

Cost of sales from Fuel Station Service decreased by $2.2 million, or 5%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This change was attributable primarily to a decrease in costs of $5.2 million for third party construction projects due to delays into 2022, offset by increase in the cost of the construction project by $2.8 million.

 

Selling, general, and administrative

 

Selling, general, and administrative expenses increased by a total of $7.6 million, or 68%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. This change was attributable primarily to higher employee headcount and related compensation and benefit expenses of $3.8 million to support our organic growth, an increase of $2.1 million in professional fees and audit fees relating to our efforts to become a publicly traded company, an increase of $1.7 million in IT-related expenses as we invested to improve our technology platforms and $0.7 million in insurance and marketing expenses.

 

Selling, general, and administrative expenses increased by a total of $8.9 million, or 43%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This change was attributable primarily to higher employee headcount and related compensation and benefit expenses of $5.8 million to support our organic growth year-over-year, and a $4.6 million increase in professional fees related to audit, tax, legal and consulting fees. These costs are related to setting up the administrative, compliance, and governance structure required for operating a public company which do not qualify for capitalization. The noted increases were partially offset by a gain of $1.5 million recorded as a reduction of Selling, general and administrative expenses relating to a legal settlement.

 

Depreciation, amortization, and accretion

 

Depreciation, amortization, and accretion increased by a total of $2.5 million, or 62%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. This change was attributable primarily to the introduction of Beacon’s property, plant and equipment balances upon consolidation in the second quarter of 2021, increasing our depreciation expense by $0.8 million. Additionally, there was an increase of $0.8 million due to two new RNG facilities coming online at Sunoma and New River, $0.6 million of accelerated depreciation relating to shutdown of one of our Renewable Power generation facilities and $0.2 million increase upon construction of new fueling stations.

 

Depreciation, amortization, and accretion increased by a total of $2.3 million, or 28%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This change was attributable primarily to the introduction of Beacon’s property, plant and equipment balances upon consolidation in 2021 increasing our depreciation expense by $2.1 million, a $0.4 million increase from new downstream dispensing sites becoming operational, a $0.1 million increase from one additional RNG facility becoming operational during the fourth quarter of 2021, partially offset by a $0.3 million decrease due to lower depreciation on assets in our Renewable Power business because of the impairment recognized in December 2020.

 

Gain on termination of PPA

  

Gain on termination of PPA decreased by $1.3 million or 100% for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This change was attributable primarily to the closure of a facility by a mutual agreement with a customer.

 

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Loss on sale/disposal of assets

 

There was no loss or gain on the sale/disposal of assets for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021.

 

Loss on disposal assets decreased by $0.2 million or 100% for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020 due to certain losses being incurred for write-offs of property, plant and equipment in the prior year.

 

Interest and financing expense, net

 

Interest and financing expenses, net, increased by $3.1 million, or 94%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. This change was primarily due to increase in outstanding debt from OPAL term loan resulting in an increase in an interest expense of $1.7 million (includes $0.4 million of amortization of deferred financing costs), $1.2 million of paid-in-kind interest on Convertible note payable relating to acquisition of Beacon, $0.9 million increase from the Sunoma loan as the interest expense was expensed for the six months ended June 30, 2022 whereas the interest was capitalized in the same period prior year as because the construction was completed during the first quarter of 2022. These were offset by savings of $0.3 million on TruStar revolving credit facility as it was paid down in October 2021 and a $0.9 million increase in interest income from Note receivable.

 

Interest and financing expenses, net increased by $0.8 million, or 12%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase is primarily attributable to the increase in the interest on the convertible note payable of $3.3 million, $0.6 million increase in interest on the OPAL term loan, partially offset by a decrease of $0.9 million in interest on the senior secured facility, a $1.7 million decrease in interest on the TruStar revolver facility which was repaid in October 2021, and a $0.5 million increase in income received from patronage dividends in the current year compared to prior year.

 

Realized and unrealized gain on interest rate swaps

 

Realized and unrealized gain on interest rate swaps increased by $0.3 million, or 1829%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. This change was attributable primarily to fair value adjustments in connection with our interest rate swaps.

 

Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate swaps increased by $2.3 million, or 105%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This change was attributable primarily to fair value adjustments in connection with our interest rate swaps.

 

Net (Loss) Income from equity method investment

 

Net (loss) income attributable to equity in method investments decreased by $2.4 million, or 102%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022, compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. This change was attributable primarily to a decrease of $2.4 million from Beacon being accounted for under the equity method for the period between January 1, 2021 and April 30, 2021 and as a consolidated subsidiary thereafter. For the six months ended June 30, 2022, there was net loss from equity method investments in the Pine Bend, Noble Road and GREP.

 

Net income (loss) attributable to equity method investments increased by $2.7 million, or 577%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This change was attributable primarily to the increase in net income of Beacon of $2.4 million offset by our share of net loss from our investment in GREP for the period between August 2021 and December 2021 of $0.1 million as compared to net loss of $0.5million for Beacon for the year ended December 31, 2020. Upon the step acquisition of the 56% of controlling interest in Beacon in May 2021, the results of Beacon were consolidated in the financial statements.

 

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Gain on acquisition of equity method investment

 

There was no gain on equity method investment for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The gain on acquisition of equity method investment was $19.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021 primarily due to our step acquisition of the remaining interest in Beacon in May 2021.

 

The gain on acquisition of equity method investment increased by $19.8 million, or 100%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This change was attributable primarily to our step acquisition of the remaining interest in Beacon in May 2021.

 

Gain on deconsolidation of entities

 

As of December 31, 2021, we re-assessed our equity interests in Pine Bend and Noble Road under ASC 810, Consolidation, and determined the entities no longer meet any of the characteristics of a variable interest entity primarily because the two projects are fully funded and there is sufficient equity at risk as of December 31, 2021. We determined that we should account for our interests in both entities under the equity method of accounting pursuant to ASC 323, Investments Equity Method and Joint Ventures, prospectively, as we have the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, over both entities.

 

Prior to December 31, 2021, we consolidated these entities in accordance with the variable interest entity model guidance under ASC 810, Consolidation. Upon deconsolidation, we remeasured the fair value of the retained investment and recognized a gain of $3.1 million on Pine Bend and $11.9 million on Noble Road in its consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 and a corresponding increase in our basis in “Investment in other entities” on our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2021. The fair value of the retained investment was measured based on discounted cash flows model in which the future net cash flows from the two RNG facilities were discounted to their present value using a discount factor of 20%.

 

Paid-in-kind preferred dividends

 

On November 29, 2021, we entered into an exchange agreement with Hillman whereby Hillman exchanged its ownership interests in the four RNG projects of $30.0 million into 300,000 Series A-1 Preferred Units at a par value of $100 per unit and 1.4% of the common units of Opco. On the same day, we entered into a subscription agreement with NextEra for up to 1,000,000 Series A Preferred Units, which were issued to NextEra during first and second quarters of 2022 for total proceeds of $100.0 million.

 

Both Series A Preferred Units and Series A-1 Preferred Units carry an interest of 8% dividend payable quarterly either in cash or paid-in-kind for the first eight quarters at the option of the Company. The Company recorded the paid-in-kind dividends of 1.2 million on Series A-1 Preferred Units and 1.2 million on Series A Preferred Units for the six months ended June 30, 2022.

 

There was $0.2 million and $- paid-in-kind preferred dividend for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Liquidity

 

As of June 30, 2022, our liquidity consisted of cash and cash equivalents including restricted cash of $100.3 million. The completion of the Business Combination in July resulted in an additional cash infusion of $123.4 million. The Company received the remaining $5.0 million subscribed for pursuant to the PIPE Investment from one of the PIPE Investors subsequent to the Closing and issued 500,000 shares of Class A common stock. Additionally, we entered into a senior secured credit facility which provides an approximately two year delayed term loan facility (the “DDTL Facility”) of up to a maximum aggregate principal amount of $100.0 million and Debt Service Reserve facility (the “DSR Facility”) of up to a maximum aggregate principal amount of $5.0 million. The proceeds of the DDTL Facility are to be used to fund a portion of the construction of the RNG projects owned, either in full or through a joint venture with a third party, by the subsidiary guarantors and the proceeds of DSR Facility are to be used solely to satisfy the balance to be maintained in the debt service reserve account. Please see Note 16, Subsequent Events, to our condensed consolidated financial statements for additional information. Additionally, we expect to have an additional $25.0 to 35.0 million available under the OPAL term loan in the second half of 2022, upon meeting the conditions precedent for contribution of three additional RNG plants to the term loan facility.

 

In connection with the Business Combination, holders of Arclight’s Class A ordinary shares representing an aggregate redemption amount of $274,186,522 exercised their right to redeem their shares for cash. In addition, for the six months ended June 30, 2022, we received revenue of approximately $102.3 million, which is lower than the revenue level we expected to receive toward the full year numbers previously disclosed as part of the unaudited prospective financial information our management prepared and provided to the ArcLight Board in connection with the evaluation of the Business Combination. This has resulted primarily from lower than anticipated levels of gas collection at certain operating facilities, delays in commencement of construction of Fueling Stations and delays in completion of construction of certain RNG facilities, which are now in commercial operation. While the second half of 2022 has shown improvement to date and we expect revenue to be higher than that in the first half of the year, we currently anticipate that our full year revenue for 2022 will be lower than previously anticipated.

 

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Notwithstanding these developments, we continue to expect that our currently available cash on hand, together with expected cash flows from operations, available credit under existing debt facilities, as well as other sources of debt or equity financing expected to be accessible, will be sufficient to meet our existing commitments and anticipated capital expenditures associated with our growth plan through June 30, 2023. If we were to experience any significant further reduction in levels of gas collection, delays in commencement or completion of construction of our projects, adverse regulatory or price changes that affect the value of our environmental credits, or unplanned outages at our production facilities, it would result in lower cash flows from operations which could impact our ability to make investments or require changes to our growth plan. See “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

 

To fund future growth, we may seek additional capital through equity or debt financings. The amount and timing of our future funding requirements will depend on many factors, including the pace and results of our project development efforts. We may be unable to obtain any such additional financing on acceptable terms or at all. Our ability to access capital when needed is not assured and, if capital is not available when, and in the amounts, needed, we could be required to delay, scale back or abandon some or all of our development programs and other operations, which could materially harm our business, prospects, financial condition, and operating results.

 

The resale, or expected or potential resale, of the shares of Class A common stock registered hereby could adversely affect the market price for our Class A common stock. Furthermore, we expect that, because there is a large number of shares being registered, the Selling Holders will continue to offer the securities covered thereby for a significant period of time, the precise duration of which cannot be predicted. Accordingly, the adverse market and price pressures resulting from an offering pursuant to the registration statement may continue for an extended period of time. These factors could have a negative impact on the Company’s ability to obtain additional financing.

 

As of June 30, 2022, we had total indebtedness excluding deferred financing costs of $244.1 million in principal amount which primarily consists of $80.1 million under the Senior secured credit facility, $60.8 million under the Convertible note payable, $83.6 million under the OPAL term loan, $174,000 under the Municipality loan and $19.4 million under the Sunoma loan.

 

As part of our operations we have arrangements for office space for our corporate headquarters under the Administrative Services Agreement as well as operating leases for office space, warehouse space, and our vehicle fleet.

 

We intend to make payments under our various debt instruments when due and pursue opportunities for earlier repayment and/or refinancing if and when these opportunities arise.

 

See Note 7, Borrowings, to our condensed consolidated financial statements, for more information.

 

Cash Flows

 

The following table presents the Company’s cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, and the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

 

  

Six Months Ended
June 30,

  

Fiscal Year Ended
December 31,

 
(in thousands)  2022   2021   2021   2020 
Net cash (used in) provided  from operating activities  $(9,438)  $16,808   $18,856   $2,287 
Net cash used in investing activities   (54,298)   (28,752)   (117,204)   (22,179)
Net cash provided from financing activities   121,961    28,278    125,014    21,453 
Net increase in cash, restricted cash, and cash equivalents  $58,225   $16,334   $26,666   $1,561 

 

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

 

Net cash used in operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2022 was $9.4 million, a decrease of $26.2 million compared to net cash provided of $16.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021. The decrease in cash provided by operating activities was primarily attributable to an increase in net operating losses year over year and negative working capital changes.

 

Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $18.9 million compared to the $2.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in cash provided by operating activities was primarily attributable to an increase in top line revenue growth as well as profitability due to the step acquisition of Beacon, and the sale and pricing increase of environmental credits year over year.

 

Net Cash Used in Investing Activities

 

Net cash used in investing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2022 was $54.3 million, an increase of $25.5 million compared to the $28.8 million used in investing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2021. This was primarily driven by more payments made for the construction of various RNG generation and dispensing facilities.

 

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Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $117.2 million, compared to the $22.2 million used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020. This was primarily driven by the purchase of property, plant, and equipment for $89.6 million relating to construction of various RNG generation and dispensing facilities, cash paid for 20% equity interest of another RNG facility of $1.6 million, cash acquired from business acquisition of $2.0 million, deconsolidation of VIEs net of cash of $21.2 million, and disbursements for note receivable of $10.5 million.

 

Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities

 

Net cash provided from financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2022 was $122.0 million, an increase of $93.7 million compared to the $28.3 million provided from financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2021. This was primarily driven by issuance of preferred units for total proceeds of $100.0 million, proceeds from the OPAL term loan of $15.0 million, proceeds from the Sunoma loan of $1.0 million, capital contribution from a joint venture of $16.9 million offset by debt repayments of $1.2 million and $6.4 million on the Senior Secured Facility and the OPAL term loan, respectively, and $3.2 million paid as financing costs.

 

Net cash provided from financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $125.0 million, compared to the $21.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. This was primarily driven by partial divesting of ownership interests in our RNG generating construction projects to NextEra for $21.6 million, issuance of non-controlling interest to Hillman of $16.6 million, contributions from non-controlling interests from NextEra of $7.8 million, contributions from Hillman of $13.4 million, contributions from members of $7.5 million, proceeds from the Opal term loan $75.0 million, and proceeds from the construction loan under the Sunoma loan of $15.7 million which was offset by repayment of the term loan under the Senior secured credit facility of $4.9 million, purchase of non-controlling interests of $5.0 million, financing costs paid to lenders of $3.6 million and distributions to members of $3.7 million.

 

Capital Expenditures

 

We require cash to fund our capital expenditures, operating expenses and working capital and other requirements, including costs associated with fuel sales; outlays for the design and construction of new Fueling Stations and RNG production facilities; debt repayments and repurchases; maintenance of our electrification production facilities supporting our operations, including maintenance and improvements of our infrastructure; supporting our sales and marketing activities, including support of legislative and regulatory initiatives; any investments in other entities; any mergers or acquisitions, including acquisitions to expand our RNG production capacity; pursuing market expansion as opportunities arise, including geographically and to new customer markets; and to fund other activities or pursuits and for other general corporate purposes.

 

As of June 30, 2022, we have budgeted for $368.0 million in capital expenditures for the next 12 months, of which $269.0 million is committed under existing contracts. These expenditures do not include any expected contributions from our joint venture and non-controlling interest partners and primarily relate to our development of new RNG facilities and the purchase of equipment used in our Fueling Station services and Renewable Power operations. We plan to fund these expenditures primarily through cash on hand, cash generated from operations, and cash from the Business Combination and PIPE Investment.

 

Contractual Obligations

 

The following table presents cash requirements arising from our contractual obligations as of June 30, 2022. For the avoidance of doubt, this excludes cash requirements associated with new financing arrangements executed after June 30, 2022:

 

(in thousands)  2022   2023-2024   2025 and beyond   Total 
Senior secured facility – term loan(1)  $72,632   $   $   $72,632 
Senior secured facility – working capital facility(1)   7,500            7,500 
Sunoma loan   709    5,293    13,429    19,431 
Municipality loan(2)   110    64        174 
Convertible note payable(3)           60,820    60,820 
OPAL term loan(4)   9,666    38,664    35,226    83,556 
Lease commitments(5)   339    1,576    750    2,665 
Total  $90,956   $45,597   $110,225   $246,778 

 

(1)The debt is due to be fully repaid in December 2022.

 

(2)The debt payments represent the quarterly amortization payments due to be paid per the terms of the Municipality loan.

 

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(3)Represents the fair value of the convertible note payable as of June 30, 2022 which includes $5.4 million of payment- in-kind interest. In connection with our step acquisition of Beacon in May 2021, we issued Ares a convertible note recorded at a fair value of $55.4 million. The original principal balance of the note was $50.0 million with interest accrued at 8.0% per annum and is convertible into our equity pursuant to qualified events. On July 21, 2022, 50% of the Convertible note payable was converted to equity upon consummation of the Business Combination.

 

(4)The debt payments represent the quarterly amortization payments due to be paid per the terms of the OPAL term loan.

 

(5)Lease commitments represent payments due on our office and vehicle leases.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

As of June 30, 2022, we do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined in Item 303 of Regulation S-K, that are reasonably likely to have a current or future material effect on our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, or capital resources.

 

Critical Accounting Policies and Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in our financial statements.

 

The significant estimates and assumptions of the Company are residual value of the useful lives of our property, plant and equipment, the fair value of stock-based compensation, the estimated losses on our trade receivables, the fair value of Convertible note payable (as defined below), Asset retirement obligations, the impairment assessment of goodwill and the fair value of derivatives. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

The critical accounting policies discussed below are a subset of Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to our condensed consolidated financial statements. The policies outlined in this section involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and are reasonably likely to have a material impact on our financial statements.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

Renewable Power

 

We sell Renewable Power produced from LFG fueled power plants to utility companies through our PPAs. Revenue is recognized based on contract specified rates per MWh when delivered to the customer, as this considered to be completion of the performance obligation. Certain PPAs contain a lease element which we account for as operating lease revenue on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company utilizes commodity swap contracts to hedge against the unfavorable price fluctuations in market prices of electricity. The Company does not apply hedge accounting to these contracts. As such, unrealized and realized gain (loss) is recognized as component of Renewable Power revenues in the condensed consolidated statement of operations.

 

Gas — Fuel Purchase Agreements

 

We own Fueling Stations for use by customers under fuel sale agreements. We bill these customers at an agreed upon price for each gallon sold and recognizes revenue based on the amounts invoiced in according with the “right to invoice” practical expedient. These contracts may contain an embedded lease of the equipment which we account for as operating lease revenue. For some public stations where there is no contract with the customer, we recognize revenue at the point in time that the customer takes control of the fuel.

 

Interstate Gas Pipeline Delivery

 

We have agreements with two natural gas producers whereby we are contracted to transport the producers’ gas to an agreed delivery point on an interstate gas pipeline via our RNG gathering system. Revenue is recognized over time using the output method which is based on quantity of natural gas transported.

 

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Environmental Attributes

 

We generate RECs, RINs, and LCFS credits. These Environmental Attributes are sold to third parties that utilize these credits in order to comply with federal and state requirements. Revenue is recognized at the point in time when the credits are transferred to and accepted by the third party buyer.

 

Operation and Maintenance

 

We have operating and maintenance (“O&M”) agreements in which we are contracted to operate, maintain, and repair landfill site gas collection systems. Revenue is based on the volume of per million British thermal units (“MMBtu”) of landfill gas collected and the MWhs produced at that site. This revenue is recognized as Renewable Power revenue when landfill gas is collected and Renewable Power is delivered. In addition, we have O&M agreements in which we are contracted to maintain and repair Fueling Stations. Revenue is based on the volumes of GGEs of gas dispensed at the site. This revenue is recognized as Fuel Station Services revenue when the site dispenses volumes.

 

Construction Type Contracts — Third Party

 

We have various fixed price contracts for the construction of fueling stations for customers. Revenue from these contracts, including change orders, are recognized over time, with progress measured by the percentage of cost incurred to date to estimated total cost for each contract.

 

Impairment of Goodwill and Long-Lived Assets

 

Impairment of Goodwill

 

When a business is acquired, goodwill is recognized to reflect any future economic benefits that are not separately recognized, such as synergies. For purposes of impairment testing, GAAP requires goodwill to be allocated to reporting unit(s) at the acquisition date and to be tested for impairment at least annually, and in between annual tests whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the respective reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying value. Significant judgment is required when identifying the reporting units for goodwill allocation, during our assessment of relevant events and circumstances for qualitative impairment indicators, and when estimating the undiscounted cash flows of reporting unit(s) for quantitative impairment assessments.

 

Our goodwill impairment assessment is performed during the fourth quarter of each year or at the time facts or circumstances indicate that a reporting unit’s goodwill may be impaired. In conformity with GAAP, we generally first perform a qualitative assessment over whether it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying value to determine if a quantitative assessment is required. If, after performing the qualitative assessment, we conclude it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, then a quantitative test is required. Our qualitative assessment includes evaluation of relevant events and circumstances, such as, macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, cost factors, overall performance, and other relevant events.

 

As part of our quantitative assessment, we estimate a reporting unit’s fair value based on the income approach. With this approach, the fair value measurement is based on significant inputs that are not observable in the market and thus the fair value measurement is categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. Our assumptions include future cash flow projections, a discount rate range based on the weighted average cost of capital, and a terminal value based on a range of terminal earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.

 

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

 

Our long-lived assets held and used with finite useful lives including plant equipment, buildings, patents, and PPAs are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset group may not be recoverable. In determining the asset group, we assess the interdependency of revenues between assets, shared cost structures, the interchangeability of assets used in operations, and how assets are managed and utilized by the business. Events that may trigger a recoverability assessment include a significant adverse change in the extent or manner in which the long-lived asset group is being used or in its physical condition, and the expectation that, more likely than not, the long-lived asset or asset group will be sold or otherwise disposed of significantly before the end of its previously estimated useful life. Recoverability of long-lived assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset group to future net undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset group. Our cash flow estimates reflect conditions and assumptions that existed as of the measurement date which is the same as the triggering event date. The assets are considered recoverable and an impairment loss is not recognized when the undiscounted net cash flows exceed the net carrying value of the asset group. If the assets are not recoverable, then an impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the carrying value of the asset group exceeds its fair value. We base the fair value of our assets or asset groups off of the estimated discounted future cash flows using market participant assumptions. Assets disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less selling costs. Significant judgment is required when determining asset group composition, during our assessment of relevant events and circumstances, when determining an appropriate discount rate, and when estimating the undiscounted and discounted future cash flows of the asset group.

 

Based on our assessment for the six months ended June 30, 2022, there is no impairment recorded on our Plant, Property and Equipment.

 

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Fair Value Measurements

 

The objective of a fair value measurement is to estimate the exit price, which is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability that the Company holds, in an orderly market transaction at the measurement date. We follow GAAP guidance which establishes a three-tier hierarchy for inputs used in fair value measurements, as well as prioritizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs. In summary, level 1 inputs are considered the most observable inputs and are more specifically the unadjusted quoted price for identical assets or liabilities in an active market the Company has access to. Level 2 inputs are considered less observable inputs such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in an active market the Company has access to. Lastly, level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs in which little to no market activity exists for the asset or liability at the measurement date. As such, level 3 estimates are subject to a more significant level of estimation uncertainty. Furthermore, when multiple inputs are used and are categorized in different levels of the input hierarchy, then the fair value measurement in its entirety is categorized in the same level as its lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Our assessment of the significance of an input to a fair value measurement requires judgment and may affect the fair value measurement’s placement in the fair value hierarchy.

 

Refer to Note 9, Derivative Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements, to our condensed consolidated financial statements, for details on our assets and liabilities regularly recorded at fair value and the respective placements in the fair value hierarchy.

 

Impact of COVID-19

 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we instituted a safety committee that oversees our compliance with federal, state, and local government mandates, and ensures that the Company adheres to Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) guidelines to maintain safe working conditions for our employees. Some of the protocols we implemented include limiting in-person work to essential personnel and performing temperature checks. Since March 2020, where practicable, our employees have worked remotely and minimized travel and other non-essential contact. Additionally, we are providing our employees with COVID-19 testing at no cost and personal protective equipment for their safety and well-being.

 

As of the date of this prospectus, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a relatively minimal economic impact on our results of operations. In May 2020, we received a $1.8 million PPP loan. At the time we applied for the loan there was considerable uncertainty as to the impact of the pandemic to our operations and the U.S. economy in general. However, as our operations have been designated “essential critical infrastructure work” in the energy sector by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, we have been able to fully continue our operations. We have not experienced either a decline in our customer base or employee layoffs. In November 2020, the full amount of the PPP loan was forgiven. Aside from the PPP loan, any other impacts to our financial condition have been minimal.

 

The duration and future economic severity of the COVID-19 remains uncertain, and our results of operations and financial condition could potentially face material adverse effect(s) in the future due to COVID-19. For additional information regarding the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, see the section titled “Risk Factors.”

 

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Emerging Growth Company Status

 

We are an emerging growth company as defined in the JOBS Act. The JOBS Act provides emerging growth companies with certain exemptions from public company reporting requirements for up to five fiscal years while a company remains an emerging growth company. As part of these exemptions, we need only provide two fiscal years of audited financial statements instead of three, we have reduced disclosure obligations such as for executive compensation, and we are not required to comply with auditor attestation requirements from Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding our internal control over financial reporting. Additionally, the JOBS Act has allowed us the option to delay adoption of new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies are required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards.

 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

We are exposed to market risks related to Environmental Attribute pricing, commodity pricing, changes in interest rates and credit risk with our contract counterparties. We currently have no foreign exchange risk and do not hold any derivatives or other financial instruments purely for trading or speculative purposes.

 

We employ various strategies to economically hedge these market risks, including derivative transactions relating to commodity pricing and interest rates. Any realized or unrealized gains or losses from our derivative transactions are reported within corporate revenue and other income/expense in our consolidated financial statements. For information about our gains or losses with respect to our derivative transactions and the fair value of such financial instruments, see Note 9, Derivative Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements, to our condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

Commodity Price Risk

 

The energy markets have been historically very volatile and we expect that the Renewable Power prices to fluctuate in a wide range. In an effort to reduce volatility in our revenues earned from sale of Renewable Power, we entered into certain commodity swap arrangements - the International Swaps and Derivatives Association Agreement (“ISDA”) entered into in 2019, and an amendment that converted a PPA into a commodity swap contract entered into 2018. In these arrangements, we deliver MWh capacity and receive a variable price based on market conditions. We convert this variable fee to a fixed fee by paying or receiving funds from the counterparty to the commodity swap arrangement based on the difference between the contract fixed price and the market price.

 

The following table summarizes the commodity swaps in place as of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021. There were no new commodity swap contracts entered in the six months ended June 30, 2022.

 

Trade Date  Period From  Period To  Notional Quantity per Year (“MWh”)   Average Contract Price
(per MWh)
 
December 14, 2018  January 1, 2019  September 30, 2022   34,554   $66.12 
October 28, 2021  November 1, 2021  December 31, 2022   30,660   $48.75 
December 27, 2021  January 1, 2022  December 31, 2022   26,280   $50.75 

 

We have prepared a sensitivity analysis to estimate our exposure to market risk with respect to changes in pricing of MWh, Based on our analysis, which may differ from actual results, a hypothetical 10% increase or decrease in the pricing of MWh in this market would not have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, or results of operations for June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021. For more information about our commodity swap agreements, see Note 9, Derivative Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements, to our condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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Environmental Attribute Pricing Risk

 

Market prices for Environmental Attributes associated with our RNG and Renewable Power vary based on regulatory mandates and commercial interest in green energy products. We generally sell Environmental Attributes under a mix of short-term and sales arrangements in which pricing is tied to the market rate for these attributes at the time of delivery. To manage this market risk, we negotiate long-term biogas feedstock arrangements in which payments are based on the market price of Environmental Attributes and/or natural gas and electricity commodity prices. Reductions in the market prices of Environmental Attributes may have a material adverse effect on our revenues, but also generally reduce our expenses for biogas feedstock.

 

We have prepared a sensitivity analysis to estimate our exposure to market risk with respect to RIN prices. Our analysis, which may differ from actual results, was based on a 2022 estimated D3 RIN Index price of approximately $2.73 and our actual 2021 RINs sold. The estimated annual impact of a hypothetical 10% decrease in the average realized price per RIN would have a negative effect on our operating profit of approximately $7.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and $4.7 million for December 31, 2021.

 

Interest Rate Risk

 

To maintain our liquidity we utilize an existing term loan facility, an existing working capital facility, and an existing line of credit, which bear a variable interest rate based on the LIBOR Margin or Base Rate Margin (in each case, as those terms are defined in the relevant credit agreement). We use an interest rate swap to set the variable interest rates under the term loan facility at a fixed interest rate to manage our interest rate risk.

 

As of June 30, 2022, we had $80.1 million aggregate outstanding under the Senior secured facility. Our weighted average interest rate on variable debt was approximately 4.25%. We have prepared a sensitivity analysis to estimate our exposure to market risk with respect to changes in interest rates. Based on our analysis, which may differ from actual results, a hypothetical increase in our effective borrowing rate of 10% would not have a material effect on our annual interest expenses and consolidated financial statements.

 

As of December 31, 2021, we had $81.4 million aggregate outstanding under the Senior secured facility. Our weighted average interest rate on variable debt was approximately 4.8%. We have prepared a sensitivity analysis to estimate our exposure to market risk with respect to changes in interest rates. Based on our analysis, which may differ from actual results, a hypothetical increase in our effective borrowing rate of 10% would not have a material effect on our annual interest expenses and consolidated financial statements.

 

Counterparty Credit Risk

 

We have certain financial and derivative instruments that subject us to credit risk. These consist of our interest rate swaps and Environmental Attribute forward sales. We are exposed to credit losses in the event of non-performance by the counterparties to our financial and derivative instruments. Risks surrounding counterparty performance and credit could ultimately impact the amount and timing of expected cash flows. We seek to mitigate counterparty risk by having a diversified portfolio of counterparties and the evaluation and monitoring of the creditworthiness of counterparties. Although we may be exposed to losses in the event of nonperformance by counterparties, we do not expect such losses, if any, to be significant.

 

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BUSINESS

 

We are a renewable energy company specializing in the capture and conversion of biogas for the (i) production of RNG for use as a vehicle fuel for heavy and medium-duty trucking fleets, (ii) generation of Renewable Power for sale to utilities, (iii) generation and sale of Environmental Attributes associated with RNG and Renewable Power, and (iv) sales of RNG as pipeline quality natural gas. OPAL also designs, develops, constructs, operates and services Fueling Stations for trucking fleets across the country that use natural gas to displace diesel as their transportation fuel. The Biogas Conversion Projects currently use landfill gas and dairy manure as the source of the biogas. In addition, we have recently begun implementing design, development, and construction services for hydrogen fueling stations, and we are pursuing opportunities to diversify our sources of biogas to other waste streams.

 

Overview of Capture and Conversion Business

 

We design, develop, construct, own, maintain, and operate Biogas Conversion Projects using proven technologies to produce RNG for sale as a vehicle fuel for transportation use and to generate Renewable Power. We are an established biogas-to-energy producer in the United States, having participated in the landfill gas to energy industry for over 20 years. We have established our operating portfolio through self-development, partnerships, and acquisitions.

 

Biogas is comprised of non-fossil waste gas, with high concentrations of methane, which is the primary component of RNG and the source for combustion utilized by Renewable Power plants to generate Renewable Power. The biogas is generated by microbes as they break down organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Our principal sources of biogas are (i)  LFG, which is produced by the decomposition of organic waste at landfills and (ii) dairy manure, which is processed through anaerobic digesters to produce the biogas.

 

We typically secure our Biogas Conversion Projects through a combination of long-term gas rights, manure supply agreements and property lease agreements with biogas site hosts. Our Biogas Conversion Projects provide our landfill and dairy farm partners with a variety of benefits, including (i) a means to monetize biogas from their sites, (ii) regulatory compliance for landfills, (iii) a source of environmentally beneficial waste management practices for dairy farms and (iv) a valuable revenue stream. Once we have negotiated gas rights or manure supply agreements, we then design, develop, build, own and operate facilities that convert the biogas into RNG or use the processed biogas to produce Renewable Power. We sell the RNG produced by the Biogas Conversion Projects through RNG marketing and dispensing agreements, primarily as vehicle fuel for heavy and medium-duty transportation fleets, and generate associated Environmental Attributes when the RNG is dispensed at Fueling Stations. These Environmental Attributes are then monetized via sale to obligated parties as defined under the RFS promulgated by the US federal government and Low Carbon Fuel Standard Programs established by several states, including California. We also sell Renewable Power to public utilities through long-term power purchase agreements.

 

We believe there are other sources of biogas in the United States, and internationally, that could be utilized for potential future Biogas Conversion Project opportunities. We expect to continue our growth by taking advantage of these opportunities while also continuing to capitalize on additional vertical integration opportunities. Our evaluation and execution of project opportunities will benefit from our ability to leverage our industry experience, relationships with customers and vendors, knowledge about transmission and distribution utility interconnections, and capabilities to design, develop, construct, operate, maintain and service Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations. We exercise financial discipline in pursuing these projects by targeting project returns that are in line with the relative risk of the specific projects.

 

Our current Biogas Conversion Projects generate RNG from landfill sites and dairy farms. We view the acquisition of new landfill gas, dairy farm, and other biogas waste projects as significant opportunities for us to expand our RNG business, complementing the ongoing conversion of certain of our existing Renewable Power plants to RNG production facilities. We believe our business is scalable, which is expected to continue to support growth through development and acquisitions.

 

We differentiate ourself from our competitors based on our vertically integrated business model and long history of working with leading vendors, technologies and utilities. Our competitive advantage is further strengthened by our expertise in designing, developing, constructing and operating Biogas Conversion Projects and Fueling Stations.

 

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