Forward-looking
Statements
Statements
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not historical facts constitute forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements
include statements relating to industry prospects, our future economic performance including anticipated revenues and expenditures, results
of operations or financial position, and other financial items, our business plans and objectives, and may include certain assumptions
that underlie forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that may affect our future results, levels of activity, performance
or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements include, among other things, those listed under “Risk
Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report.
These
risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to:
● |
the potential impact of a subsequent wave of the COVID-19
pandemic on our business; |
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our limited operating history; |
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our
ability to raise additional capital to maintain our business and operations and meet our objectives; |
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our ability to compete in the solar power industry; |
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our ability to sell solar power systems; |
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our
ability to arrange financing for our residential customers; |
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government incentive programs related to solar energy; |
● | our
ability to increase the size of our company and manage growth; |
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our ability to acquire and integrate other businesses; |
| ● | disruptions
to our supply chain from protective tariffs on imported components, supply shortages and/or
fluctuations in pricing; |
● |
our ability or inability to attract and/or retain competent
employees; |
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● |
relationships with employees, consultants, customers,
and suppliers; and |
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● |
the concentration of our business in one industry in
limited geographic areas; |
In
some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,”
“expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,”
“predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology.
These
statements are subject to business and economic risk and reflect management’s current expectations and involve subjects that are
inherently uncertain and difficult to predict. Actual events or results may differ materially. Moreover, neither we nor any other person
assumes responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of these statements. We are under no duty to update any of the forward-looking
statements after the date of this Annual Report to conform these statements to actual results.
Business
Introduction/Summary
Throughout
our 50-year history, we have always embraced innovative change. There has never been a more meaningful, or impactful time to be a
leader in the innovation that will help fight climate change. We have built a team that is passionate about transitioning American
power generation and consumption to clean solar energy. We are passionately focused on our mission to accelerate the adoption of
solar energy.
We
are one of the largest solar energy services and infrastructure deployment companies in the country and are expanding across the United
States. Our services include solar, storage and electric vehicle infrastructure, design, development and professional services, engineering,
procurement, installation, O&M and storage. We uniquely target all solar markets including residential, commercial, industrial and
utility segments.
Prior
to becoming a public company, we were a second-generation family business founded under the name Peck Electric Co. in 1972 as a
traditional electrical contractor. Our core values were and still are to align people, purpose, and profitability, and since taking
leadership in 1994, Jeffrey Peck, our Chief Executive Officer, has applied such core values to expand into the solar industry. We
are guided by the mission to facilitate the reduction of carbon emissions through the expansion of clean, renewable energy and we
believe that leveraging such core values to deploy resources to facilitate the adoption of solar energy is the only sustainable
strategy to achieve these objectives. We have positioned the company to serve all segments of the rapidly evolving solar energy
markets. We are able to originate valuable solar assets through our development and design services team. We are able to leverage
our digital sales and marketing capabilities to generate high quality leads for our Residential, Commercial and Industrial and
Utility divisions. Our experience provides for the high-quality craftsmanship required for installing long-term assets for all
customers. Our team approach allows us to collaborate across divisions in order to efficiently utilize our internal labor resources.
The diversity of our service offerings allows us to serve our customer needs in the evolving solar energy environment.
On
January 19, 2021, we completed a business combination (the “Merger Agreement”) pursuant to which we acquired iSun Energy
LLC (“iSun Energy”). The Business Combination was an acquisition treated as a merger and reorganization and iSun Energy
became a wholly owned subsidiary of The Peck Company Holdings, Inc. Immediately prior to the business combination, we changed our
name to iSun, Inc. (the “Company”).
On
April 6, 2021, iSun Utility, LLC (“iSun Utility”), a Delaware limited liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of
the Company, Adani Solar USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation (Adani”), and Oakwood Construction Services, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (“Oakwood”) entered into an Assignment Agreement (the “Assignment”), pursuant to which iSun
Utility acquired all rights to the intellectual property of Oakwood and its affiliates (the “Project IP”). Oakwood was a
utility-scale solar Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Development and Design company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani. The Project
IP included all of the intellectual property, project references, templates, client lists, agreements, forms and processes of
Adani’s U.S. solar business.
On
September 8, 2021, iSun, Inc. entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) by and among the Company,
iSun Residential Merger Sub, Inc., a Vermont corporation (the “Merger Sub”) and wholly-owned subsidiary of iSun Residential,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (“iSun Residential”) and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, SolarCommunities, Inc., d/b/a
SunCommon, a Vermont benefit corporation (“SunCommon”), and Jeffrey Irish, James Moore, and Duane Peterson as a “Shareholder
Representative Group” of the holders of SunCommon’s capital stock (the “SunCommon Shareholders”), pursuant to
which the Merger Sub merged with and into SunCommon (the “Merger”) with SunCommon as the surviving company in the Merger
and SunCommon became a wholly-owned subsidiary of iSun Residential. The Merger was effective on October 1, 2021.
We
now conduct all of our business operations exclusively through our direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries, iSun Residential, Inc.,
SolarCommunities, Inc. iSun Industrial, LLC, Peck Electric Co., Liberty Electric, Inc., iSun Utility, LLC, iSun Energy, LLC and iSun
Corporate, LLC.
The
world recognizes the need to transition to a reliable, renewable energy grid in the next 50 years. States from Vermont to Hawaii are
leading the way in the U.S. with renewable energy goals of 75% by 2032 and 100% by 2045, respectively. California committed to 100% carbon-free
energy by 2045. The majority of the other states in the U.S. also have renewable energy goals, regardless of current Federal solar policy.
We are a member of Renewable Energy Vermont, an organization that advocates for clean, practical and renewable solar energy. The benefits
of the newly enacted Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) provide stability and certainty of incentives for the next 10
years that create value to our shareholders and provides a long-term commitment for the energy transformation. Prior to the enactment
of the IRA, the federal investment tax credits associated with solar projects had a planned reduction to 22% and 10% in 2023 and 2024.
The IRA offers a stable tax rate over the next ten years as well as several potential adders to the fixed investment tax credit. These
credits increase the valuation of solar assets which provides margin protection on future projects. Our triple bottom line, which is
geared towards people, environment, and profit, has always been our guide since we began installing renewable energy and we intend that
it remain our guide over the next 50 years as we construct our energy future.
We
primarily provide services to solar energy customers for projects ranging in size from several kilowatts for residential loads to
multi-megawatt systems for commercial, industrial and utility projects. To date, we have installed over 600 megawatts of solar
systems since inception and are focused on contracting projects that meet our margin objectives. We believe that we are
well-positioned for what we believe to be the coming transformation to an all renewable energy economy. We are expanding across the
United States to serve the fast-growing demand for clean renewable energy. We are open to partnering with others to accelerate our
growth process, and we are planning to expand our portfolio of company-owned solar arrays to establish recurring revenue streams
for many years to come. We have established a leading presence in the market after five decades of successfully serving our
customers, and we are now ready for new opportunities and the next five decades of success.
The
diverse nature of our service offerings allows us to manage our operations based on the maximization of value for our customers in
the evolving energy market. Our core revenue stream is generated from our engineering, procurement and installation services and
products consisting of solar, electrical and data installations but has expanded to include project origination, design and
development services as well. Approximately 85% of our revenue is derived from our solar Engineering, Procurement and Construction business,
approximately 10% of revenue is derived from our electrical and data business and approximately 5% of revenue is derived from our
project origination, development and design services. Recently our growth has been derived by increasing our solar customer base
starting in 2013, mergers and acquisitions and expansion into new territories. We currently operate in Vermont, Maine, New
Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Alabama, Georgia and North and South Carolina. Our union crews are expert
constructors, and union access to an additional workforce makes us ready for rapid expansion to other states while maintaining
control of operating costs. The skillset provided by our workforce is transferrable among our service offerings depending on current
demand.
We
also plan to make investments in solar development projects and currently own approximately three megawatts of operating solar
arrays operating under long-term power purchase agreements. Our joint ventures allow for a retained ownership in originated
projects. These long-term recurring revenue streams, combined with our in-house development and construction capabilities, make this
asset class a strategic long-term investment opportunity for us.
Consummation
of the Business Combinations
On
January 19, 2021, we completed a business combination (the “iSun Merger Agreement”) pursuant to which we acquired iSun Energy
LLC (“iSun Energy”). The Business Combination was an acquisition treated as a merger and reorganization. iSun Energy,
LLC became a wholly owned subsidiary of The Peck Company Holdings, Inc. Immediately prior to the iSun Merger Agreement, we changed our
name to iSun, Inc.
On
April 6, 2021, iSun Utility, LLC (“iSun Utility”), a Delaware limited liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Company, Adani Solar USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation (Adani”), and Oakwood Construction Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(“Oakwood”) entered into an Assignment Agreement (the “Assignment”), pursuant to which iSun Utility acquired
all rights to the intellectual property of Oakwood and its affiliates (the “Project IP”). Oakwood was a utility-scale solar
EPC company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani. The Project IP included all of the intellectual property, project references, templates,
client lists, agreements, forms and processes of Adani’s U.S. solar business.
On
September 8, 2021, we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “SunCommon Merger Agreement”) by and among the Company,
iSun Residential Merger Sub, Inc., a Vermont corporation (the “Merger Sub”) and wholly-owned subsidiary of iSun Residential,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (“iSun Residential”) and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, SolarCommunities, Inc., d/b/a
SunCommon, a Vermont benefit corporation (“SunCommon”), and Jeffrey Irish, James Moore, and Duane Peterson as a “Shareholder
Representative Group” of the holders of SunCommon’s capital stock (the “SunCommon Shareholders”), pursuant to
which the Merger Sub merged with and into SunCommon (the “SunCommon Merger”) with SunCommon as the surviving company in the
Merger and SunCommon became a wholly-owned subsidiary of iSun Residential. The SunCommon Merger was effective on October 1, 2021.
We
now conduct all of our business operations exclusively through our wholly owned subsidiaries, iSun Residential, Inc., SolarCommunities,
Inc. iSun Industrial, LLC, Peck Electric Co., Liberty Electric, Inc., iSun Utility, LLC, iSun Energy, LLC and iSun Corporate, LLC.
Market
Overview
We
believe that domestic solar capacity and production will experience explosive growth over the short (through 2035) and long (2050) terms.
Both short-term and long-term solar production estimates by research groups vary, however even the most conservative estimates project
significant growth in domestic solar deployment through 2035 and again through 2050. Current domestic production is estimated at 100GW,
which services only 3% of the rapidly growing US electricity demand. According to an October 2021 US DOE Solar Futures Studyi,
absent any concerted policy efforts towards decarbonization, domestic solar capacity is projected to increase by 700% by 2050. Modest
decarbonization efforts such as those incorporated in the current administration’s Inflation Reduction Act would require cumulative
solar deployment to increase much more significantly from current levels - 100 GW serving ~3% of US electricity demand in 2021 to 760-1000
GW serving 37-42% by 2035, an increase of 1150%, according to Solar Power World. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects 270 GW
of domestic solar capacity by 2026 – nearly 3x the current domestic production levels. As incentives increase and technology costs
fall, the EIA also predicts renewables could account for nearly 60 percent of capacity additions through 2050. S&P Global Market
Intelligence’s projections are significantly more aggressive, projecting that domestic production will achieve 87% of the IEA’s
2050 projection within the next 5 yearsii.
We
agree with the conclusions of the aforementioned reports suggesting that broader decarbonization initiatives involving the decarbonization
of the broader U.S. energy system through large-scale electrification of buildings, transportation, and industry will have an impact
on both supply (solar deployment) and demand (electricity consumed). The EIA forecasts electricity demand growth owing to electrification
of fuel-based building demands (e.g., heating), vehicles, and industrial processes of 30% from 2020 to 2035, and an additional 34% increase
in energy demand from 2035 to 2050.
The
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) legislation will invest nearly $370 billion in energy security and climate
change programs over the next decade. The IRA renews the full 30% credit rate for Investment Tax Credit (“ITC”) eligible
facilities that meet the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements. The IRA provides a direct pay provision for tax exempt
entities including local government, tribal nations, nonprofits, cooperative and municipal utilities while also allowing for the
transferability of those tax credits. The IRA allows for additional bonus credits for qualifications related to domestic content,
energy communities and low- and moderate-income communities. The ITC will step down to 26% in 2033 and 22% in 2034.
While
these efforts will further accelerate growth, iSun also concurs with the conclusions of these reports that domestic solar capacity and
production will grow regardless of legislative efforts supporting the aforementioned decarbonization efforts. Each report concludes that
decarbonization efforts occurring within specific geographic markets and select industries are already underway and are driving demand
for additional domestic solar capacity accordingly:
Targeted
High-Value Geographic Markets: These markets offer:
| 1. | A
higher internal rate of return (“IRR”) on solar investments: |
| 2. | Statewide
legislation promoting decarbonization efforts that will in-turn increase electricity demand: |
| 3. | High
concentrations of consumers who are proactively taking steps towards decarbonization by electrifying
their homes, appliances, small businesses, and automobiles; and |
| 4. | Utilities
with a favorable composition of interconnection requests and transmission and distribution
capacity. |
Targeted
Rapidly Growing Industry Sectors: The anticipated widespread adoption of electric vehicles in the U.S. will dramatically
change the landscape for domestic energy consumption and production. Mercedes, Ford, and General Motors have all committed to moving
to electric or EV hybrid platforms within the decade, ensuring that by 2035, it will be difficult – if not impossible – for
consumers to purchase a new car with an internal combustion engine. The average electric vehicle requires 30 kilowatt-hours to travel
100 miles - essentially the same amount of electricity an average American home uses each day. This will have a profound impact on electricity
demand across each segment of the marketplace. Overnight, household electricity demand could double for the average American 2-car family.
As widespread EV adoption begins to accelerate, consumers will begin looking for ways to reduce their electric bills, increasing demand
for household solar solutions. Although consumer behaviors may change with EV adoption…expectations will not. Consumers will still
expect that they will be able to recharge their cars quickly and easily at the places they most often frequent. This will in turn prompt
commercial enterprises small and large to also look for ways to manage such expectations at reasonable costs. Expectations will be even
greater at destination locations such as hotels, municipal facilities, or even remote trailheads or parks, prompting asset owners and
municipalities to explore scalable solutions that may not be able to be addressed on-site. And of course, all this activity will in turn
be met with an increase in electricity demand, prompting utilities to begin exploring ways of rapidly increasing their capacity.
Strategy
iSun
is uniquely positioned in the marketplace to address the generational opportunity presented by automotive electrification and decarbonization.
iSun’s Solar Platform serves the evolving energy needs and increased energy demands presented by automotive electrification and
decarbonization within of each segment of the solar marketplace. Our:
| 1. | Residential
solar brand, SunCommon: Supports EV purchases with at-home charging, promotes residential
solar + storage installation, and provides other smart home energy upgrades. |
| 2. | Commercial
& Industrial Division: Supports EV fleet and workplace charging adoption, promotes
solar projects at the workplace to help employers and businesses provide for their customers
and employees, and stabilize their energy costs. Enables municipalities, destination locations,
and communities and/or dwellings where on-site or roof-top installation may not be a viable
option to adopt EV charging and solar solutions via resilient microgrid and community solar
projects. |
| 3. | Utility
and Development Division: Helps utilities meet increased demand and upgrade their infrastructure
to with utility-scale solar projects and utilize current design and development services
to originate solar projects for all divisions. |
i
US Residential PV Customer Acquisition Costs and Trends, Woods Mackenzie Power & Renewables, October 2021 (Connelly, White).
Page 5
ii
Solar Power World Reference.
Some
of the customer needs that will result from automotive electrification and decarbonization are agnostic to scale and will be universal
across all segments. A customer-centric organization, iSun has created cross-division service teams to proactively address these needs.
iSun’s:
| 1. | EV
Charging Services provides proprietary, solar-powered charging hardware and software
solutions that enable grid-tied or off-grid EV charging. |
| 2. | Development
and Professional Services provide solar developers with an a la carte menu of services
they can use to help accelerate the development process, and more quickly bring their projects
on-line, all without having to scale their operation. |
| 3. | Solar
Installation, Operations and Management Services incorporates iSun’s expertise
as one of the largest solar contractors into a comprehensive suite of services solar asset
owners can use to keep their arrays operating at peak performance levels. |
Because
we provide services to each segment of the marketplace, our Solar Platform enables us to adapt to the evolving range of customer demand
and energy innovations resulting from decarbonization and vehicle electrification.
Customer
Acquisition: iSun’s growth and new customer acquisition strategies are unique to each division.
Residential:
SunCommon values high-touch customer service capabilities that foster long-term customer relationships. Our focus ideally suits
the contemporary market environment, where recent technologies like EV charging, energy storage and grid management are arriving early
and often. The rapid pace of these deployments mean consumers will be looking to enhance their systems more regularly, increasing long-term
customer value. We can cultivate and maintain these relationships at an exceptionally low cost. SunCommon reported new customer acquisition
costs of $0.30/w for the 12 months ending December 31, 2022.
Commercial
and Industrial: We continue to experience organic growth from our established relationships with national developers
requesting development and EPC services. Additionally, we have made strategic investments in entities capable of providing a robust
pipeline of industrial-scale EPC projects. On November 24, 2021, iSun entered into a Membership Unit Purchase agreement (the
“MUPA”) with Encore Redevelopment LLC (“Encore”) in exchange for a fully diluted 9.1% ownership interest in
Encore. The investment provides for collaboration opportunities across Encore’s robust project pipeline, which has doubled in
2022 partially as a result of the capital infusion. Additionally, the transaction has provided insights into new prospective
geographic markets, which has informed iSun’s geographic growth strategy for its Residential and Commercial
divisions.
Utility:
With the acquisition of Oakwood Construction Services intellectual property, we were able to expand our utility-scale capabilities
to include EPC as well as our development and professional services. Unlike EPC services, development and professional services occur
prior to the commencement of construction and are not contingent upon a project proceeding to construction status. Development and professional
services not only enhance cash-flows and margins on a month-to-month basis, but also afford us the rights to construction services for
each project that proceeds to construction, effectively transforming the lead generation funnel for iSun’s Utility Division into
a revenue generator instead of an expense. Immediate success of this strategy is demonstrated by contracts for development and professional
services work on 566MW of solar projects across 4 project sites across the US.
Ancillary
Markets
Our
capabilities allow for expansion into high-growth adjacent markets. We began operations as a traditional electric contractor and hold
a wide range of capabilities to install electric equipment for a variety of end uses. Today, these core capabilities have developed our
business in solar array installation, traditional electric, and data services. We can deploy these capabilities to other large, rapidly
growing clean/renewable end market within each segment; namely electric vehicle (“EV”) charging stations, data centers, energy
storage and other markets. The rapid proliferation of EV charging stations has followed the shift in auto sales to electronic vehicles,
and the EV charging market is expected to expand to over $30 billion by 2024 with a CAGR of 40% over the next 2-year period. Energy
storage measured by megawatts expanded by 44% year-over-year in 2018 and is projected to grow into a $4.7 billion market by 2024.
Both markets represent adjacent, high growth expansion opportunities for us, and both require minimal investment of resources, infrastructure
or capital spend given its complementary nature to our existing capabilities.
Employees
As
of March 30, 2023, we employed approximately 290 full-time employees. We may also utilize outside subcontractors to assist with installing
solar systems for our commercial and residential customers. Our direct installation labor is a combination of employees and contract
labor.
We
have direct access to unionized labor, which provides a unique advantage for growth, because workforce resources can be scaled efficiently
utilizing local labor unions in other states to meet specific project needs in other states without increasing fixed labor costs for
us.
Financing
To
promote residential sales, we assist customers in obtaining financing options. Our objective is to arrange the most flexible terms
that meet the needs and wants of the customer. Although we do not yet directly provide financing, we have relationships to arrange
financing with numerous private and public sources, including SunLight, and the Vermont State Employees Credit Union, which offers
VGreen financing to maximize solar investment savings.
We
believe it is best for customers to own their own systems, but some customers prefer not to own their systems. We also have the ability
to arrange financing with third parties through power purchase agreements and leases for our customers.
Suppliers
We
purchase solar panels, inverters and materials directly from multiple manufacturers and through distributors. We intend to further coordinate
purchases across all business segments and to optimize supply relationships to realize the advantages of greater scale.
If
one or more of our suppliers fail to meet our supply needs, ceases or reduces production due to its financial condition, acquisition
by a competitor or otherwise, it may be difficult to quickly identify alternate suppliers or to qualify alternative products on commercially
reasonable terms, and our ability to satisfy this demand may be adversely affected. We do not, however, rely on any single supplier and
our management believes that we can obtain needed solar panels and materials from a number of different suppliers. Accordingly, we believe
that the loss of any single supplier would not materially affect our business.
We
also utilize companies with subcontractors for electrical installations, for racking and solar panel installations, as well
as numerous subcontractors for grading, landscaping, and construction for our commercial, and industrial customers.
Installation
We
are a licensed contractor in the markets that we serve, and we are responsible for every customer installation. We manage the entire
process from permitting through inspection to interconnection to the power grid, thereby making the system installation process simple
and seamless for its customers. Controlling every aspect of the installation process allows us to minimize costs, ensure quality and
deliver high levels of customer satisfaction.
Even
with controlling every aspect of the installation process, the ability to perform on a contract is subject to limitations. There remain
jurisdictional approval processes outside our immediate control including, but not limited to, approvals of city, county, state or Federal
government bodies or one of their respective agencies. Other aspects outside of our direct control include approvals from various utility
companies and weather conditions.
After-Sales
Support
It
is our intent to provide continuing operation and maintenance services for our installed residential and commercial solar systems. We
provide extended factory equipment technical support and act as a service liaison using our proprietary knowledge, technology, and solar
electric energy engineering staff. We do this through a 5-year limited workmanship warranty and operations and maintenance program, which
among other things, provides a service and technical support line to our customers. We generally respond to our job site related issues
within 24 hours and offer assistance as long as required to maintain customer satisfaction. Our price to customers includes this warranty,
and also includes the pass through of various manufacturers’ warranties that are typically up to 25 years.
Customers
Historically,
the majority of our revenue came from commercial and industrial solar installations ranging in size from 100 kilowatts to 10 megawatts.
In 2022, we expanded our capabilities to serve customers across the residential, commercial, industrial and utility markets. We expanded
our services based on customer demand to include development and professional services, engineering, procurement, installation, storage,
monitoring and electric vehicle infrastructure support.
In
2022, approximately 52% of revenues were generated by residential installations, approximately 33% of revenues were generated by
commercial and industrial installations, 10% of revenues were generated from electrical and data contracts, and 5% of revenues
were generated by project origination services. In 2021, approximately 28% of our revenues were generated by residential installations,
approximately 58% of revenues were generated by commercial and industrial installations, 11% of revenue were generated from our electrical
and data contracts, and 3% of revenues were generated by project origination services.
We
believe that we have an advantage in the commercial solar market in New England given our extensive contact list, resulting from our
experience in the commercial and industrial construction market, which also provides access to customers that trust us. Through our network
of vendors, participation in variety of industry trade associations and independent sales consultants, we now have a growing list of
repeat clients, as well as an active and loyal referral network. As new markets open in other key geographic regions, we are able to
leverage our reputation and long-term customer relationships for market entry.
Competitors
In
the solar installation market, we compete with companies that offer products similar to our products. Some of these companies have greater
financial resources, operational experience, and technical capabilities than we do. When bidding for solar installation projects, however,
our current experience suggests that we are the dominant or preferred competitor in the markets in which we compete. We do not believe
that any competitor has more than 10% of the market across all the areas in which we currently operate. We compete with other solar installers
on our expertise and proven track record of performance. Also, pricing, service and the ability to arrange financing may be important
for a project award.
Seasonality
We
often find that some customers tend to book projects by the end of a calendar year to realize the benefits of available subsidy programs
prior to year-end. This results in third and fourth quarter sales being more robust usually at the expense of the first quarter. In the
future, this seasonality may cause fluctuations in financial results. In addition, other seasonality trends may develop and the existing
seasonality that we experience may change. Weather can also be an important factor affecting project timelines.
Technology
and Intellectual Property
Generally,
the solar EPC business is not dependent on intellectual property. We did acquire the intellectual property of Oakwood Construction Services,
LLC which provides proprietary capabilities for solar asset development and execution of large utility scale solar projects at a significant
value to our customers.
Government
Regulation and Incentives
Government
Regulation
We
are not regulated as a public utility in the United States under applicable national, state or other local regulatory regimes where we
conduct business.
To
operate our systems, we obtain interconnection permission from the applicable local primary electric utility. Depending on the size of
the solar energy system and local law requirements, interconnection permission is provided by the local utility and we and/or our customer.
In almost all cases, interconnection permissions are issued on the basis of a standard process that has been pre-approved by the local
public utility commission or other regulatory body with jurisdiction overnet metering procedures. As such, no additional regulatory approvals
are required once interconnection permission is given.
Our
operations are subject to stringent and complex federal, state and local laws, including regulations governing the occupational health
and safety of our employees and wage regulations. For example, we are subject to the requirements of OSHA, the DOT and comparable state
laws that protect and regulate employee health and safety.
Government
Incentives
Federal,
state and local government bodies provide incentives to owners, end users, distributors, system integrators and manufacturers of solar
energy systems to promote solar energy in the form of rebates, tax credits and other financial incentives such as system performance
payments, payments for renewable energy credits associated with renewable energy generation and exclusion of solar energy systems from
property tax assessments. These incentives enable iSun to lower the price it charges customers to own or lease, our solar energy systems,
helping to catalyze customer acceptance of solar energy as an alternative to utility-provided power.
The
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) legislation will invest nearly $370 billion in energy security and climate change
programs over the next decade. The Act renews the full 30% credit rate for Investment Tax Credit (“ITC”) of eligible facilities
that meet the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements. The IRA provides a direct pay provision for tax exempt entities including
local governments, tribal nations, nonprofits, cooperative and municipal utilities while also allowing for the transferability of those
tax credits. The IRA allows for additional bonus credits for qualifications related to domestic content, energy communities and low-
and moderate-income communities. The ITC will step down to 26% in 2033 and 22% in 2034.
The
economics of purchasing a solar energy system are also improved by eligibility for accelerated depreciation, also known as the modified
accelerated cost recovery system, or MACRS depreciation, which allows for the depreciation of equipment according to an accelerated
schedule set forth by the Internal Revenue Service. The acceleration of depreciation creates a valuable tax benefit that reduces the
overall cost of the solar energy system and increases the return on investment.
Approximately
50% of states in the U.S. offer a personal and/or corporate investment or production tax credit for solar energy that is additive to
the ITC. Further, these states, and many local jurisdictions, have established property tax incentives for renewable energy systems that
include exemptions, exclusions, abatements, and credits. Many state governments, traditional utilities, municipal utilities and co-operative
utilities offer a rebate or other cash incentive for the installation and operation of a solar energy system or energy efficiency measures.
Capital costs or “up-front” rebates provide funds to solar customers based on the cost, size or expected production of a
customer’s solar energy system. Performance-based incentives provide cash payments to a solar energy system owner based on the
energy generated by their solar energy system during a pre-determined period, and they are paid over that time period. Depending on the
cost of the system and other site-specific variables, tax incentives can typically cover 30-40% of the cost of a commercial or residential
solar system.
Many
states also have adopted procurement requirements for renewable energy production that requires regulated utilities to procure a specified
percentage of total electricity delivered to customers in the State from eligible renewable energy sources, such as solar energy systems,
by a specified date.
Environmental,
Social and Corporate Governance
Governance
and Strategic Overview
In
2022, iSun built upon its historic foundation of environmentally and socially responsible business by formalizing an enterprise-level
ESG strategy. This strategy is overseen by an ESG Executive Committee and guided by the Corporate Governance Committee on the Board
of Directors. Our governance efforts have included developing and publishing a core set of policies that speak to our position on and
approach to a range of environmental, social, and governance issues. Through a stakeholder engagement process and iSun employee interviews,
we have identified a set of material issues that are critical to both our business and to our key stakeholders. As such, we have developed
policies and are implementing initiatives related to climate change and environmental stewardship, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI),
labor management and human rights, and stakeholder engagement. We are also formalizing and implementing a Business Code of Conduct as
well as a Supplier Code of Conduct.
Our
strategic plan is designed to mitigate the risks and capitalize on the opportunities associated with these issues, with an explicit focus
on aligning our commercial goals and impact aspirations to drive both shareholder and broader stakeholder value. This strategy will be
guided by cross-functional working groups comprised of leaders from across the company and will have explicit goals, key performance
indicators (KPIs), and timelines for implementing the initiatives that address each issue.
iSun
will be focused on integrating, aligning, and scaling the impact programs developed over the years by SunCommon, our recently
purchased subsidiary, which is a Vermont benefit corporation and a certified B corporation and a recognized leader in the world of socially responsible business.
iSun
is currently in compliance with all ESG-related requirements of the SEC and of Nasdaq including the Board Diversity Disclosure Matrix
provided below.
iSun,
Inc. Board Diversity Matrix
Total
Number of Directors : 5
| |
Female | | |
Male | | |
Non-Binary | | |
Did
Not Disclose
Gender | |
Part 1: Gender Identity | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Directors | |
| 1 | | |
| 4 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Part 2: Demographic Background | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
African American or Black | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | |
Alaskan Native or Native American | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | |
Asian | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | |
Hispanic or Latin | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | |
White | |
| 1 | | |
| 4 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | |
Two or more Races/Ethnicities | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | |
LGBTQ+ | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | |
Did Not Disclose Demographic Background | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | | |
| 0 | |
Risks
and Opportunities
Climate
change, and its associated issues like emissions, energy management, waste, and water management – have been identified as critical
to our social mission and the concerns of our commercial customers, employees, and investors. Our mission to accelerate the world’s
transition from dirty to clean energy can only be achieved if we are also decarbonizing our own operations and supply chains. We will
be setting long-term goals on climate change and these associated environmental issues after we conduct our first enterprise Greenhouse
Gas (GHG) accounting exercise to determine our scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions.
Human
capital, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), have been identified as critical to our long-term success and social impact aspirations.
Human capital has become an increasingly important topic for investors and society at large. It is also integral to the long-term success
of our business as we rely heavily on our installation teams and the union members we employ. In turn, we will be ramping up our focus
on workforce development and upward mobility opportunities for our employees, advancing work opportunities for diverse and at-risk populations,
as well as supporting economic inclusion within our supply chains through a minority-owned business procurement program.
Governance
and corporate transparency, both internally and externally, is another core risk and opportunity to address. Our revamped ESG governance
structure and utilization of the ESG project management platform, ESGProgram.io, will ensure alignment and integration of these efforts
across the iSun enterprise. An internal and external ESG communications plan will also ensure our intentions, efforts, and outcomes are
well understood by our external stakeholders and greater operational alignment with our internal teams. Lastly, we will be providing
ESG education to our executive leaders and Board to ensure they can actively contribute to the success of our ESG strategy.
Climate
Change and Human Capital Management
Climate
change and human capital management are two leading ESG issues across industries. From investor expectations to SEC disclosure regulations,
climate risk management and human capital management have emerged as the two most critical issues from a stakeholder and general public
perspective.
Our
objectives for climate change include measuring and reducing our emissions, waste, and water, enhancing our operational climate risk
resilience, and developing service offerings that support the climate risk resilience of our customers. We will be setting long-term
climate change goals, KPI’s, and timelines for achievement, as well as reporting our progress in a 2023 Task Force for Climate-Related
Financial Disclosures (TCFD) report.
Our
objectives for human capital management include increasing the diversity of our workforce and procurement partners, creating upward mobility
opportunities for diverse employees and field staff, as well as increasing the visibility and importance of the trades in the communities
we live and work. We will be setting long-term human capital goals, KPI’s, and timelines for achievement, as well as reporting
our progress in 2023 with the relevant metrics from the Sustainable Accounting Standards Boards (SASB).
Commitments
We
will be implementing our enterprise ESG strategic plan across our operations. As our cross-functional working groups get up and running,
we will begin our enterprise GHG emissions assessment and develop the internal infrastructure for consistent ESG data collection. All
material issues will be overseen by their relevant functional leaders and will have explicit and quantified goals, KPI’s, and timelines
for achievement. We will be reporting on our progress throughout the year, culminating in a ESG report and complete with a Sustainable
Accounting Standards Boards (SASB) and Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) reports. Our progress will be actively
communicated externally on our website and in governance documents to ensure full visibility into our ESG intentions, efforts, and results.
Corporate
Information
Our
address is 400 Avenue D, Suite 10, Williston, VT 05495 and our telephone number is (802) 658-3378. Our corporate website is: www.isunenergy.com.
The content of our website shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in this Annual Report.
An
investment in our Common Stock involves significant risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors contained in this Annual Report
and in our filings with the SEC before you decide to invest in our Common Stock. Our business, prospects, financial condition and results
of operations may be materially and adversely affected as a result of any of such risks. The value of our Common Stock could decline
as a result of any of these risks. You could lose all or part of your investment in our Common Stock. Some of our statements in sections
entitled “Risk Factors” are forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones
we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business,
prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
The
impact of a subsequent wave of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) on general market and economic conditions has yet to be determined
and if it occurs it is likely to have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
As
of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has resulted in widespread disruption to capital
markets and general economic and business climate. For the year ended December 31, 2021, we experienced significant disruption to our
supply chain, instability in material pricing and labor shortages due to the long-term impact of COVID-19. On June 14, 2021, Vermont
Governor Phil Scott removed all COVID-19 restrictions and Vermont’s State of Emergency expired on June 15, 2021. The extent to which COVID-19 affects our results, or those of our suppliers, will depend on future developments, which are
highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. At this time, no material impact to our business and operations is anticipated.
The
Russian-Ukraine conflict and the impact of related sanctions may impact our business.
As
of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and related sanctions have not had any impact on our business.
However, we may be impacted by the disruptions of the global supply chain.
Risks
Related to Our Financial Position and Capital Requirements
We
operated at a loss in 2022 and 2021 and cannot predict when we will achieve profitability.
Our
management believes that achieving profitability will depend in large part on our ability to increase market share in our existing market
segments and expand our geographic foot print and to consummate synergistic acquisitions. No assurance can be given that we will achieve
profitably or that we will have adequate working capital to meet our obligations as they become due.
We
may require substantial additional funding which may not be available to it on acceptable terms, or at all. If we fail to raise the necessary
additional capital, we may be unable to maintain our business and operations.
The
Company was not profitable in 2022 and 2021. In order to grow our operations, we may increase our spending for our operating expenses,
capital expenditures and acquisitions.
We
cannot be certain that additional funding will be available on acceptable terms, or at all. If we are unable to raise additional capital
in sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to us, we may have to significantly delay, scale back or discontinue our organic growth
or corporate acquisitions. Any of these events could significantly harm our business, financial condition, and strategy.
In
order to carry out our business plan and implement our strategy, we anticipate that we will need to obtain additional financing from
time to time, and we may choose to raise additional funds through strategic collaborations, public or private equity or debt financing,
bank lines of credit, asset sales, government grants, or other arrangements. Our management cannot be sure that any additional funding,
if needed, will be available on favorable terms or at all. Furthermore, any additional equity or equity-related financing obtained may
be dilutive to our stockholders, and debt or equity financing, if available, may subject us to restrictive covenants and significant
interest costs.
An
inability to raise capital when needed could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations, and could cause our stock
price to decline or require that we cease operations.
Our
management discovered a material weakness in our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting as
required to be implemented by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
We
are currently subject to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and are required to provide management’s attestation on
internal controls. Our management has identified control deficiencies and the need for a stronger internal control environment
relating to the financial statement close process. The ineffectiveness of the design, implementation and operation of the controls
surrounding these matters creates a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement to the consolidated financial statements
would not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Accordingly, our management concluded that this deficiency represents a
material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022. Although our management has taken
significant steps to remediate this weakness, our management can give no assurance that all the measures it has taken will on a
permanent and sustainable basis remediate the material weaknesses in our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control
over financial reporting or that any other material weaknesses or restatements of financial results will not arise in the future. We
plan to take additional steps to remedy this material weakness. If we are not able to implement the requirements of Section 404 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in the future, we will not be able to assess whether our internal controls over financial reporting
are effective, which may subject us to adverse regulatory consequences and could harm investor confidence and the market price of
our Common Stock.
Risks
Related to Our Business and Industry
A
material reduction in the retail price of traditional utility generated electricity or electricity from other sources could harm our
business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Our
management believes that a significant number of our customers decide to buy solar energy because they want to pay less for electricity
than what is offered by the traditional utilities.
The
customer’s decision to choose solar energy may also be affected by the cost of other renewable energy sources. Decreases in the
retail prices of electricity from the traditional utilities or from other renewable energy sources would harm our ability to offer competitive
pricing and could harm our business. The price of electricity from traditional utilities could decrease as a result of:
● | construction
of a significant number of new power generation plants, including plants utilizing natural
gas, nuclear, coal, renewable energy or other generation technologies; |
● | relief
of transmission constraints that enable local centers to generate energy less expensively; |
● | reductions
in the price of natural gas; |
● | utility
rate adjustment and customer class cost reallocation; |
● | energy
conservation technologies and public initiatives to reduce electricity consumption; |
● | development
of new or lower-cost energy storage technologies that have the ability to reduce a customer’s
average cost of electricity by shifting load to off-peak times; or |
● | development
of new energy generation technologies that provide less expensive energy. |
A
reduction in utility electricity prices would make the purchase or the lease of our solar energy systems less economically attractive.
If the retail price of energy available from traditional utilities were to decrease due to any of these reasons, or other reasons, we
would be at a competitive disadvantage, may be unable to attract new customers and our growth would be limited.
Existing
electric utility industry regulations, and changes to regulations, may present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to the purchase
and use of solar energy systems that may significantly reduce demand for our solar energy systems.
Federal,
state and local government regulations and policies concerning the electric utility industry, and internal policies and regulations promulgated
by electric utilities, heavily influence the market for electricity generation products and services. These regulations and policies
often relate to electricity pricing and the interconnection of customer-owned electricity generation. In the United States, governments
and utilities continuously modify these regulations and policies. These regulations and policies could deter customers from purchasing
renewable energy, including solar energy systems. This could result in a significant reduction in the potential demand for our solar
energy systems. For example, utilities commonly charge fees to larger, industrial customers for disconnecting from the electric grid
or for having the capacity to use power from the electric grid for back-up purposes. These fees could increase our customers’ cost
to use our systems and make them less desirable, thereby harming our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, depending on the region, electricity generated by solar energy systems competes most effectively with expensive peak-hour
electricity from the electric grid, rather than the less expensive average price of electricity. Modifications to the utilities’
peak hour pricing policies or rate design, such as to a flat rate, would require us to lower the price of our solar energy systems to
compete with the price of electricity from the electric grid.
In
addition, any changes to government or internal utility regulations and policies that favor electric utilities could reduce our competitiveness
and cause a significant reduction in demand for our products and services. For example, certain jurisdictions have proposed assessing
fees on customers purchasing energy from solar energy systems or imposing a new charge that would disproportionately impact solar energy
system customers who utilize net metering, either of which would increase the cost of energy to those customers and could reduce demand
for our solar energy systems. It is possible charges could be imposed on not just future customers but our existing customers, causing
a potentially significant consumer relations problem and harming our reputation and business. Due to the current concentration of our
business in Vermont, any such changes in these markets would be particularly harmful to our business, results of operations, and future
growth.
Our
growth strategy depends on the widespread adoption of solar power technology.
The
market for solar power products is emerging and rapidly evolving, and our future success is uncertain. If solar power technology proves
unsuitable for widespread commercial deployment or if demand for solar power products fails to develop sufficiently, we would be unable
to generate enough revenues to achieve and sustain profitability and positive cash flow. The factors influencing the widespread adoption
of solar power technology include but are not limited to:
● | cost-effectiveness
of solar power technologies as compared with conventional and non-solar alternative energy
technologies; |
● | performance
and reliability of solar power products as compared with conventional and non-solar alternative
energy products; |
● | fluctuations
in economic and market conditions which impact the viability of conventional and non-solar
alternative energy sources, such as increases or decreases in the prices of oil and other
fossil fuels; |
● | continued
deregulation of the electric power industry and broader energy industry; and |
● | availability
of governmental subsidies and incentives. |
Our
business currently depends on the availability of rebates, tax credits and other financial incentives. The expiration, elimination or
reduction of these rebates, credits and incentives would adversely impact our business.
U.S.
federal, state and local government bodies provide incentives to end users, distributors, system integrators and manufacturers of solar
energy systems to promote solar electricity in the form of rebates, tax credits and other financial incentives such as system performance
payments and payments for renewable energy credits associated with renewable energy generation. These governmental rebates, tax credits
and other financial incentives enhance the return on investment for our customers and incent them to purchase solar systems. These incentives
enables us to lower the price that we charge customers for energy and for solar energy systems. However, these incentives may expire
on a particular date, end when the allocated funding is exhausted, or be reduced or terminated as solar energy adoption rates increase.
These reductions or terminations often occur without warning.
Reductions
in, or eliminations or expirations of, governmental incentives could adversely impact our results of operations and our ability to compete
in our industry, causing us to increase the prices of our solar energy systems, and reducing the size of our addressable market. In addition,
this would adversely impact our ability to attract investment partners and to form new financing funds and our ability to offer attractive
financing to prospective customers.
Our
business depends in part on the regulatory treatment of third-party owned solar energy systems.
Our
leases and any power purchase agreements are third-party ownership arrangements. Sales of electricity by third parties face regulatory
challenges in some states and jurisdictions. Other challenges pertain to whether third-party owned systems qualify for the same levels
of rebates or other non-tax incentives available for customer-owned solar energy systems, whether third-party owned systems are eligible
at all for these incentives, and whether third-party owned systems are eligible for net metering and the associated significant cost
savings. Reductions in, or eliminations of, this treatment of these third-party arrangements could reduce demand for our systems, adversely
impact our access to capital and could cause us to increase the price that we charge our customers for energy.
Our
ability to provide solar energy systems to customers on an economically viable basis depends on our ability to help customers arrange
financing for such systems.
Our
solar energy systems have been eligible for federal investment tax credits or U.S. Treasury grants, as well as depreciation benefits.
We have relied on, and will continue to rely on, financing structures that monetize a substantial portion of those benefits and provide
financing for our solar energy systems. With the lapse of the U.S. Treasury grant program, we anticipate that our customers’ reliance
on these tax-advantaged financing structures will increase substantially. If, for any reason, our customers were unable to continue to
monetize those benefits through these arrangements, we may be unable to provide and maintain solar energy systems for new customers on
an economically viable basis.
The
availability of this tax-advantaged financing depends upon many factors, including, but not limited to:
● | the
state of financial and credit markets; |
● | changes
in the legal or tax risks associated with these financings; and |
● | non-renewal
of these incentives or decreases in the associated benefits. |
U.S.
Treasury grants are no longer available for new solar energy systems. Changes in existing law and interpretations by the Internal Revenue
Service and the courts could reduce the willingness of funding sources to provide funds to customers of these solar energy systems. We
cannot assure you that this type of financing will be available to our customers. If, for any reason, we are unable to find financing
for solar energy systems, we may no longer be able to provide solar energy systems to new customers on an economically viable basis.
This would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Rising
interest rates could adversely impact our business.
Increases
in interest rates could have an adverse impact on our business by increasing our cost of capital, which would increase our interest expense
on any variable rate indebtedness and make acquisitions more expensive to undertake.
Further,
rising interest rates may negatively impact our ability to arrange financing for our customers on favorable terms to facilitate our customers’
purchases of our solar energy systems. The majority of our cash flows to date have been from the sales of solar energy systems. Rising
interest rates may have the effect of depressing the sales of solar energy systems because many consumers finance their purchases.
As
a result, an increase in interest rates may negatively affect our costs and reduce our revenues, which would have an adverse effect on
our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
If
we cannot compete successfully against other solar and energy companies, we may not be successful in developing our operations and our
business may suffer.
The
solar and energy industries are characterized by intense competition and rapid technological advances, both in the United States and
internationally. We compete with solar companies with business models that are similar to ours. In addition, we compete with solar companies
in the downstream value chain of solar energy. For example, we face competition from purely finance driven organizations that acquire
customers and then subcontract out the installation of solar energy systems, from installation businesses that seek financing from external
parties, from large construction companies and utilities, and increasingly from sophisticated electrical and roofing companies. Some
of these competitors specialize in the residential solar energy market, and some may provide energy at lower costs than we do. Further,
some competitors are integrating vertically in order to ensure supply and to control costs. Many of our competitors also have significant
brand name recognition and have extensive knowledge of our target markets.
If
we are unable to compete in the market, we will experience an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of
operations.
Adverse
economic conditions may have material adverse consequences on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Unpredictable
and unstable changes in economic conditions, including recession, inflation, increased government intervention, or other changes, may
adversely affect our general business strategy. We rely upon our ability to generate additional sources of liquidity and we may need
to raise additional funds through public or private debt or equity financings in order to fund existing operations or to take advantage
of opportunities, including acquisitions of complementary businesses or technologies. Any adverse event would have a material adverse
impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our
business is concentrated in certain markets, putting it at risk of region-specific disruptions.
As
of December 31, 2022, a vast majority of our total solar installations were in the Northeast. Our management expects our near-term future
growth to occur throughout the Eastern United States, and to further expand our customer base and operational infrastructure. Accordingly,
our business and results of operations are particularly susceptible to adverse economic, regulatory, political, weather and other conditions
in such markets and in other markets that may become similarly concentrated.
If
we are unable to retain and recruit qualified technicians and advisors, or if our key executives, key employees or consultants discontinue
their employment or consulting relationship with us, we may delay our development efforts or otherwise harm our business.
We
may not be able to attract or retain qualified management or technical personnel in the future due to the intense competition for qualified
personnel among solar, energy, and other businesses. Our industry has experienced a high rate of turnover of management personnel in
recent years. If we are not able to attract, retain, and motivate necessary personnel to accomplish our business objectives, we may experience
constraints that will significantly impede the successful development of any product candidates, our ability to raise additional capital,
and our ability to implement our overall business strategy.
We
are highly dependent on members of our management and technical staff. Our success also depends on our ability to continue to attract,
retain and motivate highly skilled junior, mid-level, and senior managers as well as junior, mid-level, and senior technical personnel.
The loss of any of our executive officers, key employees, or consultants and our inability to find suitable replacements could potentially
harm our business, financial condition, and prospects. We may be unable to attract and retain personnel on acceptable terms given the
competition among solar and energy companies. Certain of our current officers, directors, and/or consultants hereafter appointed may
from time to time serve as officers, directors, scientific advisors, and/or consultants of other solar and energy companies. We do not
maintain “key man” insurance policies on any of our officers or employees. Other than certain members of our senior management
team, all of our employees are employed “at will” and, therefore, each employee may leave our employment and join a competitor
at any time.
We
plan to grant stock options, restricted stock grants, or other forms of equity awards in the future as a method of attracting and retaining
employees, motivating performance, and aligning the interests of employees with those of our stockholders. If we are unable to implement
and maintain equity compensation arrangements that provide sufficient incentives, we may be unable to retain our existing employees and
attract additional qualified candidates. If we are unable to retain our existing employees and attract additional qualified candidates,
our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.
The
execution of our business plan and development strategy may be seriously harmed if integration of our senior management team is not successful.
As
our business continues to grow and in the event that we acquire new businesses, we may experience significant changes in our senior management
team. Failure to integrate our Board of Directors and senior management teams may negatively affect the operations of our business.
We
may not successfully implement our business model.
Our
business model is predicated on our ability to build and sell solar systems at a profit, and through organic growth, geographic expansion
and strategic acquisitions. Our management intends to continue to operate our business as it has previously, with sourcing and marketing
methods that we have used successfully in the past. However, our management cannot assure you that our methods will continue to attract
new customers nor that we can achieve profitability in the very competitive solar systems marketplace.
We
may not be able to effectively manage our growth.
Our
future growth, if any, may cause a significant strain on our management and our operational, financial, and other resources. Our ability
to manage our growth effectively will require us to implement and improve our operational, financial, and management systems and to expand,
train, manage, and motivate our employees. These demands may require the hiring of additional management personnel and the development
of additional expertise by our management. Any increase in resources used without a corresponding increase in our operational, financial,
and management systems could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We
may not realize the anticipated benefits of completed and future acquisitions, and integration of these acquisitions may disrupt our
business and management.
We
have acquired and, in the future, we may acquire companies, project pipelines, products or technologies or enter into joint ventures
or other strategic initiatives. We may not realize the anticipated benefits of these acquisition and any acquisition has numerous risks.
These risks include the following:
● | difficulty
in assimilating the operations and personnel of the acquired company; |
| |
● | difficulty
in effectively integrating the acquired technologies or products with our current technologies; |
| |
● | difficulty
in maintaining controls, procedures and policies during the transition and integration; |
| |
● | disruption
of our ongoing business and distraction of management and employees from other opportunities
and challenges due to integration issues; |
| |
● | difficulty
integrating the acquired company’s accounting, management information, and other administrative
systems; |
| |
● | inability
to retain key technical and managerial personnel of the acquired business; |
| |
● | inability
to retain key customers, vendors, and other business partners of the acquired business; |
| |
● | inability
to achieve the financial and strategic goals for the acquired and combined businesses; |
| |
● | incurring
acquisition-related costs or amortization costs for acquired intangible assets that could
impact operating results; |
| |
● | potential
failure of the due diligence processes to identify significant issues with product quality,
legal and financial liabilities, among other things; |
| |
● | potential
inability to assert that internal controls over financial reporting are effective; and |
| |
● | potential
inability to obtain, or obtain in a timely manner, approvals from governmental authorities,
which could delay or prevent such acquisitions. |
Mergers
and acquisitions of companies are inherently risky and, if we do not complete the integration of acquired businesses successfully and
in a timely manner, we may not realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisitions to the extent anticipated, which could adversely
affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations.
With
respect to providing electricity on a price-competitive basis, solar systems face competition from traditional regulated electric utilities,
from less-regulated third party energy service providers and from new renewable energy companies.
The
solar energy and renewable energy industries are both highly competitive and continually evolving as participants strive to distinguish
themselves within their markets and compete with large traditional utilities. We believe that our primary competitors are the traditional
utilities that supply electricity to our potential customers. Traditional utilities generally have substantially greater financial, technical,
operational and other resources than we do. As a result, these competitors may be able to devote more resources to the research, development,
promotion, and sale of their products or respond more quickly to evolving industry standards and changes in market conditions than we
can. Traditional utilities could also offer other value-added products or services that could help them to compete with us even if the
cost of electricity they offer is higher than that of ours. In addition, a majority of utilities’ sources of electricity is non-solar,
which may allow utilities to sell electricity more cheaply than electricity generated by our solar energy systems.
We
also compete with companies that are not regulated like traditional utilities, but that have access to the traditional utility electricity
transmission and distribution infrastructure pursuant to state and local pro-competitive and consumer choice policies. These energy service
companies are able to offer customers electricity supply-only solutions that are competitive with our solar energy system options on
both price and usage of renewable energy technology while avoiding the long-term agreements and physical installations that our current
fund-financed business model requires. This may limit our ability to attract new customers; particularly those who wish to avoid long-term
contracts or have an aesthetic or other objection to putting solar panels on their roofs.
As
the solar industry grows and evolves, we will also face new competitors who are not currently in the market. Low technological barriers
to entry characterize our industry and well-capitalized companies could choose to enter the market and compete with it. Our failure to
adapt to changing market conditions and to compete successfully with existing or new competitors will limit our growth and will have
a material adverse effect on our business and prospects.
Developments
in alternative technologies or improvements in distributed solar energy generation may materially adversely affect demand for our offerings.
Significant
developments in alternative technologies, such as advances in other forms of distributed solar power generation, storage solutions such
as batteries, the widespread use or adoption of fuel cells for residential or commercial properties or improvements in other forms of
centralized power production may materially and adversely affect our business and prospects in ways management does not currently anticipate.
Any failure by us to adopt new or enhanced technologies or processes, or to react to changes in existing technologies, could materially
delay deployment of our solar energy systems, which could result in product obsolescence, the loss of competitiveness of our systems,
decreased revenue and a loss of market share to competitors.
Due
to the limited number of suppliers in our industry, the acquisition of any of these suppliers by a competitor or any shortage, delay,
price change, imposition of tariffs or duties or other limitation in our ability to obtain components or technologies that we use could
result in sales and installation delays, cancellations, and loss of market share.
While
we purchase our products from several different suppliers, if one or more of the suppliers on which we rely to meet anticipated demand
ceases or reduces production due to its financial condition, is acquired by a competitor or otherwise is unable to increase production
as industry demand increases, or is otherwise unable to allocate sufficient production to us, it may be difficult for us to quickly identify
alternate suppliers or to qualify alternative products on commercially reasonable terms, and our ability to satisfy this demand may be
adversely affected. There are a limited number of suppliers of solar energy system components and technologies. While we believe there
are other sources of supply for these products available, transitioning to a new supplier may result in additional costs and delays in
acquiring our solar products and deploying our systems. These issues could harm our business or financial performance.
In
addition, the acquisition of a component supplier or technology provider by one of our competitors could limit our access to such components
or technologies and require significant redesigns of our solar energy systems or installation procedures and have a material adverse
effect on our business.
There
have also been periods of industry-wide shortages of key components, including solar panels, in times of industry disruption. The manufacturing
infrastructure for some of these components has a long lead-time, requires significant capital investment and relies on the continued
availability of key commodity materials, potentially resulting in an inability to meet demand for these components. The solar industry
is frequently experiencing significant disruption and, as a result, shortages of key components, including solar panels, may be more
likely to occur, which in turn may result in price increases for such components. Even if industry-wide shortages do not occur, suppliers
may decide to allocate key components with high demand or insufficient production capacity to more profitable customers, customers with
long-term supply agreements or customers other than us and our supply of such components may be reduced as a result.
Typically,
we purchase the components for our solar energy systems on an as-needed basis and do not operate under long-term supply agreements. The
vast majority of our purchases are denominated in U.S. dollars. Since our revenue is also generated in U.S. dollars, we are mostly insulated
from currency fluctuations. However, since our suppliers often incur a significant amount of their costs by purchasing raw materials
and generating operating expenses in foreign currencies, if the value of the U.S. dollar depreciates significantly or for a prolonged
period of time against these other currencies, this may cause our suppliers to raise the prices they charge us, which could harm our
financial results. Any supply shortages, delays, price changes or other limitation in our ability to obtain components or technologies
that we use could limit our growth, cause cancellations or adversely affect our profitability, and result in loss of market share and
damage to our brand.
We
act as the licensed general contractor for our customers and are subject to risks associated with construction, cost overruns, delays,
regulatory compliance and other contingencies, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We
are a licensed contractor and we are normally the general contractor, electrician, construction manager, and installer for our solar
energy systems. We may be liable to customers for any damage that we cause to the home, business premises, belongings or property of
our customers during the installation of our systems. For example, we penetrate our customers’ roofs during the installation
process and may incur liability for the failure to adequately weatherproof such penetrations following the completion of
installation of solar energy systems. In addition, because the solar energy systems that we deploy are high-voltage energy systems,
we may incur liability for the failure to comply with electrical standards and manufacturer recommendations. Because our profit on a
particular installation is based in part on assumptions as to the cost of such project, cost overruns, delays, or other execution
issues may cause us to not achieve our expected results or cover our costs for that project.
In
addition, the installation of solar energy systems is subject to oversight and regulation in accordance with national, state, and local
laws and ordinances relating to building, fire and electrical codes, safety, environmental protection, utility interconnection and metering,
and related matters. We also rely on certain employees to maintain professional licenses in many of the jurisdictions in which we operate,
and our failure to employ properly licensed personnel could adversely affect our licensing status in those jurisdictions. It is difficult
and costly to track the requirements of every authority having jurisdiction over our operations and our solar energy systems. Any new
government regulations or utility policies pertaining to our systems, or changes to existing government regulations or utility policies
pertaining to our systems, may result in significant additional expenses to our customers and, as a result, could cause a significant
reduction in demand for our systems.
If
we experience a significant disruption in our information technology systems or if we fail to implement new systems and software successfully,
our business could be adversely affected. A cyberattack could lead to a material disruption of our information technology systems or
the IT systems of our third-party providers and the loss of business information, which may hinder our ability to conduct our business
effectively and may result in lost revenues and additional costs.
We
depend on information systems throughout our company to process orders, manage inventory, process and bill shipments and collect cash
from our customers, respond to customer inquiries, contribute to our overall internal control processes, maintain records of our property,
plant and equipment, and record and pay amounts due vendors and other creditors. If we were to experience a prolonged disruption in our
information systems that involve interactions with customers and suppliers, it could result in the loss of sales and customers and/or
increased costs, which could adversely affect our overall business operation.
Compliance
with occupational safety and health requirements and best practices can be costly, and noncompliance with such requirements may result
in potentially significant monetary penalties, operational delays, and adverse publicity.
The
installation of solar energy systems requires our employees to work at heights with complicated and potentially dangerous electrical
systems. The evaluation and modification of buildings as part of the installation process requires our employees to work in locations
that may contain potentially dangerous levels of asbestos, lead, mold or other materials known or believed to be hazardous to human health.
We also maintain a fleet of trucks and other vehicles to support our installers and operations. There is substantial risk of serious
injury or death if proper safety procedures are not followed. Our operations are subject to regulation under the U.S. Occupational Safety
and Health Act (“OSHA”), the U.S. Department of Transportation (“DOT”), and equivalent state laws. Changes to
OSHA or DOT requirements, or stricter interpretation or enforcement of existing laws or regulations, could result in increased costs.
If
we fail to comply with applicable OSHA regulations, even if no work-related serious injury or death occurs, we may be subject to civil
or criminal enforcement and be required to pay substantial penalties, incur significant capital expenditures or suspend or limit operations.
While we have not experienced a high level of injuries to date, high injury rates could expose us to increased liability. In the past,
we have had workplace accidents and received citations from OSHA regulators for alleged safety violations, resulting in fines. Any such
accidents, citations, violations, injuries or failure to comply with industry best practices may subject us to adverse publicity, damage
our reputation and competitive position and adversely affect our business.
Problems
with product quality or performance may cause us to incur warranty expenses, damage our market reputation, and prevent us from maintaining
or increasing our market share.
If
our products fail to perform as expected while under warranty, or if we are unable to support the warranties, sales of our products may
be adversely affected, or our costs may increase, and our business, results of operations, and financial condition could be materially
and adversely affected.
We
may also be subject to warranty or product liability claims against us that are not covered by insurance or are in excess of our available
insurance limits. In addition, quality issues can have various other ramifications, including delays in the recognition of revenue, loss
of revenue, loss of future sales opportunities, increased costs associated with repairing or replacing products, and a negative impact
on our goodwill and reputation. The possibility of future product failures could cause us to incur substantial expenses to repair or
replace defective products. Furthermore, widespread product failures may damage our market reputation and reduce our market share causing
sales to decline.
Seasonality
may cause fluctuations in our financial results.
We
often find that some customers tend to book projects by the end of a calendar year to realize the benefits of available subsidy programs
prior to year-end. This results in third and fourth quarter sales being more robust usually at the expense of the first quarter. In the
future, this seasonality may cause fluctuations in financial results. In addition, other seasonality trends may develop and the existing
seasonality that we experience may change. Weather can also be an important factor affecting project timelines.
A
failure to comply with laws and regulations relating to our interactions with current or prospective commercial or residential customers
could result in negative publicity, claims, investigations, and litigation, and adversely affect our financial performance.
Our
business includes contracts and transactions with commercial and residential customers. We must comply with numerous federal, state,
and local laws and regulations that govern matters relating to our interactions with residential consumers, including those pertaining
to privacy and data security, consumer financial and credit transactions, home improvement contracts, warranties, and door-to-door solicitation.
These laws and regulations are dynamic and subject to potentially differing interpretations, and various federal, state and local legislative
and regulatory bodies may expand current laws or regulations, or enact new laws and regulations, regarding these matters. Changes in
these laws or regulations or their interpretation could dramatically affect how we do business, acquire customers, and manage and use
information that we collect from and about current and prospective customers and the costs associated therewith. We strive to comply
with all applicable laws and regulations relating to our interactions with residential customers. It is possible, however, that these
requirements may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other
rules or our practices. Non-compliance with any such law or regulations could also expose us to claims, proceedings, litigation and investigations
by private parties and regulatory authorities, as well as substantial fines and negative publicity, each of which may materially and
adversely affect our business.
Changes
in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, investments and results
of operations.
We
are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments, including non-U.S. governments. In particular,
we are required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations
may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from
time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition,
a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business
and results of operations.
Risks
Related to the Regulation of Our Company
Because
we were previously considered to be a “shell company” under applicable securities laws and regulations, investors may not
be able to rely on the resale exemption provided by Rule 144 of the Securities Act until certain requirements have been satisfied. As
a result, investors may not be able to easily re-sell our securities and could lose their entire investment.
Prior
to June 20, 2019, we were considered to be a “shell company” under Rule 405 of Regulation C of the Securities Act. A “shell
company” is a company with either no or nominal operations or assets, or assets consisting solely of cash and cash equivalents.
In order to rely on the resale exemption provided by Rule 144, certain requirements must be met, including that the Company is current
in the filings required by the Securities Exchange of 1934, as amended. Because shareholders may not be able to rely on an exemption
for the resale of their securities other than Rule 144, they may not be able to easily re-sell our securities in the future and could
lose their entire investment as a result. See “Shares Eligible For Future Sale – Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell
Companies or Former Shell Companies”.
We
are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth
companies will make our Common Stock less attractive to investors.
We
are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”),
and we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies
that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, 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 and proxy 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 remain an “emerging growth company”
for up to five years, although we will cease to be an “emerging growth company” upon the earliest of (i) the last day of
the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of our initial public offering (“IPO”), (ii) the last day of the first fiscal
year in which our annual gross revenues are $1.07 billion or more, (iii) the date on which we have, during the previous rolling three-year
period, issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt securities or (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated
filer” as defined in the Exchange Act. We cannot predict if investors will find shares of our Common Stock less attractive or us
less comparable to certain other public companies because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our Common Stock less
attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our Common Stock and our Common Stock price may be more volatile.
Pursuant
to the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal
control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for so long as we are an “emerging growth company.”
Section
404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting,
and generally requires in the same report a report by our independent registered public accounting firm on the effectiveness of our internal
control over financial reporting. We are required to provide management’s attestation on internal controls effective December 31,
2025 However, under the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm is not required to attest to the effectiveness of
our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act until we are no longer an “emerging
growth company.” We will be an “emerging growth company” until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a)
following the fifth anniversary of our IPO, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion or (c) in which
we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Common Stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds
$700 million as of the last business day of our prior second fiscal quarter, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0
billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.
In
addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended
transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. An “emerging
growth company” can therefore delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to
private companies. However, we have chosen to “opt out” of such extended transition period and, as a result, we must comply
with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth
companies. Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that our decision to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new
or revised accounting standards is irrevocable.
If
we are not able to comply with the applicable continued listing requirements or standards of Nasdaq, Nasdaq could delist our Common Stock.
Our
Common Stock is currently listed on Nasdaq. In order to maintain such listing, we must satisfy minimum financial and other continued
listing requirements and standards, including those regarding director independence and independent committee requirements, minimum stockholders’
equity, minimum share price, and certain corporate governance requirements. There can be no assurances that we will be able to comply
with the applicable listing standards. Although we are currently in compliance with such listing standards, we may in the future fall
out of compliance with such standards. If we are unable to maintain compliance with these Nasdaq requirements, our Common Stock will
be delisted from Nasdaq.
Our
Common Stock currently trades on Nasdaq, and, to date, trading of our Common Stock has been limited. If a more active market does not
develop, it may be difficult for you to sell the Common Stock you own or result in your sale at a price that is less than the price you
paid.
To
date, trading of our Common Stock on Nasdaq has been limited and there can be no assurance that there will be a more active market for
our Common Stock either now or in the future. If a more active and liquid trading market does not develop or if developed cannot be sustained,
you may have difficulty selling any of the shares of Common Stock that you purchased. The market price for our Common Stock may decline
below the price you paid, and you may not be able to sell your shares of Common Stock at or above the price you paid, or at all.
In
the event that our Common Stock is delisted from Nasdaq, U.S. broker-dealers may be discouraged from effecting transactions in shares
of our Common Stock because they may be considered penny stocks and thus be subject to the penny stock rules.
The
SEC has adopted a number of rules to regulate “penny stock” that restricts transactions involving stock which is deemed to
be penny stock. Such rules include Rules 3a51-1, 15g-1, 15g-2, 15g-3, 15g-4, 15g-5, 15g-6, 15g-7, and 15g-9 under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These rules may have the effect of reducing the liquidity of penny stocks.
“Penny stocks” generally are equity securities with a price of less than $5.00 per share (other than securities registered
on certain national securities exchanges or quoted on NASDAQ if current price and volume information with respect to transactions in
such securities is provided by the exchange or system). Our shares of Common Stock have in the past constituted, and may again in the
future constitute, “penny stock” within the meaning of the rules. The additional sales practice and disclosure requirements
imposed upon U.S. broker-dealers may discourage such broker-dealers from effecting transactions in shares of our Common Stock, which
could severely limit the market liquidity of such shares of common stock and impede their sale in the secondary market.
A
U.S. broker-dealer selling penny stock to anyone other than an established customer or “accredited investor” (generally,
an individual with a net worth in excess of $1,000,000 or an annual income exceeding $200,000, or $300,000 together with his or her spouse)
must make a special suitability determination for the purchaser and must receive the purchaser’s written consent to the transaction
prior to sale, unless the broker-dealer or the transaction is otherwise exempt. In addition, the “penny stock” regulations
require the U.S. broker-dealer to deliver, prior to any transaction involving a “penny stock”, a disclosure schedule prepared
in accordance with SEC standards relating to the “penny stock” market, unless the broker-dealer or the transaction is otherwise
exempt. A U.S. broker-dealer is also required to disclose commissions payable to the U.S. broker-dealer and the registered representative
and current quotations for the securities. Finally, a U.S. broker-dealer is required to submit monthly statements disclosing recent price
information with respect to the “penny stock” held in a customer’s account and information with respect to the limited
market in “penny stocks”.
Stockholders
should be aware that, according to the SEC, the market for “penny stocks” has suffered in recent years from patterns of fraud
and abuse. Such patterns include (i) control of the market for the security by one or a few broker-dealers that are often related to
the promoter or issuer; (ii) manipulation of prices through prearranged matching of purchases and sales and false and misleading press
releases; (iii) “boiler room” practices involving high-pressure sales tactics and unrealistic price projections by inexperienced
sales persons; (iv) excessive and undisclosed bid-ask differentials and markups by selling broker-dealers; and (v) the wholesale dumping
of the same securities by promoters and broker-dealers after prices have been manipulated to a desired level, resulting in investor losses.
Our management is aware of the abuses that have occurred historically in the penny stock market. Although we do not expect to be in a
position to dictate the behavior of the market or of broker-dealers who participate in the market, management will strive within the
confines of practical limitations to prevent the described patterns from being established with respect to our securities.
Anti-takeover
provisions contained in our Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, as well as provisions of Delaware law,
could impair a takeover attempt.
The
Company’s Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws contain provisions that could have the effect of delaying
or preventing changes in control or changes in our management without the consent of our Board of Directors. These provisions include:
● | A
classified Board of Directors with three-year staggered terms, which may delay the ability
of stockholders to the change the membership of a majority of our Board of Directors;
|
● | no
cumulative voting in the election of directors, which limits the ability of minority stockholders
to elect director candidates; |
| |
● | the
exclusive right of our Board of Directors to elect a director to fill a vacancy created by
the expansion of the Board of Directors or the resignation, death, or removal of a director,
which prevents stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on our Board of Directors; |
| |
● | the
ability of our Board of Directors to determine whether to issue shares of our preferred stock
and to determine the price and other terms of those shares, including preferences and voting
rights, without stockholder approval, which could be used to significantly dilute the ownership
of a hostile acquirer; |
| |
● | the
requirement that an Annual Meeting of Stockholders may be called only by the Chairman of
the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive officer, or the Board of Directors, which may
delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or to take action,
including the removal of directors; |
| |
● | limiting
the liability of, and providing indemnification to, our directors and officers; |
| |
● | controlling
the procedures for the conduct and scheduling of stockholder meetings; |
| |
● | providing
that directors may be removed prior to the expiration of their terms by stockholders only
for cause; and |
| |
● | advance
notice procedures that stockholders must comply with in order to nominate candidates to our
Board of Directors or to propose matters to be acted upon at a stockholders’ meeting,
which may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies
to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control
of the Company. |
These
provisions, alone or together, could delay hostile takeovers and changes in control of the Company or changes in our Board of Directors
and management.
As
a Delaware corporation, we are also subject to provisions of Delaware law, including Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware (“DGCL”), which prevents some stockholders holding more than 15% of our outstanding Common Stock from engaging
in certain business combinations without approval of the holders of substantially all of our outstanding Common Stock. Any provision
of our Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or Delaware law that has the effect of delaying or deterring
a change in control could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our Common Stock and could
also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our Common Stock.
Risks
Related to Offerings and Ownership of Our Common Stock
The
issuance of our Common Stock pursuant to the Form S-3 Registration Statement may cause dilution and could cause the price of our Common
Stock to fall.
A
substantial majority of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock and exercisable options are freely tradable without restriction or
further registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
The
Company filed an S-3 Registration Statement which was declared effective by the SEC on December 11, 2020. The Registration Statement
contains a Base Prospectus, which covers the offering, issuance and sale by iSun of up to $50,000,000 in the aggregate of our shares
of Common Stock from time to time in one or more offerings.
Pursuant
to a direct offering pursuant to the S-3 Registration Statement the Company sold an aggregate of 840,000 shares of Common Stock and received
aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $10,500,000. The Company entered into a Sales Agreement dated September 30,
2021 as amended (the “Sales Agreement”), with B Riley Capital (the “Agent”). Pursuant to the Sales Agreement,
iSun may offer and sell from time to time up to an aggregate of $39,500,000 of shares of Common Stock (the “Placement Shares”)
through the Agent. Sales of the Placement Shares pursuant to the Sales Agreement, may be made in sales deemed to be “at the market
offerings” (“ATM”) as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act. The Agent will act as sales agent and
will use commercially reasonable efforts to sell on iSun’s behalf all of the Placement Shares requested to be sold by iSun, consistent
with its normal trading and sales practices, on mutually agreed terms between the Agent and iSun. As of March 16, 2023, B. Riley has
sold an aggregate of 4,995,212 shares of Common Stock in ATM offerings and the Company has received aggregate gross proceeds of approximately
$23.5 million.
Sales
of a substantial number of shares of our Common Stock in the public market, future sales of substantial amounts of shares of our Common
Stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our Common Stock to decline.
Increased sales of our Common Stock in the market for any reason could exert significant downward pressure on our stock price.
We
may require additional financing to sustain our operations, without which we may not be able to continue operations, and the terms of
subsequent financings may adversely impact our stockholders.
As
of December 31, 2022, we had negative working capital of $4.5 million, net of non-cash liabilities, and had a net loss of $53.8
million for the year ended December 31, 2022. We may utilize proceeds from the sale of shares in ATM offerings to fund our business
and operations. The extent that we rely on such sales as a source of funding will depend on a number of factors including, the
prevailing market price of our Common Stock and the extent to which we are able to secure working capital from other sources. After
the sale of shares in a registered direct offering providing gross proceeds of $10.5 million and sales of shares in ATM offerings
providing gross proceeds of $23.5 million through March 16, 2023, the Company has the potential to
generate approximately $16.0 million in gross proceeds from additional ATM offerings.
We
may still need additional capital to finance our future plans and working capital needs, and we may have to raise funds through
the issuance of equity or debt securities. Depending on the type and the terms of any financing we pursue, stockholders’ rights
and the value of their investment in our Common Stock could be reduced. A financing could involve one or more types of securities including
Common Stock, preferred stock, convertible debt or warrants to acquire Common Stock. These securities could be issued at or below the
then prevailing market price for our Common Stock. In addition, if we issue secured debt securities, the holders of the debt would have
a claim to our assets that would be prior to the rights of stockholders until the debt is paid. Interest on these debt securities would
increase costs and negatively impact operating results. If the issuance of new securities results in diminished rights to holders of
our Common Stock, the market price of our Common Stock could be negatively impacted.
Should
the financing we require to sustain our working capital needs be unavailable or prohibitively expensive when we require it, the consequences
could be a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition and prospects.
We
expect that the value of the Convertible Notes will be significantly affected by the price of our common stock, which may be
volatile.
The
market price of our common stock, as well as the general level of interest rates and our credit quality, will likely significantly affect
the market price of the Convertible Notes. This may result in significantly greater volatility in the value of the Convertible
Notes than would be expected for nonconvertible debt securities we may issue. We cannot predict whether the price of our common stock
or interest rates will rise or fall. Trading prices of our common stock will be influenced by our operating results and prospects and
by economic, financial, regulatory and other factors. General market conditions, including the level of, and fluctuations in, the trading
prices of stocks generally, could affect the price of our common stock. Holders who receive shares of our common stock upon the conversion
of their Convertible Notes will be subject to the risk of volatile and depressed market prices of our common stock. There can be no assurances
that the market price of our common stock will not fall in the future.
Our
management has broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from our sale of shares of Common Stock under the Sales Agreement with
B. Riley Financial, LLC., you may not agree with how we use the proceeds and the proceeds may not be invested successfully.
Our
management has broad discretion as to the use of the net proceeds from our sale of shares of Common Stock under the Sales Agreement with
B. Riley Financial, LLC and we could use them for purposes other than those contemplated at the time of commencement of the offerings.
Accordingly, you will be relying on the judgment of our management with regard to the use of those net proceeds, and you will not have
the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. It is possible that,
pending their use, we may invest those net proceeds in a way that does not yield a favorable, or any, return for us. The failure of our
management to use such funds effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results
and cash flows.
The
share price of our Common Stock is subject to fluctuation, has been and may continue to be volatile and may decline regardless of our
operating performance, resulting in substantial losses for investors who have purchased shares of our Common Stock.
We
expect that the market price of our Common Stock may continue to be volatile for the foreseeable future. The market price of our Common
Stock may fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control, including the factors listed
below and other factors described in this “Risk Factors” section:
● | actual
or anticipated fluctuations in our operating results; |
| |
● | the
financial projections we may provide to the public, any changes in these projections or our
failure to meet these projections; |
| |
● | failure
of securities analysts to initiate or maintain coverage of our company, changes in financial
estimates by any securities analysts who follow our company, or our failure to meet these
estimates or the expectations of investors; |
| |
● | ratings
changes by any securities analysts who follow our company; |
| |
● | announcements
by us or our competitors of significant technical innovations, acquisitions, strategic partnerships,
joint ventures or capital commitments; |
| |
● | changes
in operating performance and Common stock market valuations of other technology companies
generally; |
| |
● | price
and volume fluctuations in the overall stock market, including as a result of trends in the
economy as a whole; |
| |
● | changes
in our Board of Directors or management; |
| |
● | sales
of large blocks of our Common Stock, including sales by our executive officers, directors
and significant stockholders; |
| |
● | potential
lawsuits threatened or filed against us; |
| |
● | short
sales, hedging and other derivative transactions involving our Common Stock; |
| |
● | general
economic conditions in the United States and abroad; and |
| |
● | other
events or factors, including those resulting from war, incidents of terrorism or responses
to these events. |
In
addition, stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices
of equity securities of many energy companies. Stock prices of many energy companies have fluctuated in a manner unrelated or disproportionate
to the operating performance of those companies. In the past, stockholders have instituted securities action litigation following periods
of market volatility. If we were to become involved in securities litigation, it could subject us to substantial costs, divert resources
and the attention of management from our business and adversely affect our business, operating results, financial condition and cash
flows.
We
have no history of paying dividends on our Common Stock, and we do not anticipate paying dividends in the foreseeable future.
We
have not previously paid dividends on our Common Stock. We currently anticipate that we will retain all of our available cash, if any,
for use as working capital and for other general corporate purposes. Any payment of future dividends will be at the discretion of our
Board of Directors and will depend upon, among other things, our earnings, financial condition, capital requirements, level of indebtedness,
statutory and contractual restrictions applicable to the payment of dividends and other considerations that our Board of Directors deems
relevant. Investors must rely on sales of their Common Stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize
a return on their investment.
Our
Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation authorizes us to issue shares of blank check preferred stock, and issuances of
such preferred stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for such preferred stock, may result in immediate dilution to existing
stockholders.
If
we raise additional funds through future issuances of preferred stock or debt securities convertible into preferred stock, our stockholders
could suffer significant dilution, and any new preferred stock or debt securities that we issue could have rights, preferences and privileges
superior to those of holders of shares of Common Stock. Although we have no present plans to issue any additional shares of preferred
stock, in the event that we issue additional shares of our preferred stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for such preferred
stock, the holders of Common Stock will be diluted. We may choose to raise additional capital using such preferred stock or debt securities
because of market conditions or strategic considerations, even if we believe that we have sufficient funds for our current or future
operating plans.
A
market for our securities may not continue, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
The
price of our securities may fluctuate significantly due to general market and economic conditions. An active trading market for our securities
may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. In addition, the price of our securities can vary due to general economic
conditions and forecasts, our general business condition and the release of our financial reports. Additionally, if our securities become
delisted from Nasdaq for any reason, and are quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, an inter-dealer automated quotation system for equity
securities that is not a national securities exchange, the liquidity and price of our securities may be more limited than if we were
quoted or listed on Nasdaq or another national securities exchange. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be
established or sustained.
If
securities or industry analysts do not publish or cease publishing research or reports about us, our business, or our market, or if they
change their recommendations regarding our Common Stock adversely, the price and trading volume of our Common Stock could decline.
The
trading market for our Common Stock will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts may publish about
us, our business, our market, or our competitors. Securities and industry analysts do not currently, and may never, publish research
on us. If no securities or industry analysts provide coverage of us, our stock price and trading volume would likely be negatively impacted.
If any of the analysts who may cover us change their recommendation regarding our Common Stock adversely, or provide more favorable relative
recommendations about our competitors, the price of our Common Stock would likely decline. If any analyst who may cover us were to cease
coverage of us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our Common
Stock price or trading volume to decline.
Our
executive officers, directors and principal stockholders own a significant percentage of our Common Stock and will be able to exert significant
control over matters subject to stockholder approval.
As
of March 30, 2023, our directors, executive officers and holders of more than 5% of our equity securities, together with their affiliates,
beneficially own approximately 30% of our outstanding shares of Common Stock. As a result, these stockholders have significant influence
to determine the outcome of matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, including the ability to control the election of our
directors, amend or prevent amendment of our Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or effect or prevent a
change in corporate control, merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination. In addition, any sale of a significant amount
of our Common Stock held by our directors, executive officers and principal stockholders, or the possibility of such sales, could adversely
affect the market price of our Common Stock. Our management’s stock ownership may also discourage a potential acquirer from making
a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us, which in turn could reduce our Common Stock price or prevent our stockholders
from realizing any gains from our Common Stock.
Implications
of Being an “Emerging Growth Company”
As
a public reporting company with less than $1.07 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth
company” under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). An emerging growth company may take
advantage of specified reduced reporting requirements that are otherwise generally applicable to public companies. In particular, as
an emerging growth company, we:
● | are
not required to obtain an attestation and report from our auditors on our management’s
assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”); |
● | are
not required to provide a detailed narrative disclosure discussing our compensation principles,
objectives and elements and analyzing how those elements fit with our principles and objectives
(commonly referred to as “compensation discussion and analysis”); |
● | are
not required to obtain a non-binding advisory vote from our stockholders on executive compensation
or golden parachute arrangements (commonly referred to as the “say-on-pay,” “say-on-frequency”
and “say-on-golden-parachute” votes); |
● | are
exempt from certain executive compensation disclosure provisions requiring a pay-for-performance
graph and CEO pay ratio disclosure; |
● | may
present only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”)
disclosure; and |
● | are
eligible to claim longer phase-in periods for the adoption of new or revised financial accounting
standards under §107 of the JOBS Act. |
We
intend to take advantage of all of these reduced reporting requirements and exemptions, including the longer phase-in periods for the
adoption of new or revised financial accounting standards under §107 of the JOBS Act. Our election to use the phase-in periods may
make it difficult to compare our financial statements to those of non-emerging growth companies and other emerging growth companies that
have opted out of the phase-in periods under §107 of the JOBS Act.
Certain
of these reduced reporting requirements and exemptions were already available to us due to the fact that we also qualify as a “smaller
reporting company” under the SEC’s rules. For instance, smaller reporting companies are not required to obtain an auditor
attestation and report regarding internal control over financial reporting, are not required to provide a compensation discussion and
analysis, are not required to provide a pay-for-performance graph or CEO pay ratio disclosure, and may present only two years of audited
financial statements and related MD&A disclosure.
Under
the JOBS Act, we may take advantage of the above-described reduced reporting requirements and exemptions for up to five years after our
initial sale of common equity pursuant to a registration statement declared effective under the Securities Act, or such earlier time
that we no longer meet the definition of an emerging growth company. In this regard, the JOBS Act provides that we would cease to be
an “emerging growth company” if we have more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue, have more than $700 million in market
value of our Common Stock held by non-affiliates, or issue more than $1 billion in principal amount of non-convertible debt over a three-year
period. Under current SEC rules, however, we will continue to qualify as a “smaller reporting company” for so long as we
have a public float (i.e., the market value of common equity held by non-affiliates) of less than $700 million and annual revenue of
less than $100 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter.