26 February 2025
Harmony
Energy Income Trust plc
(the "Company" or "HEIT")
Results for the Financial
Year Ended 31 October 2024
Harmony Energy Income Trust plc,
which invests in commercial scale battery energy storage systems
("BESS") in Great Britain,
announces its results for the financial year ended the 31 October
2024 (the "Period").
Highlights for the Period
include:
·
235.8 MWh / 117.9
MW of BESS assets energised;
·
Portfolio 100%
operational (790.8 MWh /
395.4 MW) across eight projects (the "Portfolio");
·
147%
increase in operational revenue
driven by increased operational capacity;
·
First bp optimised assets commenced trading;
and
·
Estimated 51,945
tonnes of CO2e emissions
avoided.
During the Period, the Company
reached a key milestone as the final projects in the Portfolio
became operational, bringing total operational capacity to 790.8
MWh / 395.4 MW. The Company continues to operate the largest
exclusively 2-hour duration BESS portfolio in GB. Whilst BESS
revenues across GB have remained relatively low, there has been a
recovery from the lows seen in winter 2023/24. Encouragingly,
multiple instances of strong revenue performance were seen,
particularly in spring and summer when high renewable generation
coincided with periods of low consumer demand.
Post-Period, the 2024/25 winter has
seen strong revenue performance during periods when high consumer
demand has coincided with low renewable generation. This
demonstrates BESS's ability to perform well across different
economic and meteorological conditions. Portfolio revenues have
continued to be derived more from Arbitrage than Ancillary
Services, a trend expected to continue, validating the Company's
focus on 2-hour duration BESS assets.
Throughout the Period, the Company's
shares have continued to trade at a significant discount to NAV. In
response to this disconnect between the share price and the
underlying asset value, the Board resolved to explore the sale of
some or all of the Company's assets. An update on this process was
announced on 20 February 2025.
Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) highlights for the
Period include:
· Stored
96,073 MWh renewable energy and avoided an estimated 51,945
tCO2e;
· Improved landscaping plans to target 16% biodiversity net gain
and had zero reportable environmental incidents;
· Supported 36 local causes with £35,000 through five Community
Funds;
· Published first Environmental Policy and Human Rights
Policy;
· Conducted enhanced due diligence on battery supply chain,
where 67% of key suppliers signed its Supplier Code of
Conduct;
· Published first SFDR Article 8 aligned Disclosure, first UN
PRI Transparency Report and second integrated TCFD and TNFD Report;
and
· Recognised by winning the Association of Investment Companies
Best ESG Communication Award and shortlisting for ESG Initiative
Award at Tamarindo Energy Storage Investment
Awards.
Norman Crighton, Chair of Harmony Energy Income Trust plc,
said:
"This year has seen the Company
reach a key milestone, energising 235.8 MWh / 117.9 MW during the
Period and in doing so, making the Portfolio 100% operational at an
opportune moment to take advantage of an improving revenue
environment during the first quarter of the current financial year.
It has been encouraging to see the Portfolio show resilience and
perform well in a variety of economic and meteorological
circumstances over the past 12 months.
"Increasing investment in BESS is an
essential course of action in decarbonising the UK energy system
and a crucial component of the nation's net zero
strategy."
Results presentation
Paul Mason and Max Slade, being the
Managing Director and Commercial Director (respectively) of the
Investment Adviser, will provide a live investor presentation via
the Investor Meet Company platform on 27 February 2025 at 10am
GMT.
The presentation is open to all
existing and potential Shareholders. Questions can be submitted
pre-event via your Investor Meet Company dashboard up until 26
March 2025 at 9am GMT, or at any time during the live
presentation.
Investors can sign up to Investor
Meet Company for free and meet Harmony Energy Income Trust Plc
via:
https://www.investormeetcompany.com/harmony-energy-income-trust-plc/register-investor
Investors who already follow Harmony
Energy Income Trust Plc on the Investor Meet Company platform will
automatically be invited.
In accordance with UK Listing Rule
6.4.1 a copy of the 2024 Financial Statements will shortly be
available for inspection from the National Storage Mechanism
at: https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism.
END
For further information, please
contact:
Harmony Energy Advisors Limited (the "IA")
Paul Mason
Max Slade
Peter Kavanagh
James Ritchie
info@harmonyenergy.co.uk
|
|
Panmure Liberum Ltd
Chris Clarke
Darren Vickers
Will King
|
+44 (0)20 3100 2222
|
Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited
Mark Young
Edward Gibson-Watt
Rajpal Padam
Madison Kominski
|
+44 (0)20 7710 7600
|
Camarco Eddie
Livingstone-Learmonth
Andrew Turner
|
+44 (0)20 3757 4980
|
JTC
(UK) Limited Uloma
Adighibe
Harmony.CoSec@jtcgroup.com
|
+44 (0)20 3832 3877
|
LEI: 254900O3XI3CJNTKR453
About Harmony Energy Advisors Limited (the "Investment
Adviser")
The Investment Adviser is a wholly
owned subsidiary of Harmony Energy Limited.
The management team of the
Investment Adviser have been exclusively focussed on the energy
storage sector (across multiple projects) in GB for over eight
years, both from the point of view of asset owner/developer and in
a third-party advisory capacity. The Investment Adviser is an
appointed representative of Laven Advisors LLP, which is authorised
and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Chair's Statement
Welcome, on behalf of the board of
directors (the "Board"), to
the third Annual Report and Accounts of the Company for the
financial year ("FY")
ending 31 October 2024 (the "Period").
NORMAN CRIGHTON
CHAIR
PORTFOLIO 100% OPERATIONAL
The Company's remaining construction
assets were successfully energised during the Period, taking the
Portfolio to 100% operational. The Portfolio consists of eight
2-hour duration BESS projects totalling 790.8 MWh / 395.4 MW, the
largest exclusively 2-hour duration operating BESS portfolio in GB.
The increase in operational capacity coincided with a
recovery in revenue levels over the final quarter of the
Period and this recovery has accelerated over the first quarter
of FY 2024/25.
DIVIDEND POLICY AND NAV IMPACTED BY CHALLENGING REVENUE
ENVIRONMENT
As has been well reported, a
challenging environment for GB BESS assets emerged during the first
quarter of the Period. Mild temperatures over the winter kept
consumer demand low, and this demand was sufficiently met by
moderate and consistent levels of wind generation. This lack of
volatility, coupled with low wholesale gas prices, reduced
wholesale spreads and Ancillary Service prices. With GB BESS market
revenues being significantly weaker than short-term independent
forecasts, the Board resolved to take a prudent approach to capital
allocation and cash management, culminating in the
cancellation of the Q1 dividend for the
Period and the amendment of the Company's
dividend policy to be more aligned with the Company's performance.
In addition, Harmony Energy Advisors Limited ("HEAL", the "IA" or the "Investment Adviser") promptly
incorporated reduced third-party revenue projections into asset
valuations. These reductions in third-party revenue projections are
a key driver of net asset value which reduced over the Period from
115.40 pence per Ordinary Share to 88.52 pence per Ordinary Share -
a 23% reduction.
SHARE PRICE PERFORMANCE
Despite a successful renegotiation
of the Company's debt facilities in February 2024 to reflect the
Portfolio's evolution from a construction portfolio into an
operating one and to reassure Shareholders of its continued
solvency amidst a low revenue environment, these lower revenues
coupled with rising government bond yields placed downward pressure
on the share price.
The share price recovered by circa
70% between February 2024 and June 2024 before stabilising at
around 50 pence per Ordinary Share during the final third of the
Period. Post-Period end, the share price has rallied further as
investors have reacted to positive updates regarding the Company's
asset sale process.
RECOVERY OF PORTFOLIO REVENUES
Portfolio revenues have also
improved, with revenues over the second quarter of the Period 48%
above those experienced in the first quarter. A key driver for this
was a threefold increase in captured Balancing Mechanism
("BM") volumes in the
spring versus the winter, as software and process enhancements at
National Energy System Operator ("NESO") began to take effect. The
Portfolio continued to capture a high level of BM volumes
over the remainder of the Period. The
Investment Adviser has engaged with NESO (independently and in
collaboration with other industry stakeholders) to drive positive
reform aimed at maximising the utilisation of BESS, to create
efficiencies and cost savings for consumers. NESO continues to
design and launch new revenue products and strategies which are
targeting the improvement in BESS utilisation, the latest being
Quick Reserve launched in November 2024.
Another key driver of revenue
recovery was the high level of renewable penetration during the
second half of the Period. The strong correlation between wind
generation and BESS revenues during this time is a compelling
illustration of the underlying long-term investment case for 2-hour
duration BESS in GB: as wind and solar generation increase their
proportionate share of the GB electricity "stack", wholesale power
spreads are becoming wider and more volatile, increasing Arbitrage
opportunities for BESS. Multiple periods of high wind generation
and low demand created wide peak and off-peak power spreads, most
notably in April and August. Total net revenue generation for the
Period was £16.3 million (£58.2k/MW/Yr) based on a weighted
average operational capacity of 280.4 MW. The portfolio is now
fully operational, increasing the operating capacity by 40%
compared to the weighted average over the Period, which is
anticipated to result in a proportionate rise in revenue generation
in future periods.
POST-PERIOD END REVENUE PERFORMANCE
The revenue recovery during the
Period has since been supplemented with strong revenue performance
in the first quarter of FY 2024/25 (£97.8k/MW/Yr), a stark contrast
to the same quarter in the Period (£46.3k/MW/Yr). The key driver of
this difference is a return to the more traditional winter
conditions where the system has experienced periods of short-term
tight supply margins, where there is a risk
of generation being insufficient to meet demand.
If a spell of cold weather (i.e. high power
demand) coincides with low wind output (low generation), NESO must
rely upon gas-fired power stations to meet demand. Given the
current relatively high wholesale gas prices, these tight margin
events create wide wholesale spreads. Interestingly, in these
conditions the correlation between wind output and BESS revenues
observed during the warmer months is reversed, with BESS revenues
inversely proportionate to wind generation levels. This showcases
the adaptability of BESS and its potential to perform in multiple
economic and meteorological environments. Further analysis of these
trends is explored in the Investment Adviser's report.
ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND GOVERNANCE
("ESG")
During the Period, BESS received
both national and international recognition for its vital role in
global decarbonisation. The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan commits
the UK to increase its energy storage capacity to 23-27 GW by 2030,
with the majority to come from grid-scale batteries. In addition,
58 countries signed the COP 29 Global Energy Storage and Grids
Pledge, aiming to deploy 1,500 GW of energy storage capacity
globally by 2030.
BESS assets play a critical role in
mitigating climate change by allowing the integration of more
renewable electricity into the grid network, reducing a country's
reliance on fossil fuels and lowering the grid's carbon intensity.
During the Period, the Company's assets stored 96,073 MWh
of renewable energy, preventing approximately
51,945 tonnes of CO2e emissions from being released
into the atmosphere and demonstrating the Portfolio's tangible
value to UK decarbonisation efforts.
The Company has always emphasised
the importance of developing and operating our assets safely and
responsibly. In furtherance of this, the Company continued to embed
its ESG strategy across its operations and supply chain. The
Company is proud to have published its first Environmental Policy
and its first Human Rights Policy during the Period. 67% of key
suppliers signed our Supplier Code of Conduct, and the majority of
suppliers that have not signed have confirmed they adhere to
equivalent standards.
This year the Company met its goal
to report its first United Nations Principles for Responsible
Investment ("UN PRI")
Transparency Report. The Company also reported for the first time
in line with the UK's newly implemented Sustainability Disclosure
Regulation ("SDR") and with
the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation ("SFDR"). The Company
believes such disclosures are important for demonstrating
continuing commitment to integrating sustainability risks,
opportunities and potential impacts across and beyond its
operations.
EMERGING RISKS
Whilst the general GB BESS market
appears to be turning a corner, challenges remain, and new risks
continue to emerge as the market evolves. The merchant (and
therefore volatile) nature of the revenues remains a key factor,
and the Investment Adviser continues to explore and analyse various
revenue "tolling" products - an emerging sub-market in this sector
- which could provide an element of fixed pricing in an otherwise
volatile revenue class. A higher-than-expected amount of asset
downtime caused by Distribution Network Operators' ("DNOs", each a "DNO") technical works at local
substations has suppressed revenue performance during the second
half of the Period and the Investment Adviser's continued close
engagement with each DNO (with support from Tesla and bp as the
revenue optimisers to the Portfolio) remains crucial for future
performance. The Company has also recently received unexpected and
unwelcome increases in network charges, increasing forecast opex
for the current financial year. This is a regulatory issue, and the
Company is engaging with Ofgem and the Department of Energy
Security and Net Zero ("DESNZ") to ensure that BESS are charged
fairly and proportionately.
OUTLOOK AND ASSET SALE PROCESS
With 2-hour duration BESS continuing
to demonstrate its ability to outperform shorter-duration peers in
Arbitrage strategies, the Company and its assets remain well placed
to capitalise on the continuing trends of greater utilisation of
BESS and greater renewables penetration. Now that the Portfolio is
100% operational, the Company has a more secure foundation and
positive outlook. If revenue levels going forward are in line with
assumptions used in the Company's valuation models, the Board would
expect this to allow a meaningful covered dividend in relation to
this financial year. However, the Company (along with the wider
renewable infrastructure listed sector) continues to trade at a
discount to published NAV, impacting shareholder returns and
limiting opportunities for capital raisings and growth. After a
prolonged period of trading at a significant discount to NAV, the
Board considered all strategic options and proactively moved to
maximise Shareholder value by exploring the potential for one or
more asset sales, with the objective of proving that the true fair
market value of the assets is not fully reflected in the market
capitalisation of the Company.
On 19 December 2024, the Company
announced that it was progressing to a final stage of negotiations
with a preferred bidder on an exclusive basis and in relation to
the Company's full Portfolio. The Company announced on 20 February
2025 that the substantial due diligence requirements of the
preferred bidder had resulted in an extension of exclusivity until
10 March 2025. Both parties are continuing to progress towards the
conclusion of a definitive agreement which will be conditional upon
Shareholder approval. Should such agreement be approved by
Shareholders, the Company would seek to return net sale proceeds to
Shareholders via a members' voluntary liquidation process as soon
as practicable.
The Company is required to hold an
AGM on or before 30 April 2025 and I look forward to engaging with
our Shareholders at that meeting. In light of the Company's asset
sale process, further details regarding the date and location of
the Company's 2025 AGM will be published at a later date. As set
out in our Prospectus, a continuation resolution will be put at
that AGM if the sales process does not progress.
Norman Crighton
Chair
Investment Adviser's Report
The Investment Adviser is pleased to
deliver its third annual Investment Adviser's Report.
HIGHLIGHTS
235.8 MWh / 117.9 MW
energised during the Period, taking
the Portfolio to 100%
operational
|
|
Current portfolio size:
790.8 MWh / 395.4
MW
|
First bp optimised assets commenced trading
|
|
Eight BESS projects
|
147% INCREASE in operational
revenue driven by increased operational
capacity
|
|
51,945 tCO2e avoided
(estimated)
|
OVERVIEW
The Period saw the Company hit a
significant milestone, with the final projects in the Portfolio
becoming operational, taking the full operational capacity to 790.8
MWh / 395.4 MW. The Company continues to operate the largest
exclusively 2-hour duration BESS portfolio, and the second largest
BESS portfolio (any duration, by MWh) in GB.
Whilst BESS revenues across GB have
remained at relatively low levels, there has been a recovery from
the lows seen in the 2023/24 winter (being the first quarter of the
Period), and it has been encouraging to see multiple instances of
strong revenue performance during the Period, particularly during
spring and summer when high renewable generation coincided with
periods of low consumer demand. Post-Period, the 2024/25 winter has
also seen strong revenue performance during periods when high
consumer demand has coincided with low renewable generation. This
demonstrates how BESS can perform well in a variety of economic and
meteorological circumstances.
Portfolio revenues have continued to
be derived more from Arbitrage than Ancillary Services, a trend
which is expected to continue, and which validates the Company's
focus on 2-hour duration BESS assets.
Throughout the Period, the Company's
shares have continued to trade at a significant discount to NAV,
impacting shareholder returns and limiting opportunities for
capital raisings and growth. In response to this, the Board
resolved to explore the sale of some or all of the Company's
assets. The IA was encouraged by the responses received over two
phases of bidding via a highly competitive process.
On 19 December 2024, the Company
announced that it was progressing to a final stage of negotiations
with a preferred bidder on an exclusive basis and in relation to
the Company's full Portfolio. The Company announced on 20 February
2025 that the substantial due diligence requirements of the
preferred bidder had resulted in an extension of exclusivity until
10 March 2025. Both parties are continuing to progress towards the
conclusion of a definitive agreement which will be conditional upon
Shareholder approval. Should such agreement be approved by
Shareholders, the Company would seek to return net sale proceeds to
Shareholders via a members' voluntary liquidation process as soon
as practicable.
PORTFOLIO UPDATE
The Portfolio is now fully
operational and consists of eight 2-hour duration BESS projects
totalling 790.8 MWh / 395.4 MW.
As previously reported, the
Company's Wormald Green and Hawthorn Pit projects suffered delays
to energisation, caused by the Balance-of-plant contractor running
behind schedule. The Company has successfully settled a claim for
liquidated damages, totalling £1.5 million
across the two projects to compensate for the lost revenue
opportunity.
Hawthorn Pit and Wormald Green are
the Company's first projects to be optimised by bp and the first to
utilise Envision Energy batteries. Whilst some initial challenges
relating to the technical interface between bp's system and the
Envision Energy batteries were experienced (delaying the ability to
perform some Ancillary Services), these challenges have now been
overcome and the IA is encouraged by the optimisation performance
to date, noting especially the significant volume of activity in
the BM.
FINANCING UPDATE
DEBT RESTRUCTURING
The Company drew down the balance of
its £130 million of senior debt facilities during the Period in
order to fund construction milestone payments.
On 21 February 2024, the Company
successfully completed an amendment and restatement of its debt
facilities with NatWest plc and Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A. The
revised structure was put in place in recognition that the
Portfolio would, during the Period, evolve from a construction
portfolio into an operating portfolio. The previous term loan and
revolving credit facility were consolidated into a single long-term
facility with the following key terms:
· facility size of £130 million;
· an
extension of the legal maturity date from June 2027 to February
2031;
· a
reduction in margin to 275 bps over SONIA for the first two years,
rising over time to a maximum of 350 bps in the final year;
and
· a
re-sizing of market standard debt covenant ratios against
conservative revenue forecasts to ensure sufficient headroom in the
low revenue environment experienced during the first quarter of the
Period.
The structure allows for voluntary
prepayments during the term (subject to a fee) and for cash sweeps
in favour of the lenders in the event of material revenue
outperformance above pre-agreed thresholds, enabling an
acceleration of de‑gearing in a cost-efficient manner whilst also
reserving operational free cash flow for shareholder
distributions.
When coupled with the new interest
rate swap referred to below, the aggregate cost of debt equates to
6.85% per annum for the first two years.
HEDGING
At the beginning of the Period, the
Company benefitted from an interest rate cap at a rate of 5.25%. As
part of the debt restructure described above, the Company
terminated its interest rate cap in February 2024 (receiving a
payment of £0.5 million) and replaced it with an interest rate
swap for the SONIA element of the loan. The new interest rate swap fixes the SONIA element of the loan at a
rate of 4.101% per annum.
DIVIDEND POLICY
The Company announced a change to
its dividend policy on 30 May 2024. The updated policy replaces the
previous fixed 8 pence per Ordinary Share annual dividend target
with one more aligned with the Company's performance.
The Board further resolved to cancel
the (previously postponed) first FY 2023/24 quarterly dividend. As
reported elsewhere in this report, the Company has experienced a
recent recovery in revenue levels. If revenues going forward are in
line with assumptions used in the Company's valuation models, the
Board would expect this to allow a covered dividend of circa 4
pence per Ordinary Share in relation to this current financial
year. This guidance will be reviewed at the financial year end
depending upon revenue performance and availability of cash over
the second half of the year.
INTRA-GROUP CAPITAL RESTRUCTURE
The Company has to date injected
cash into subsidiaries predominantly through shareholder loans,
rather than equity subscriptions. As a result of this structure,
the accounting income
recorded by the Company, which is driven mainly by accrued (but not
necessarily paid) interest on shareholder loans, may not match the
actual cash received from
subsidiaries (which is dependent upon Special Purpose Vehicle
("SPV" / project income).
As an investment trust, the Company is required to distribute the
majority of gross income as dividends to shareholders.
In October 2024, the Company and its
subsidiaries (together, the "Group") completed a restructuring of
its capital composition (comprising debt and equity), and reduced
interest income recognised by the Company by writing off accrued
but unpaid interest with the intention of:
a) optimising the
Group's tax position; and
b) more closely aligning
the Company's accounting income to the underlying performance of
its subsidiaries and therefore ensuring any required dividend
payment under investment trust rules better aligns to the cash
generated through operations.
MARKET COMMENTARY
OVERVIEW
A range of revenue streams is
available to BESS projects in GB. These can be split into three
broad categories:
1. Capacity Market
("CM") (see more detailed
information below): BESS projects receive an availability payment
for being ready to respond to a period of potential energy
shortfall, over a contract period of 1 - 15 years;
2. Wholesale Electricity
Trading: Buying wholesale electricity during cheap periods (e.g.
overnight when demand is low and wind generation is high), storing
it for a period of time and then selling when the price increases
(e.g. in the evening when gas-fired power stations are being used).
The spread between the "buy price" and "sell price" determines the
net revenue from the trade. Typically, high renewable penetration
increases spreads as there are likely to be periods when
renewable electricity supply exceeds
demand, pushing pricing close to zero (and sometimes even
negative), whilst gas-fired power stations will still be required
to cover peak demand periods. This in turn leads to greater revenue
opportunities for BESS projects;
3. Balancing Mechanism:
Wholesale markets close one hour before delivery of power. At this
point, NESO analyses the supply and demand position and balances
this by buying and selling electricity. Spreads in the BM are
typically much wider than those seen in wholesale markets, however
BESS has traditionally struggled to capitalise on this due to
legacy systems used by NESO. The Company has witnessed significant
improvements in BESS utilisation in the BM during the Period
as a result of new software developed by NESO. BESS still has a
relatively small share of this lucrative, and growing
market.
4. Ancillary Services:
Short-term contracts with NESO to provide grid
stability.
a. Dynamic Frequency
Response ("DFR"): Contracts
are awarded a day-ahead and are generally awarded in 4-hour blocks.
BESS projects receive an availability payment in return for
responding rapidly (either charging or discharging) to deviations
in frequency of the electricity system.
b. Balancing Reserve
("BR"): Launched in March
2024, this mechanism allows BESS projects to reserve their capacity
to be available via the BM. They receive an availability payment
for doing so and this commitment gives NESO additional comfort that
sufficient BESS capacity will be available to respond to an
imbalance in the supply and demand of electricity throughout the
day.
c. Quick Reserve:
Launched in November 2024, this new service is similar in nature to
BR but requires a much faster response time meaning BESS is the
only technology currently able to provide this service.
GB
BESS REVENUES
Revenues for 2-hour duration BESS
over the Period were on average 14% lower than the previous
financial year. January and February 2024 were the lowest revenue
months, predominantly as a result of low wholesale power price
spreads which in turn led to low Ancillary Service pricing.
Revenues recovered from these lows in the spring, with April, June,
August and October 2024 being the highest revenue-generating
months.
The low revenues at the beginning of
the Period were largely driven by low wholesale spreads as a result
of low gas and carbon pricing which in turn determined the running
cost of gas generators. Since gas was the marginal fuel for
electricity generation throughout the 2023/24 winter, these low
commodity prices translated to relatively low peak electricity
prices, limiting the wholesale spread (the difference between peak
and off-peak pricing) and therefore the revenue opportunity for
BESS.
Over a typical winter, the wholesale
spread is often increased from time to time by extreme price
spikes. Price spikes are caused when the forecast margin between
electricity supply and demand is very low, and the system relies on
less efficient (and therefore more expensive) sources of
electricity generation in order to ensure the lights stay on.
Analysis by Modo Energy highlighted that there were significantly
fewer price spikes in the 2023/24 winter compared to the previous
two winters.
MARKET COMMENTARY
The lack of price spikes was a
result of lower demand during a mild winter (demand has generally
been falling year on year, though is predicted to increase in the
future as a result of the electrification of heat and transport as
well as rising demand from energy intense data centres), coupled
with (generally consistent) generation from wind and
interconnectors at levels sufficient to meet such demand without
the need to call on expensive sources of electricity
generation.
It was hoped that the launch of the
Open Balancing Platform ("OBP") in December 2023 would unlock
significant additional value for BESS in the BM. However, the
initial launch in December 2023 was disrupted by some software bugs
resulting in a brief pause before a re-launch in January 2024. OBP
resulted in a modest increase in BESS volume, however it was not
until the launch of BR in March 2024 that BM volume captured by
BESS increased to a meaningful extent, with 2-hour duration BESS
seeing the largest increase. This increase has been maintained
throughout the year with the BM becoming an increasingly meaningful
part of the Company's revenue stack.
Whilst high wind output over the
winter drove wholesale spreads lower, the opposite occurred during
the spring and summer months. Electricity demand is typically lower
during warmer months, and we increasingly observe periods during
which demand is entirely met by renewable generation. Normal market
principles of supply and demand mean that an oversupply of
renewable (i.e. cheap) generation drives wholesale prices lower, to
discourage further supply. However, since many renewable projects
benefit from government subsidies, it can make sense for generation
to continue even when wholesale pricing is negative - i.e. the
project will pay to generate power provided the subsidy received is
greater than the "cost" of such generation. Negative power prices
create wide wholesale spreads and ideal trading conditions for the
Company as BESS can be paid to import as
well as export electricity. Wholesale prices were negative for a
record 176 hours in 2024 - a 65% increase compared to
2023.
Post-Period, revenues have increased
further during the first quarter of FY 2024/25. Wholesale spreads
in January 2025 hit their highest level since December 2022. In
contrast to the 2023/24 winter, peak wholesale pricing was driven
up due to two key factors: (i) increased commodity (i.e. gas)
prices, which pushed up the spreads, as described above; and
(ii) low wind generation, which caused increased use of gas
peakers (which are relatively small, less efficient gas-fired power
stations designed to run when the system is short of supply and
prices are high). This created multiple days of price spikes which
were absent during the 2023/24 winter. Wind generation levels did
increase in December 2024, but this was during the Christmas period
which typically sees very low demand, leading to more instances of
negative pricing, widening spreads and boosting BESS
revenues.
BALANCING MECHANISM, BALANCING RESERVE AND QUICK
RESERVE
Reserve products are a different
type of Ancillary Service procured by NESO, compared to the DFR
suite of products which have formed the bulk of BESS revenues in
recent years. NESO procures two types of reserve:
BR launched in March 2024 and Quick
Reserve launched in November 2024. Both contracts allow BM
participants to receive (i) an "availability" fee to keep some
capacity in "reserve", ready for instruction from NESO; and (ii)
the normal "pay-as-bid" price for utilisation in the BM (if/when
called upon). Participating BESS must store enough energy to
export/import in line with their contract requirements, so BESS
operators must manage their state of charge carefully, and a 2-hour
duration BESS is better placed to do this than a shorter-duration
BESS.
Since the launch of BR, the
Portfolio has seen BM volume increase by nearly 400%. The month of
September 2024 is an exception to this, but this reduction in
captured BM volume was deliberate. Various assets in the Portfolio
were undergoing firmware upgrades during September and required
short periods of "resting" to balance the state of charge of the
individual battery cells in advance of routine "state-of health"
tests. The launch of Quick Reserve has increased the volume of
Ancillary Services being procured by NESO and has provided welcome
additional revenue opportunities. However, as the period since the
launch of Quick Reserve has coincided with high wholesale spreads,
it is too early to assess the full impact.
REGULATORY UPDATE
In October 2024, the National Grid
Electricity System Operator was taken into public ownership and
replaced with NESO. On 5 November 2024, NESO published the Clean
Power 2030 ("CP30") report
outlining advice to the Government on how to achieve a clean power
system by 2030 in which less than 5% of generation comes from
unabated gas.
On 13 December 2024, DESNZ published
the CP30 Action Plan setting out a pathway to a clean power system
by 2030. This ambitious plan requires an unprecedented acceleration
of renewable plant build-out. For example, offshore wind deployment
would need to accelerate by five times. In addition, significant
upgrades to the transmission network would also be
needed.
The IA believes that CP30 is broadly
positive for BESS, with 23-27 GW required by 2030 (compared to 4.9
GW currently operational). CP30 highlights Northern England and
Southern England as priority areas for BESS which aligns well with
the Portfolio.
Modo Energy forecast that BESS
revenues would be 10% higher than their central forecast if CP30 is
achieved.
The IA has engaged regularly with
NESO since its launch in 2024 and is encouraged by the attitude and
approach to industry collaboration - in particular the focus on
improving the use of BESS in the BM.
In addition to NESO, the IA has also
been engaging with Ofgem and DESNZ in order to highlight some of
the challenges faced by BESS in GB and identify areas for future
improvement. This dialogue has been constructive, and we look
forward to continuing this discussion in the coming
year.
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
The NAV as at 31 October 2024 was
£201.05 million (88.52 pence per Ordinary Share), a reduction of
23.30% (-26.89 pence per Ordinary Share) from the NAV reported as
at 31 October 2023. The NAV total return over the Period was
‑21.57%. NAV total return since IPO is -2.43%.
Material factors which influenced
the NAV over the Period included:
a) lower revenue
assumptions based on the latest revenue forecasts published by
independent providers. The IA pre‑emptively revised its revenue
forecast downwards in January 2024 (prior to the release of updated
third-party revenue curves). However, subsequent revisions were
also made in April and October 2024. The revision to the forecasts
captures a reduction in near-term electricity demand as well as
lower commodity pricing between 2024 and 2029 amounting to a
reduction of 21.11 pence per Ordinary Share;
b) "Other Project
Assumptions" refers to increased operating costs and delays in
construction of the Company's remaining projects, which in
aggregate led to a reduction of 6.04 pence per Ordinary Share. The
changes to operating cost assumptions relate largely to network
charges which are set by DNOs and are not within the control of the
Company;
c) a reduction in
discount rates as projects were revalued when they moved from
construction into operations was offset by a 25 bps increase in
discount rates applied across all projects, leading to a net
reduction of 0.70 pence per Ordinary Share;
d) positive movements
from:
a. free cash flow
generated by project operations amounting to 4.06 pence per
Ordinary Share; and
b. the "NAV roll
forward" impact (which captures the time value of money as the
projects progress) amounting to 6.04 pence per Ordinary Share;
and
e) negative movements
from:
a. interim dividend
payments amounting to 2 pence per Ordinary Share relating to the
fourth quarter of FY 2022/23;
b. debt service over the
Period amounting to 4.65 pence per Ordinary Share;
c. a reduction in the
mark-to-market value of the Company's interest rate swap amounting
to 0.56 pence per Ordinary Share; and
d. fund costs and other
impacts totalling 1.93 pence per Ordinary Share.
REVENUE DURING THE PERIOD
The Company's operational Portfolio
generated revenue (net of all electricity import charges and state
of charge management costs) of £16.3 million over the Period
(£58.2k/MW/Yr). This is despite the Portfolio encountering a
higher-than-usual number of outage events during the Period as
described in more detail below. The Investment Adviser estimates
that, had the Portfolio not suffered these outages, revenue would
have been around 13.5% higher (£63k/MW/Yr).
Revenue is expected to continue to
increase throughout the year, with the Portfolio now fully
operational. Being fully operational has increased the operating
capacity by 40% compared to the weighted average over the Period,
which is anticipated to result in a proportionate rise in revenue
generation. Based on the average revenue during the Period, a fully
operational portfolio would have generated £23m in
revenue.
Wholesale trading and BM accounted
for 78% of Portfolio revenue during the Period, compared to 42% for
the previous financial year. This increase is in line with the IA's
expectation as the Ancillary Services markets remain largely
saturated.
Although only representing 4% of
total revenue over the Period, BR has helped to unlock some of the
potential within the BM since its launch in March 2024, reducing
the relative attractiveness of Ancillary Services.
Ancillary Services are now
predominantly used to charge the batteries, as this is often
cheaper than procuring electricity through wholesale markets. As a
result of this strategy, the net Ancillary Services revenue appears
as a negative element in the revenue stack.
The Portfolio continues to perform
well in the context of the market conditions and the wider GB BESS
fleet. According to BESS Analytics, over the 12-month period from
January 2024 to January 2025, the Portfolio achieved an annualised
weighted average revenue of £70k/MW/year. This represents a 25.5%
outperformance compared to the weighted average annualised revenue
of £55.9k/MW/year recorded by the GB BESS fleet as a whole,
highlighting the value of 2-hour BESS. The Portfolio outperformed
comparable 2-hour BESS portfolios by 5.4%.
CAPACITY MARKET
T-4
Contract Status
All of the Company's assets hold T-4
contracts as shown in the table below. T-4 contracts are
index-linked for a period of up to 15 years. None of the Company's
projects are participating in the T-4
Auction which is due to take place in March 2025.
The IA has decided to reduce the
term of T-4 contracts for the Broadditch and the Farnham projects
from 15 years to 3 years. These projects were awarded T-4
contracts on the basis of their full 2-hour duration, however
testing requirements have subsequently become more onerous and the
Company does not believe the ongoing cost required to maintain this
duration would represent value for money. In relation to delivery
years 2027-28 and onwards, these projects will participate in
auctions on an annual basis.
Projects which secured T-4 contracts
for delivery from 2025 onwards were awarded contracts on the basis
of 1.5-hour duration and therefore are expected to comply with
their obligations without incurring additional expenditure. The IA
is therefore not intending to reduce the duration of T-4 contracts
in relation to any other projects.
T-1
Contract Status
As shown in the table below, the
only projects which do not have a CM contract in place for 2025/26
delivery are Bumpers, Wormald Green and Hawthorn Pit. Bumpers has
successfully pre-qualified for the T-1 Auction due to take place in
March 2025 and it is anticipated that this will result in
additional CM revenue for the 2025/26 delivery period.
Unfortunately, due to CM qualification rules, the Hawthorn Pit and
Wormald Green projects were not able to pre-qualify for this
auction and will seek to secure secondary CM contracts to provide
additional income in this period.
CHART 9: OVERVIEW OF CM CONTRACT INCOME
Capacity Contract Value (£m)
|
2024-25
|
2025-26
|
2026-27
|
2027-28
|
2028-29
|
2029-30
|
2030-31
|
2031-32
|
2032-33
|
2033-34
|
2034-35
|
2035-36
|
2036-37
|
2037-38
|
2038-39
|
2039-40
|
2040-41
|
Pillswood
|
0.8
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
0.9
|
|
Broadditch
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Farnham
|
0.2
|
0.2
|
0.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rusholme
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
|
Little Raith
|
0.4
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
|
Bumpers
|
0.8
|
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
1.1
|
Wormald Green
|
0.3
|
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
Hawthorn Pit
|
0.4
|
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
Total
|
3.3
|
2.0
|
4.1
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
3.8
|
2.0
|
Source: Harmony Energy Advisors
Limited
OPERATING FREE CASH FLOW
Average revenue per MW reduced from
£65.8k/MW in FY 2023 to £58.2k/MW in the Period, a reduction of
11.6%. Despite this, total revenue in the Period rose to £16.3m, a
£9.3m (147%) increase compared to the prior year, driven by the
higher operational capacity.
The final projects commenced
commercial operations in October 2024, bringing the operational
capacity to 395.4 MW, which will lead to further revenue growth in
the coming financial year. This represents a 40% increase in
operational capacity compared to the weighted average for the
Period.
The increase in operational capacity
will not increase the Company's operating costs or interest costs,
so operational free cash is expected to be positive in
future financial years, even under poor
market conditions such as those seen at times during the
Period.
Post Period revenue per MW has been
strong, and the first quarter of FY 2025 has seen average revenue
of £97.8k/MW (a 70% increase compared to the average during the
Period and 97% higher than the same period during the Period).
As a result of higher operating capacity and stronger market
conditions, the Company has earned an estimated £9.7m of revenue
between 1 November 2024 and 31 January 2025, equal to 63% of the
total revenue earned during FY 2024.
TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE
The Portfolio suffered a number of
outages due to DNO technical works, predominantly impacting the
March to June 2024 period. As previously reported:
· the
Company's Little Raith project was curtailed by the DNO during
April whilst the DNO addressed reactive power oscillation issues at
the local substation; and
· the
Bumpers project also experienced low availability in March, May and
June as the DNO performed a series of scheduled outages required to
connect a nearby new solar farm.
Other projects in the Portfolio
experienced short "rest" periods whilst the Company's equipment
supplier, Tesla, performed firmware upgrades, standard annual
capacity tests and Extended Performance Tests required to comply
with CM obligations.
As discussed, availability has been
impacted by a number of grid outages which predominantly related to
connection of neighbouring projects. This work is now complete and
these issues are not expected to repeat going forward. Across the
Portfolio, availability averaged 95% during the Period (including
grid outages), which is slightly lower than the IA's expectation of
98% under normal operating conditions. Excluding grid outages, the
Portfolio's equipment performed well, achieving greater than 99%
availability. The Portfolio's round-trip efficiency was in line
with expectation at 88%.
"Cycles" are a common measure of
battery utilisation, with one cycle being equal to the battery
discharging its full energy capacity (for example, one cycle for a
50 MW, 2-hour duration battery is equal to 100 MWh). During the
Period, the Portfolio has averaged 0.95 cycles per day, which is
lower than assumed in the Company's business plan. Lower cycling
leads to lower degradation, which in turn increases the operational
life of a project.
CHART 10: UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIALS
|
FY2023
|
FY2024
|
Revenue
|
6,607,254
|
16,324,033
|
Liquidated Damages
|
-
|
1,500,000
|
SPV Costs
|
(2,637,322)
|
(6,389,061)
|
HEIT Costs
|
(2,009,133)
|
(1,713,494)
|
Management Fee
|
(2,163,222)
|
(1,093,542)
|
Interest Cost
|
(3,248,173)
|
(10,369,280)
|
Tax
|
(26,624)
|
(741,270)
|
Operational Free Cash Flow
|
(3,477,219)
|
(2,482,614)
|
Weighted Average Operational
MW
|
100.4
|
280.4
|
Annualised Revenue / MW
(£k/MW/Yr)
|
65,823
|
58,216
|
Annualised SPV Costs / MW
(£k//MW/Yr)
|
26,274
|
22,785
|
Source: Harmony Energy Advisors
Limited
MARKET OUTLOOK
The IA expects to see the continued
correlation between renewable penetration and BESS revenues as we
move through 2025. Following on from 2024's record number of
negatively priced hours in the wholesale market, we expect that
this record will be broken in 2025, providing continued
opportunities for BESS.
The encouraging progress made in
relation to BESS activations in the BM is expected to continue with
further updates to NESO's OBP system and greater transparency in
relation to decisions made by NESO's control room.
The revenues generated in the first
quarter of FY 2024/25 demonstrate the inherent value of the
Portfolio but also highlight its potential volatility (recovering
from record lows in January 2024). To this end the IA continues to
explore options to smooth this volatility whilst continuing to
benefit from market opportunities as they arise. This includes
continuously reviewing the trading and optimisation arrangements
across the Portfolio.
The BESS market is well-served by a
large number of specialist revenue optimiser service providers.
These companies employ large teams to ensure they can deliver in an
increasingly complex market with a growing number of products. At
the same time, the cost charged by these third parties is reducing
and there are increasingly interesting opportunities for BESS to
procure increased revenue certainty through the strategic use of
tolling or other hedging agreements.
Whilst the IA has direct experience
designing trading algorithms for BESS, it does not believe that it
is in shareholder interest to bring this function in-house and is
therefore focussed on using its expertise to procure, collaborate
with and monitor strong optimisation partners.
CHART 11: KEY PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS
|
As at
31 October 2024
|
As at
31 October 2023
|
Key
Performance Indicators
|
|
|
NAV (£)
|
201,047,350
|
262,108,092
|
NAV per Ordinary Share
(p/share)
|
88.52
|
115.40
|
Dividends paid (£)
|
4,542,566
|
15,727,698
|
Dividends per Ordinary Share
(p/share)
|
2p
|
7p
|
Alternative Performance Measures
|
|
|
Adjusted NAV (£)
|
201,039,406
|
262,108,092
|
Adjusted NAV Total Return
(%)
|
-21.6%
|
1.2%
|
Revenues from Operations
(£)
|
15,963,023
|
6,698,540
|
Dividends per Ordinary Share
declared and paid in relation to Period (p/share)
|
0p
|
8p
|
Other Performance Measures
|
|
|
Operational Capacity (Period end)
(MWh / MW)
|
790.8 MWh
/ 395.4MW
|
555 MWh /
277.5 MW
|
Weighted Average Operational
Capacity (MW)
|
280.4
|
100.5
|
Weighted Average Revenue per MW
Operational (£/MW/Year)
|
58,217
|
66,631
|
Source: Harmony Energy Advisors
Limited
POST-PERIOD EVENTS
Despite the positive market outlook,
the Company continues to trade at a discount to published NAV,
impacting shareholder returns and limiting opportunities for
capital raisings, growth, and shareholder returns. In order to
explore opportunities to deliver value to Shareholders, the Board
engaged Jones Lang LaSalle ("JLL") in May 2024 with a mandate to
seek offers for some or all of the Portfolio. This exercise
attracted strong interest from multiple bidders, reflecting the
quality of the assets as well as their scarcity value, with no
other portfolio of 2-hour duration operational assets available for
sale in the GB market. On 19 December 2024, the Company announced
that it was progressing to a final stage of negotiations with a
preferred bidder on an exclusive basis and in relation to the
Company's full Portfolio. The Company announced on 20 February 2025
that the substantial due diligence requirements of the preferred
bidder had resulted in an extension of exclusivity until 10 March
2025. Both parties are continuing to progress towards the
conclusion of a definitive agreement which will be conditional upon
Shareholder approval. Should such agreement be approved by
Shareholders, the Company would seek to return net sale proceeds to
Shareholders via a members' voluntary liquidation process as soon
as practicable.
Alternative Investment Fund Manager's Report
BACKGROUND
The Alternative Investment Fund
Manager's Directive (the "AIFMD") came into force on 22 July
2013. The objective of the AIFMD was to ensure a common regulatory
regime for funds marketed in or into the EU which are not regulated
under the UCITS regime. This was primarily for investors'
protection and also to enable European regulators to obtain
adequate information in relation to funds being marketed in or into
the EU to assist their monitoring and control of systemic risk
issues.
JTC Global AIFM Solutions Limited
(the "AIFM") is a non-EU
Alternative Investment Fund Manager (a "Non-EU AIFM"), the Company is a non-EU
Alternative Investment Fund (a "Non-EU AIF") and the Company is
currently marketed only into the UK. Although the AIFM is a non-EU
AIFM, so the depositary rules in Article 21 of the AIFMD do not
apply, the transparency requirements of Articles 22 (Annual report)
and 23 (Disclosure to investors) of the AIFMD do apply to the AIFM
and therefore to the Company. In compliance with those articles,
the following information is provided to the Company's Shareholders
by the AIFM.
1.
Material Changes in the Disclosures to Investors
During the financial year under
review, there were no material changes to the information required
to be made available to investors under Article 23 of the AIFMD
before they invest in the Company, from the information set out in
the Company's prospectus dated 15 October 2021. The only exceptions
are those disclosed below and in certain sections of the annual
financial report, being the Chair's Statement, Investment Adviser's
Report, the sections headed "Environmental, Social, and
Governance", "Principal Risks and Uncertainties", "Section 172
Statement" and "Viability and Going Concern", the Directors' Report
and Corporate Governance Report and note 2 to the financial
statements.
2.
Risks and Risk Management Policy
The current principal risks facing
the Company and the main features of the risk management systems
employed by the AIFM and the Company to manage those risks are set
out in the section headed "Principal Risks and Uncertainties", the
Directors' Report, the Report of the Audit and Risk Committee (the
"ARC" or "Committee") and in note 15 to the
financial statements.
3.
Leverage and Borrowing
The Company is entitled to employ
leverage in accordance with its investment policy as set out in the
Company's prospectus. At the start of the year under review, the
Company had via its subsidiaries £130 million of senior debt
facilities, consisting of a £20 million unhedged revolving credit
facility and a £110 million term loan facility, hedged by way of an
interest rate cap of 5.25%. As part of the debt restructure
detailed in the Investment Advisor's report, the Company terminated
its interest rate cap in February 2024, receiving a payment of £0.5
million, and replaced it with an interest rate swap for the SONIA
element of the loan. The new interest rate swap fixed the SONIA
element of the loan at a rate of 4.101% per annum. As at the
balance sheet date and as at the date of this report, the Company's
subsidiary HEIT Holdings Ltd had drawn down £130 million. Other
than the non-material amendment described in the paragraph entitled
"Borrowing Policy" in the Strategic Report, there were no changes
in the Company's borrowing powers and policies.
4.
ESG
Because the AIFM is a non-EU AIFM
and the Company is not marketed into the European Economic Area
("EEA"), the AIFM is not
required to comply with Regulation (EU) 2019/2099 on
Sustainability-Related Disclosures in the Financial Services Sector
(the "SFDR"). However, the
Company has voluntarily chosen to report in line with Article 8 of
the SFDR and details of the Company's and its advisers' ESG
objectives and actions taken are reported on in the section of this
annual financial report entitled "Environmental, Social, and
Governance."
As a member of the JTC group of
Companies, the AIFM's ultimate beneficial owner and controlling
party is JTC Plc, a Jersey-incorporated company whose shares
have been admitted to the Official List of the UK's Financial
Conduct Authority ("FCA")
and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for
Listed Securities (mnemonic JTC LN, LEI 213800DVUG4KLF2ASK33). In
the conduct of its own affairs, the AIFM is committed to best
practice in relation to ESG matters and has therefore adopted JTC
Plc's ESG framework (the "ESG
Framework") and a copy of the ESG Framework can be viewed
online at https://www.jtcgroup.com/esg/.
As at the date of this report, JTC
Plc is a signatory of the UN PRI. The JTC group is also carbon
neutral, works to support the achievement of various U.N.
Sustainable Development Goals and reports under the Task Force on
Climate-related Financial Disclosures ("TCFD") and the SASB
framework.
The AIFM is also cognisant of the
announcement published by H.M. Treasury in the UK of its intention
to make mandatory by 2025 disclosures aligned with the
recommendations of the Task Force on
Climate-Related Disclosures, with a significant proportion of
disclosures mandatory by 2023. The AIFM also notes the roadmap and
interim report of the UK's Joint Government-Regulator TCFD
Taskforce published by H.M. Treasury on 9 November 2020. The AIFM
continues to monitor developments and
intends to comply with the UK's regime to the extent either
mandatory or desirable as a matter of best practice.
The AIFM and Harmony Energy Advisors
Limited ("HEAL") as the
Company's alternative investment fund manager and investment
adviser respectively do consider ESG matters in their respective
capacities, as explained in the Company's
prospectus dated 15 October 2021, a copy of which can be found on
the AIFM's website at
https://www.jtcgroup.com/services/funds/aifmd/harmony-energy-income-trust-plc/.
Since the publication of those
documents, the AIFM, HEAL and the Company have continued to enhance
their collective approach to ESG matters and detailed reporting on
(a) enhancements made to each party's policies, procedures and
operational practices and (b) our collective future intentions and
aspirations is included in the TCFD report, the Task Force on
Nature-related Financial Disclosures ("TNFD") report, the ESG section and the
Section 172 Statement.
The AIFM also has a comprehensive
risk matrix (the "Matrix"),
which is used to identify, monitor and manage material risks to
which the Company is exposed, including ESG and sustainability
risks, the latter being an ESG event or condition that, if it
occurred, could cause an actual or a potential material negative
impact on the value of an investment. We also consider
sustainability factors, those being environmental, social and
employee matters, respect for human rights, anti‑corruption and
anti-bribery matters.
5.
Remuneration of the AIFM's Directors and
Employees
During the FY, no separate
remuneration was paid by the AIFM to two of its executive
directors, Graham Taylor and Kobus Cronje, because they were both
employees of the JTC group of companies, of which the AIFM forms
part. The third executive director, Matthew
Tostevin, is paid a fixed fee of £10,000 for acting as a director.
Mr Tostevin is paid additional remuneration on a time spent basis
for services rendered to the AIFM and its clients. Other than the
directors, the AIFM has no employees. The Company has no agreement
to pay any carried interest to the AIFM. During the year under
review, the AIFM paid £10,000 in fixed fees and £40,050.79 in
variable remuneration to Mr
Tostevin.
6.
Remuneration of the AIFM Payable by the Company
The AIFM was during the Period paid
a fee of 0.03% per annum
of the equity capital raised by the Company, subject to a minimum
of £30,000 per annum, such
fee being payable quarterly in arrears. Subsequent secondary issues
of shares of the Company in the primary market are supported on a
time spent basis, subject to a cap of £10,000 per each such issue.
Other significant non-routine work may be agreed between the AIFM
and the Company from time to time and charged for on a time spent
basis. The total fees paid to the AIFM during the year under review
were £67,434.
JTC
Global AIFM Solutions Limited
Alternative Investment Fund
Manager
25 February 2025
Strategic Report
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The Company's investment objective
is to provide an attractive and sustainable level of income
returns, with the potential for capital growth, by investing in
commercial scale storage and renewable energy generation projects,
with an initial focus on a diversified portfolio of BESS located in
Great Britain ("Projects").
INVESTMENT POLICY
The Company seeks to achieve its
investment objective through investment in energy storage and
complementary renewable energy generation assets, with an initial
focus on commercial scale BESS located in diverse locations across
Great Britain.
For the purposes of this policy,
unless the context otherwise requires, words and expressions
defined in the Company's Prospectus shall have the same meanings
where used in this policy.
The Company may invest in
"operational", "under construction" or "shovel ready" projects, and
may also provide development finance to pipeline
projects.
PROJECTS WHICH ARE "SHOVEL READY" WILL HAVE IN
PLACE:
· completed lease, lease option or agreement for lease in
relation to the land upon which that project is
situated;
· planning permission enabling the construction of a suitable
project on that land (subject to any amendments to reflect final
technical specifications);
· an
industry standard grid connection offer from a DNO or Transmission
System Operator ("TSO");
and
· a BESS
supply & installation contract with material terms agreed with
a reputable counterparty.
PROJECTS WHICH ARE "UNDER CONSTRUCTION" WILL IN ADDITION, HAVE
IN PLACE:
· an
agreed lease on satisfactory terms;
· an
accepted industry standard grid connection offer from a DNO or TSO,
and having made at least one milestone payment; and
· a
fully executed BESS supply & installation contract with a
reputable counterparty.
PROJECTS WHICH ARE "OPERATIONAL" WILL, IN ADDITION, HAVE IN
PLACE:
· completed lease on satisfactory terms in relation to the land
upon which that project is situated;
· an
executed grid connection agreement with a DNO; and
· satisfactory completion of relevant commissioning
tests.
TARGET REVENUE SOURCES
It is intended that, once
operational, the main revenue streams from the Company's portfolio
of Projects will be from the following sources:
· Ancillary Services - Projects may generate revenues from short-term contracts
procured via regular competitive auctions through which the Company
and/or its subsidiaries will provide, on a firm basis, dynamic or
non-dynamic response services to NESO as part of its efforts to
cater for changes in network system frequency, balancing the grid
and avoiding power outages;
· Asset
optimisation - Projects may generate revenues from importing and
exporting power in the wholesale market and the NESO-administered BM; and
· Capacity Markets - Projects may
generate revenues by access to the benefit of contracts, or through
entering into new contracts, to provide back-up capacity power to
NESO as the Electricity Market Reform delivery body via Capacity
Market contracts of varying terms between 1 year and 15 years in
duration.
The contractual arrangements which
the Company will put in place in respect of its portfolio of
Projects are expected to benefit from diversification across a
number of different income streams with various contract lengths,
counterparties and return profiles.
These revenue sources will
inevitably evolve as the UK energy and energy storage markets and
NESO policy and practice develop, and as such the Company intends
to adapt its contractual arrangements to procure what it considers
to be the most advantageous revenue streams as the market develops.
If suitably attractive terms were available, this could include the
Company engaging with third-party service providers to increase
levels of contracted income across the Portfolio.
BESS TECHNOLOGY
The Company intends to invest
primarily in BESS projects using 2-hour lithium-ion battery
technology, as such technology is believed by the Investment
Adviser to offer the most efficient operation and return profile
and has a number of advantages over shorter duration batteries.
However, the Company remains agnostic as to which energy storage
and generation technology is used by the projects in which it
invests and will monitor projects and may invest in projects with
alternative technologies (including different duration batteries
and combinations and co-location of such technologies), where they
meet the Company's investment objective and policy.
Each BESS project will contain a
battery system with a number of battery modules in each stack, each
of which is independent and can be replaced separately. This
reduces the impact of failure of one or more battery modules and
therefore offers protection against the potential risk of the
operation of a project being interrupted.
INVESTMENT IN AND OWNERSHIP OF PROJECTS
The Company intends to invest with a
view to holding assets until the end of their useful life. However,
projects may also be disposed of, or otherwise realised, where the
Investment Adviser recommends that such realisation is in the
interests of the Company. Such circumstances may include (without
limitation) disposals for the purposes of realising or preserving
value, or of realising cash resources for reinvestment or
otherwise.
The Company may also consider
investing in the re-powering of projects by replacing degraded
cells in order to extend project cash flows or increasing the
capacity of projects where the grid connection is
under-utilised.
The Company will typically achieve
legal and operational control of projects through direct or
indirect stakes of 100% in the relevant Project Companies and may
use a range of investment instruments in the pursuit of its
investment objective, including but not limited to debt and equity
instruments.
In certain circumstances, the
Company may participate in joint ventures or co-investments,
including (without limitation) with other investors or entities
with whom members of the Harmony Group have developed assets, where
this approach enables the Company, within its investment policy, to
gain exposure to assets which the Company would not otherwise be
able to acquire on a wholly-owned basis. In such circumstances the
Company will seek to secure its shareholder rights through
contractual and other arrangements to, inter alia, ensure that the
projects are operated and managed in a manner that is consistent
with the Company's investment policy.
DEVELOPMENT FINANCE
The Company may provide loan finance
to Pipeline Projects prior to an anticipated acquisition
("Pre-Acquisition
Development Loans"). Such
finance may be for the commissioning of design works,
pre-construction studies (including but not limited to geotechnical
studies), acquisition of equipment or other development costs for
the furtherance of the relevant project, provided that no more than
10% of Gross Asset Value (calculated at the time that finance is
provided based on the latest available valuations) may be exposed
in aggregate to such loans.
The Company may also provide funding
via loans or equity contributions to Project Companies which are
owned by the Company ("Post-Acquisition Development Finance")
for the purposes of:
a) evaluating and/or
executing asset management initiatives which the Investment Adviser
reasonably believes to be value accretive and supportive of the
Company's overall target return, such as extension or amendment of
leases and/or renegotiation of consents or grid connection
agreements to increase import/ export capacity; or
b) developing
complementary renewable generation infrastructure to be owned and
operated by the relevant Project Company. This funding may be used
for any reasonable development expenses such as preliminary design
work, planning applications and/ or commercial studies, provided in
all cases that no more than 10% of Gross Asset Value (calculated at
the time that finance is provided based on the latest available
valuations) may be exposed in aggregate to such finance.
The total aggregate exposure of the
Company to Pre-Acquisition Development Loans and Post-Acquisition
Development Finance will not exceed 15% of Gross Asset Value
(calculated at the time that finance is provided based on the
latest available valuations).
COMPLEMENTARY RENEWABLE GENERATION ASSETS
Whilst the Company's primary focus
under its investment policy is to invest in BESS and other energy
storage projects, the Company may also invest in renewable
generation assets where it would be attractive to do so.
This may include projects with
co-located BESS and solar PV generation sharing the same grid
connection or stand-alone solar PV projects, where these would
be complementary to the Company's other
investments and support the Company's overall target return,
subject to the investment restrictions below.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The Company aims to achieve
diversification principally through investing in a range of
projects benefitting from different income streams with different
counterparties and located in different regions of Great Britain.
The Company will observe the following investment restrictions when
making investments:
· following the acquisition of the Seed Projects by the Company,
the acquisition price of any single project shall not exceed 20% of
the Company's Gross Asset Value measured at the time of
investment;
· following the acquisition of the Seed Projects, the Company
will seek to ensure that it has holding interests in not less than
five separate projects at any one time;
· no
more than 35% of Gross Asset Value, calculated immediately
following each investment, will be invested in Projects which are
not BESS projects;
· no
more than 25% of Gross Asset Value, calculated immediately
following each investment, will be invested in assets in relation
to which the Company does not hold a direct or indirect stake of
100%;
· no
more than 10%, in aggregate, of the value of the total assets of
the Company at Initial Admission will be invested in UK listed
closed-ended investment funds;
· the
Company will not conduct any trading activity which is significant
in the context of the Group as a whole; and
· no
investments will be made in fossil fuel assets, including fossil
fuel-powered generators.
Compliance with the above
restrictions will be measured at the time of investment and
non-compliance resulting from changes in the price or value of
assets following investment will not be considered as a breach of
the investment restrictions.
Individual projects will be held
within special purpose vehicles into which the Company will invest
through equity and/or debt instruments. It is intended that each
Project Company will hold one project but a Project Company may own
more than one project.
The investment restrictions will be
applied on a look-through basis.
BORROWING POLICY
The Company may raise debt and may
consider having leverage (at the Company level and/or the Project
Company level) provided that it has sufficient assets and to the
extent funding is available on acceptable terms. In addition, it
may from time-to-time use borrowing for short-term liquidity
purposes which could be achieved through a loan facility or other
types of collateralised borrowing instruments. The Company is
permitted to provide security to lenders in order to borrow money,
which may be by way of mortgages, charges or other security
interests or by way of outright transfer of title to
the Company's assets. The Directors will restrict
borrowing (excluding letters of credit issued on behalf of the
Company in favour of either Elexon or EPEX) to an amount not
exceeding 49% of the Company's net asset value at the time of
drawdown. On 28 January 2025 the Board approved a non-material
amendment to the Company's borrowing policy so that, in the
unlikely event of a call under any letter of credit issued from
time to time by the Company's lenders in favour of Elexon and/or
EPEX (in relation to imbalance settlement processing and/or trading
collateral, respectively) such event would not count towards the
Company's borrowing limit.
In circumstances where these
aforementioned limits are exceeded as a result of gearing of one or
more Project Companies in which the Company has a non-controlling
interest, the borrowing restrictions will not be deemed to be
breached. However, in such circumstances, the matter will be
brought to the attention of the Board who will determine the
appropriate course of action.
CURRENCY, HEDGING POLICY AND DERIVATIVES
Efficient portfolio management
techniques may be employed by the Company, and this may include (as
relevant) currency hedging, interest rate hedging
and power price hedging. Derivatives may be used
for currency, interest rate and power price hedging purposes as set
out below and for efficient portfolio management. However, the
Directors do not anticipate that extensive use of derivatives will
be necessary.
CASH MANAGEMENT
The Company may hold cash on deposit
and may invest in cash equivalent investments, which may include
short-term investments in money market type funds ("Cash and Cash Equivalents").
There is no restriction on the
amount of Cash and Cash Equivalents that the Company may hold and
there may be times when it is appropriate for the Company to have a
significant Cash and Cash Equivalents position. For the avoidance
of doubt, the restrictions set out above in relation to investing in UK listed closed-ended investment
companies do not apply to money market type funds.
CHANGES TO AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE INVESTMENT
POLICY
Any material change to the Company's
investment policy set out above will require the approval of
Shareholders by way of an ordinary resolution at a general
meeting.
In the event of a breach of the
investment guidelines and the investment restrictions set out
above, the AIFM shall inform the Board upon becoming aware of the
same and if the Board considers the breach to be material,
notification will be made to a Regulatory Information
Service.
For the purposes of the investment
policy, "Gross Asset Value"
means the aggregate of (i) the fair value of the Company's
underlying investments (whether or not subsidiaries), valued on an
unlevered basis, (ii) the Company's proportionate share of the cash
balances and cash equivalents of assets and non-subsidiary
companies in which the Company holds an interest and (iii) other
relevant assets and liabilities of the Company (including cash)
valued at fair value (other than third-party borrowings) to the
extent not included in (i) or (ii) above.
BUSINESS MODEL
The Company expects to invest
predominantly in projects at the "shovel ready" stage since these
are likely to provide the most attractive returns. The Company may
also invest in projects at the "operational" and "under
construction" stage where such projects are available for
acquisition in line with the Company's investment
policy.
The Company seeks to enhance further
the efficacy of its Portfolio by targeting 2-hour duration storage
technologies.
The Company has the unfettered
ability to purchase qualifying assets from any seller. The
Investment Adviser is experienced in sourcing and advising on BESS
transactions and continues to evaluate potential opportunities on
the open market. However, at least over the near-term, it is
anticipated that the Company will continue to take advantage of its
exclusive arrangements described below.
The Company benefits from exclusive
access to a well-developed pipeline of BESS projects at various
stages of development in Great Britain. Each project within this
pipeline is controlled by Harmony Energy Limited either solely or
in conjunction with its joint venture partner, Ritchie-Bland Energy
(number 2) Ltd ("RBE") (the
"Sellers"). This
exclusivity is in the form of:
a) ROFR to acquire up to
1 GW of BESS projects from the Sellers; and
b) a right of first
offer ("ROFO") in relation
to (i) BESS projects once the 1 GW ROFR threshold has been reached;
(ii) BESS projects co-located with solar photovoltaics
("PV"); or (iii) stand-
alone solar PV
projects.
The processes under which these
rights are exercised are set out in a pipeline agreement dated 14
October 2021 and entered into between the Company and the Sellers
(the "Pipeline Agreement").
The Sellers have an obligation to keep the
Company informed as to the development progress of potential
projects. This provides the Company with an element of transparency
which, in turn, allows the Company a reasonable level of certainty
around funding timetable and portfolio growth planning.
The terms of the Pipeline Agreement
provide that the Sellers shall be prohibited from selling any
qualifying projects to any other party during the term of the
agreement without first offering them to the Company. Upon any
projects becoming "shovel ready", the Sellers shall give notice of
such status to the Company. The Company will then be entitled to
either (i) if the ROFR applies, acquire the relevant project
pursuant to the terms of the pro forma share purchase agreement
(and subject to a valuation calculated using a minimum discount
rate); or (ii) if the ROFO applies, make an offer to the Sellers
pursuant to the Pro Forma Share Purchase Agreement.
The Company has, as at the date of
publication of this report, either acquired or waived its right to
acquire 630.6 MW of "shovel ready" BESS projects, leaving 369.4 MW
still capable of acquisition under the ROFR.
All acquisitions are subject to
satisfactory external due diligence, independent valuation and
board approval.
The Company will continue to target
BESS projects with 2-hour duration capability. As demonstrated in
the "Market Commentary" section, the Investment Adviser believes
that 2-hour duration BESS offers potential for revenue
outperformance relative to a shorter-duration BESS across a range
of market conditions.
DIVIDEND POLICY
As previously reported, the Company
announced a change to its dividend policy on 30 May 2024. The new
policy replaced the previous fixed 8 pence per Ordinary Share
annual dividend target with a dynamic policy which is more able to
reflect the market at any given time. The new dividend policy
provides for an ongoing commitment to distribute, by way of interim
dividends and subject to maintenance of a suitable working capital
buffer, a minimum of 85% of operational free cash flow, such
amounts to be determined by the Board, declared and paid on a
semi-annual basis.
Principal Risks and Uncertainties
The Board recognises the importance
of effective risk management in enabling the Company to deliver its
strategic objectives. The investment policy, as set out in the
Prospectus and as amended from time to time, details the risk
boundaries within which the Board wishes to operate.
WHAT WE MONITOR
The Company's risk register was
prepared based on the risks stated in the Prospectus and is
regularly reviewed by the Investment Adviser, the AIFM and the
Board and updated to reflect any emerging risks or changes to the
identified risks. Day-to-day ownership of risk sits with named
individuals at the Investment Adviser, who monitor and assess both
current and emerging risks. Risks are categorised and assessed to
determine likelihood and impact. Ratings
are applied to the risks before any mitigating action and again
following consideration of the adequacy of mitigating actions.
Mitigating actions are summarised in the risk register and are
subject to review and monitoring.
HOW
WE MONITOR RISK
The Board retains ultimate
responsibility for the Company's activities and board meetings are
held at least four times a year, at which the risk register of the
Company is reviewed and updates are reported by the AIFM on any
changes to the risks or their ratings.
The ARC meets at least three times
each year. The Committee reviews the adequacy and effectiveness of
the Company's internal controls and risk management systems and
every six months it carries out a reassessment of the principal
risks facing the Company.
The AIFM provides risk management
services to the Company, including implementation of risk
management policies to identify, measure, manage and monitor the
risks that the Company is or might be exposed to and ensuring that
the Company's risk management policy and implementation comply with
applicable regulations.
Representatives of the AIFM meet
with representatives of the Investment Adviser at least quarterly
to review the risk register and discuss any changes proposed. The
proposed updates to the Company's risk register are
further reviewed and approved by the AIFM's
internal Risk Committee in advance of circulation to the
Board.
The identified risk owners within
the Investment Adviser are responsible for formal quarterly
reporting of current and emerging risks and issues to the
Investment Adviser's leadership. A formal quarterly review of the
risk register is carried out by the Investment Adviser and any
recommendations for updates are made to the AIFM. Any major
emerging risks and issues are escalated outside of the quarterly
review framework.
TABLE OF PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES
The Board considers the following to
be the principal risks and uncertainties facing the Company as at
the date of approval of the accounts. The risks are presented in
order of significance based on net residual risk, following
mitigations.
Due to the nature of the Company's
activities, climate and the natural environment are central to its
key strategic, investment, and operational decisions. During the
Period, the Company conducted a screening assessment with
specialist third-party consultants to identify material climate-
and nature-related financial risks, opportunities, dependencies and
impacts. HEAL has worked closely with the AIFM to integrate the
risks identified as part of the recent screening into the risk
register. Following careful consideration of these risks by the
Board, none of the risks identified was considered to be
sufficiently material to qualify as a principal risk.
EXISTING RISKS
RISK DESCRIPTION
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POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES
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MITIGATING ACTIONS
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MERCHANT NATURE OF BESS REVENUES
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|
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Lower-than-expected market price of
Ancillary Services, revenues generated from wholesale trading
and/or the BM. NESO is responsible for the structure and the
operation of both the BM and the Ancillary Service markets, and
wholesale trading prices are influenced by factors outside of the
Company's control. In addition, revenue optimisers may not perform
as effectively as expected.
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• Reduced revenue.
• Reduced NAV.
• Inability to declare future
dividends.
• Inability to pay debts as
they become due.
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• Subscriptions to Aurora for
long- term revenue forecasts, regular market intelligence and
understanding of macro-drivers.
• Engagement with industry
stakeholders and policymakers, including NESO.
• Scrutiny of revenue
optimiser performance to maintain high standards. The Company uses
various revenue optimisers, reducing the impact of any one
optimiser not performing as effectively as expected.
• Close monitoring of cash
flow levels and scenario modelling to ensure mitigating actions can
be implemented in a timely manner to improve cash position if
necessary.
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CONTINUATION VOTE
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|
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By the end of 2024, HEIT's NAV was
lower than £250m, which triggered a continuation vote to be
proposed at the 2025 AGM.
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· Commencement of HEIT managed wind down.
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· The Board, the IA and the Joint Brokers continue to engage with
Shareholders to keep them abreast of the market conditions and the
Portfolio performance.
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RELIANCE ON GRID NETWORK
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Grid network power lines may fail.
Impedance to battery charge/discharge.
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• Reduced revenue.
• Inability to declare future
dividends.
• Inability to pay debts as
they become due.
• Reduced energy storage/ supply to the off-taker.
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• The Investment Adviser works
closely with DNOs to manage and schedule planned outages to times
when they would least affect revenues.
• Business interruption claims
with its insurance underwriter can be brought by HEIT after 30 days
of inactivity.
• HEIT has several 50 MW or
less sites that are spread geographically rather than focusing on a
few 100 MW+ sites.
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RELIANCE ON THE HARMONY ENERGY GROUP
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|
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The Portfolio requires significant
management time and resources provided by, among others, the IA and
HEL in order for HEIT to meet its Investment Objective.
|
• In the case of loss of key
personnel, the quality of the services provided by the IA to HEIT
may be adversely affected.
• In the case of loss of key
personnel, the quality of the Portfolio assets may
decline.
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• The management of the IA and
HEL have made significant personal investment into the Company and
have therefore aligned their interests with those of
Shareholders.
• The IA has committed to
always have sufficient resources in place to manage the Portfolio
and failure to do so may result in the Company appointing another
investment adviser.
• The Management Engagement
Committee is to ensure that the management fees paid to Harmony are
sufficient for them to maintain appropriate staff.
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GENERAL RISKS AFFECTING THE SHARES
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The value of the shares in the
secondary market may fluctuate due to factors outside the control
of the Company.
It may be difficult for Shareholders
to realise their shares at close to NAV and there may not be a
liquid market. The market price of the shares may not reflect their
underlying NAV.
Share buy backs may not adequately
influence the discount in the secondary market.
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• Inability to raise
additional equity capital.
• Inability to purchase
additional projects.
• Reduced returns to investors.
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• The Joint Brokers and
Investment Adviser monitor the share price daily in the secondary
market and report to the Board regularly and where
necessary.
• The Board actively considers
a range of options to address the discount. These include,
inter-alia: share buy backs, asset sales, gearing reduction and
increased marketing.
• The Board will discuss share
buy backs at every quarterly Board meeting whilst shares are
trading at a significant discount to NAV.
• Stifel and Panmure Liberum
have been appointed as Joint Brokers and there is an increased
focus on marketing HEIT to new investors. The Board, the Joint
Brokers and the Investment Adviser monitor the market on a regular
basis with a view to taking actions if and when it is
necessary.
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VALUATION RISK
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HEIT invests in unquoted assets and
valuations will involve the Investment Adviser, AIFM and
Board.
The Company is relying on the
judgement of the Investment Adviser.
Errors in valuations could lead to
shareholder complaints or suits for losses and regulatory
censure.
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• The possible sale of assets
for less than market value.
• Errors in NAV calculations
and announcements.
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• The Investment Adviser has
subscribed to services from Aurora to provide support for quarterly
NAV valuations.
• Semi-annual valuations are
provided by an Independent Valuer. The Independent Valuer regularly
updates its valuation of each project based upon, among other
things, recent market comparables and the relative liquidity of the
assets.
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EMERGING RISKS
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INCREASE IN NETWORK CHARGES
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Unpredictable increased network
charges may result in increased capital expenditure or lower net
revenue.
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• Reduced revenue.
• Inability to declare future
dividends.
• Reduced cash
availability.
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• This risk cannot be
mitigated, as it is outside of the Company's control.
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RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Information on related-party
transactions can be found in this report.
Viability and Going Concern Statement
GOING CONCERN
As at 31 October 2024, the Company
and its subsidiaries had net current assets of £10.9 million which
was sufficient to meet commitments made under construction
contracts signed by subsidiaries.
The Company is a guarantor to its
wholly owned subsidiary HEIT Holdings Ltd in respect of the debt
facilities and also provides parent company guarantees to
subsidiaries in relation to certain construction and/or battery
supply contracts. As at the date of publication the aggregate
outstanding value of such guarantees is £5.9 million.
As previously announced, the Company
remains in advanced negotiations in relation to the sale of the
entire Portfolio. Should negotiations conclude successfully, the
transaction would require an amendment to the Company's investment
policy and the agreement of Shareholders and would therefore be
subject to a Shareholder vote. The Directors have taken into
account the probability of negotiations concluding successfully and
the probability of a subsequent Shareholder vote passing, which may
result in a subsequent members' voluntary liquidation, in making
their assessment.
The Company's prospectus at the time
of IPO commits the Directors to put forward a continuation vote at
the subsequent annual general meeting of the Company if the NAV of
the Company was below £250 million at the end of 2024. The NAV of
the Company was below £250 million at the end of 2024, and whilst
it is possible that the Shareholder vote in relation to the
proposed asset sale would remove the requirement for a continuation
vote, the possibility and the probability of a continuation vote
passing have also been taken into account by the Directors in
making their assessment.
The Directors are aware and
understand that the Company's revenues can be volatile and
therefore have reviewed the results of financial models analysing
the expected position of the Company under a prudent scenario as
well as a reasonably possible worst case scenario. Both scenarios
take into account the availability of cash reserves and receivables
during the Going Concern Period.
The prudent scenario assumes revenue
performance of the Company's operating projects are in line with
third-party forecasts of revenue. In previous assessments, the IA
had based the prudent scenario on a reduction to third-party
revenue forecasts, however as noted in the description of NAV
movements, these forecasts have been reduced significantly over the
past year and are now deemed a prudent forecast for the coming
year.
In addition, the Directors have
considered a reasonably possible worst case scenario which assumes
non-contracted revenue earned by underlying investee companies is
c.38% lower than in the prudent scenario.
Under both scenarios the financial
model shows that sufficient cash is expected to be available to
meet the Company's obligations and commitments (including but not
limited to construction contracts, working capital requirements and
debt service).
Having considered the results of the
modelled scenarios, the Directors have a reasonable expectation
that the Company is able to manage cash flow and meet its working
capital and debt service commitments via a combination of operating
revenues, and/or contracted revenue products over the Going Concern
Period, and are working with the Investment Adviser to assess the
optimal combination of such options so as to ensure that the
Company can maximise returns to Shareholders. The Company also has
the option of selling an asset(s) if it wishes to do so. The
Directors are confident that key risks have been considered in this
assessment.
The Directors have concluded that
the Company's available funding and expected income are sufficient
for the Company to continue its operations for at least 12 months
from the date of signing these financial statements (the
"Going Concern Period") and
therefore believe it remains appropriate to prepare the financial
statements on a going concern basis. However, when taking into
account probability of a Shareholder vote passing in favour of a
possible asset sale and subsequent members' voluntary liquidation,
the Directors note that this represents a material uncertainty that
may cast significant doubt on the Company's ability to continue as
a going concern during the Going Concern Period. The financial
statements do not include any adjustments that would result from
the basis of preparation being inappropriate.
VIABILITY STATEMENT
The Directors have considered the
period to October 2026 for the purposes of assessing the Company's
viability (the "Viability
Period"). As noted above, the Company's revenues and revenue
projections can be volatile and the chosen period allows current
market trends to be taken into account when defining appropriate
modelling scenarios. The same prudent and reasonably possible worst
case scenario described above have been reviewed over the Viability
Period.
The Directors note that a key
mitigant against a sustained period of low revenues is the sale of
an individual asset, with sales proceeds being used predominantly
to reduce leverage and therefore reduce debt service. Whilst the
Directors have not relied upon an asset sale in order to reach
their conclusion, this mitigant provides additional comfort
regarding the Company's viability
Having considered the Company's
principal risks and the results of the financial models, also
taking into account projected debt covenants which could impact the
Company's viability if triggered, the Directors have a reasonable
expectation that the Company will continue to be able to operate
and to meet its liabilities as they fall due over the Viability
Period or until the date of a potential members' voluntary
liquidation (if earlier) following either the possible asset sale
transaction or a continuation vote.
Directors' Responsibility Statement
The Directors are responsible for
preparing the Annual Report and Financial Statements in accordance
with applicable law and regulations.
As a company traded on the London
Stock Exchange, the Company is subject to the FCA's UK Listing
Rules and Disclosure Guidance and
Transparency Rules, as well as to all applicable laws and
regulations in England and Wales where it is registered.
The Annual Report and Financial
Statements have been prepared in accordance with UK-adopted
international accounting standards. Under company law, the
Directors must not approve the Financial Statements unless they are
satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of
affairs of the Company and of the profit or loss for the Period. In
preparing these Financial Statements, the Directors
should:
· select
suitable accounting policies in accordance with IAS 8 and then
apply them consistently;
· make
judgements and estimates that are reasonable and
prudent;
· specify which generally accepted accounting principles have
been adopted in their preparation;
· prepare the Financial Statements on the going concern basis,
unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Company will
continue in business; and
· prepare a directors' report, a strategic report and directors'
remuneration report which comply with the requirements of the
Act.
The Directors are responsible for
keeping proper accounting records which are sufficient to show and
explain the Company's transactions and disclose, with reasonable
accuracy at any time, the financial position of the Company and
enable them to ensure that the Financial Statements comply with the
requirements of the Act. They are also responsible for safeguarding
the assets of the Company and hence for taking reasonable steps for
the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The
Directors are responsible for ensuring that the Annual Report and
Accounts, taken as a whole, are fair, balanced, and understandable,
and provide the information necessary for Shareholders to assess
the Company's position and performance, business model and
strategy.
WEBSITE PUBLICATION
The Directors are responsible for
ensuring the Annual Report and the Financial Statements are made
available on the Company's website. Financial statements are
published on the Company's website in accordance with legislation
in the UK governing the preparation and dissemination of
financial statements, which may vary from
legislation in other jurisdictions. The maintenance and integrity
of the Company's website is the responsibility of the Directors.
The Directors' responsibility also extends to the ongoing integrity
of the financial statements contained therein.
DIRECTORS' RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO DISCLOSURE
GUIDANCE AND TRANSPARENCY RULE 4
The Directors confirm to the best of
their knowledge that:
· the
financial statements have been prepared in accordance with
UK-adopted international accounting standards and give a true and
fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit
and loss of the Company; and
· the
Annual Report includes a fair review of the development and
performance of the business and the financial position of the
Company, together with a description of the principal risks and
uncertainties that it faces.
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO THE AUDITOR
The Directors confirm
that:
· so far
as each Director is aware, there is no relevant audit information
of which the Company's auditor is unaware; and
· the
Directors have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as
Directors in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit
information and to establish that the Company's auditor is aware of
that information.
Signed by order of the
Board,
Norman Crighton
Chair
25 February 2025
Financial Statements
Statement of Comprehensive Income
For
the year ended 31 October 2024
|
Notes
|
Revenue
£
|
Capital
£
|
For the
year
ended
31 October
2024
Total
£
|
Revenue
£
|
Capital
£
|
For the
year
ended
31 October
2023
Total
£
|
Income
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss on investments at fair
value through profit and loss
|
10
|
-
|
(63,833,218)
|
(63,833,218)
|
-
|
(7,161,610)
|
(7,161,610)
|
Service fee income
|
6
|
1,468,830
|
-
|
1,468,830
|
1,837,458
|
-
|
1,837,458
|
Investment Income
|
6
|
12,880,688
|
-
|
12,880,688
|
11,936,674
|
-
|
11,936,674
|
Investment income write
off
|
6 &
10
|
(4,335,532)
|
-
|
(4,335,532)
|
|
|
|
Other income
|
6
|
389
|
-
|
389
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,014,375
|
(63,833,218)
|
(53,818,843)
|
13,774,132
|
(7,161,610)
|
6,612,522
|
Expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Administrative and other
expenses
|
7
|
(2,699,333)
|
-
|
(2,699,333)
|
(3,475,884)
|
-
|
(3,475,884)
|
Profit/(loss) before taxation
|
|
7,315,042
|
(63,833,218)
|
(56,518,176)
|
10,298,248
|
(7,161,610)
|
3,136,638
|
Taxation
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Profit/(loss) after tax and Total Comprehensive Income for the
year
|
|
7,315,042
|
(63,833,218)
|
(56,518,176)
|
10,298,248
|
(7,161,610)
|
3,136,638
|
Earnings per share (basic and
diluted): Ordinary Shares
|
9
|
|
|
(0.25)
|
|
|
0.01
|
All Revenue and Capital items in the
above statement are derived from continuing operations.
The Total column of this statement
represents the Company's Statement of Comprehensive Income prepared
in accordance with UK adopted international accounting standards
("IAS"). The return on
ordinary activities after taxation is the total comprehensive
income and therefore no additional statement of other comprehensive
income is presented.
The supplementary revenue and
capital columns are presented for information purposes in
accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice issue by the
Association of Investment Companies ("AIC").
The notes form an integral part of
these Financial Statements.
Statement of Financial Position
As
at 31 October 2024
|
|
31 October
2024
|
31 October
2023
|
|
Notes
|
£
|
£
|
Non-current assets
|
|
|
|
Investments held at fair
value
|
10
|
194,764,869
|
240,025,781
|
|
|
194,764,869
|
240,025,781
|
Current assets
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
12
|
4,211,249
|
18,093,379
|
Trade and other
receivables
|
11
|
2,444,923
|
4,452,273
|
|
|
6,656,172
|
22,545,652
|
Total assets
|
|
201,421,041
|
262,571,433
|
Current liabilities
|
|
|
|
Trade and other payables
|
13
|
373,691
|
463,341
|
Net
current assets
|
|
6,282,481
|
22,082,311
|
Total net assets
|
|
201,047,350
|
262,108,092
|
Shareholders' equity
|
|
|
|
Share capital
|
17
|
2,271,283
|
2,271,283
|
Share premium
|
17
|
21,370,889
|
21,370,889
|
Capital reduction reserve
|
18
|
191,822,914
|
194,094,197
|
Revenue reserve
|
18
|
8,150,155
|
3,106,396
|
Capital reserve
|
18
|
(22,567,891)
|
41,265,327
|
Total Shareholders' equity
|
|
201,047,350
|
262,108,092
|
Net
asset value per Ordinary share (pence)
|
19
|
88.52
|
115.40
|
The Financial Statements of Harmony
Energy Income Trust Plc (registered number 13656587) were approved
by the Board of Directors and signed on its behalf on 25 February
2025 by:
Norman Crighton
Chair
25 February
2025
The notes form an integral part of
these Financial Statements.
Statement of Changes in Equity
For
the year ended 31 October 2024
|
|
|
|
Capital
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
Share
|
Share
|
reduction
|
Revenue
|
Capital
|
Shareholders'
|
|
|
capital
|
premium
|
reserve
|
reserve
|
reserve
|
equity
|
|
Notes
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
Balance at 31 October 2022
|
|
2,100,000
|
-
|
202,693,046
|
(63,003)
|
48,426,937
|
253,156,980
|
Transactions with owners:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Conversion of C Shares to Ordinary
Shares
|
17
|
171,283
|
21,370,889
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
21,542,172
|
Dividends paid
|
20
|
-
|
-
|
(8,598,849)
|
(7,128,849)
|
-
|
(15,727,698)
|
Total comprehensive income for the
year:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Profit/(loss) for the
year
|
|
|
-
|
-
|
10,298,248
|
(7,161,610)
|
3,136,638
|
Balance at 31 October 2023
|
|
2,271,283
|
21,370,889
|
194,094,197
|
3,106,396
|
41,265,327
|
262,108,092
|
Transactions with owners:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends paid
|
20
|
-
|
-
|
(2,271,283)
|
(2,271,283)
|
-
|
(4,542,566)
|
Total comprehensive income for the
year:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Profit/(loss) for the
year
|
|
|
-
|
-
|
7,315,042
|
(63,833,218)
|
(56,518,176)
|
Balance at 31 October 2024
|
|
2,271,283
|
21,370,889
|
191,822,914
|
8,150,155
|
(22,567,891)
|
201,047,350
|
The notes form an integral part of
these Financial Statements.
Statement of Cash Flows
For
the year ended 31 October 2024
|
|
For the year
ended
|
For the year
ended
|
|
|
31 October
2024
|
31 October
2023
|
|
Notes
|
£
|
£
|
Cash flows from operating activities
|
|
|
|
(Loss)/profit for the
year
|
|
(56,518,176)
|
3,136,638
|
Adjustments for non-cash
items:
|
|
|
|
Net loss on investments at fair
value through profit and loss
|
10
|
63,833,218
|
7,161,610
|
Investment Income
|
6
|
(12,880,688)
|
(11,582,996)
|
Investment income write
off
|
6
|
4,335,532
|
|
Service fee income
|
6
|
(1,468,830)
|
(1,837,458)
|
Operating cash flows before movements in working
capital
|
|
(2,698,944)
|
(3,122,206)
|
Increase in trade and other
receivables
|
11
|
(287,760)
|
(1,233,122)
|
Decrease in trade and other
payables
|
13
|
(89,650)
|
(267,023)
|
Net
cash outflow from operating activities
|
|
(3,076,353)
|
(4,622,351)
|
Cash flows used in investing activities
|
|
|
|
Loan to shareholder
discharged
|
|
-
|
1,443,506
|
Loan advanced to
subsidiary
|
10
|
(6,263,212)
|
-
|
Purchase of Investments
|
10
|
-
|
(101,223,411)
|
Proceeds from sale of
investment
|
10
|
-
|
13,651,707
|
Net
cash outflow from investing activities
|
|
(6,263,212)
|
(86,128,198)
|
Cash flows used in financing activities
|
|
|
|
Dividends paid
|
20
|
(4,542,566)
|
(15,727,698)
|
Net
cash outflow from financing activities
|
|
(4,542,566)
|
(15,727,698)
|
Net
decrease in cash and cash equivalents for the
year
|
|
(13,882,130)
|
(106,478,247)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at the
beginning of the year
|
|
18,093,379
|
124,571,626
|
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the
year
|
12
|
4,211,249
|
18,093,379
|
The notes form an integral part of
these Financial Statements.
Notes to the Financial Statements
For
the year from 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024
1.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Harmony Energy Income Trust Plc,
(the "Company") was incorporated as a public company, limited by
shares, in England and Wales on 1 October 2021 with registered
number 13656587. The registered office of the Company is The
Scalpel 18th Floor, 52 Lime Street, London, England EC3M 7AF. Its
share capital is denominated in British Pounds Sterling (£) and
currently consists of Ordinary Shares. The Company's principal
activity is to invest in commercial scale battery energy storage
and renewable energy generation projects,
with an initial focus on a portfolio of utility scale battery
energy storage systems ("BESS"), located in diverse locations
across Great Britain.
2.
BASIS OF PREPARATION
The audited Annual Report and
Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with
UK-adopted international accounting standards and in conformity
with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and also considers
the Statement of Recommended Practice ("SORP") "Financial Statements of
Investment Trust Companies and Venture Capital Trusts", updated by
the AIC in July 2022. The principal accounting policies are set out
in Note 4.
In terms of the AIC SORP, the
Company presents a Statement of Comprehensive Income, which shows
amounts split between balances which are revenue and capital in
nature. The determination of the revenue or capital nature of a
transaction is determined by giving consideration to the underlying
elements of the transaction. Capital transactions are considered
to be those arising as a result of the
appreciation or depreciation in the value of assets due to the fair
value movements on investments held at fair value through profit
and loss as well as any gains or losses occurred on the sale of
investments. Revenue transactions are all transactions, other than
those which have been identified as capital in nature.
The Company is an investment entity
in accordance with IFRS 10 'Consolidated Financial Statements'
which holds all its subsidiaries at fair value and therefore only
prepares separate accounts. The Financial Statements are also
prepared on the assumption that approval as an investment trust
will continue to be granted.
The Directors considered the impact
of climate change on the investments included in the Company's
Financial Statements and have assessed that it does not materially
impact the estimates and assumptions used in determining the fair
value of the investments.
FUNCTIONAL AND PRESENTATION CURRENCY
The currency of the primary economic
environment in which the Company operates (the functional currency)
is British Pounds Sterling (£) which is also the presentation
currency.
GOING CONCERN
A fundamental principle of the
preparation of financial statements in accordance with UK-adopted
international accounting standards is the judgement that an entity
will continue in existence as a going concern for a period of at
least 12 months from signing of the Annual Report, which
contemplates continuity of operations and the realisation of assets
and settlement of liabilities occurring in the ordinary course of
business.
In reaching its conclusion, the
Board has considered the risks that could impact the Company's
liquidity over the period for at least 12 months from the approval
of the Annual Report (the "Going
Concern Period").
As at 31 October 2024, the Company
and its subsidiaries had net current assets of £10.9 million which
was sufficient to meet commitments made under construction
contracts signed by subsidiaries.
The Company is a guarantor to its
wholly owned subsidiary HEIT Holdings Ltd in respect of the debt
facilities and also provides parent company guarantees to
subsidiaries in relation to certain construction and/or battery
supply contracts. As at the date of publication the aggregate
outstanding value of such guarantees is £5.9 million.
As previously announced, the Company
remains in advanced negotiations in relation to the sale of the
entire Portfolio. Should negotiations conclude successfully, the
transaction would require an amendment to the Company's investment
policy and the agreement of Shareholders and would therefore be
subject to a Shareholder vote. The Directors have taken into
account the probability of negotiations concluding successfully and
the probability of a subsequent Shareholder vote passing, which may
result in a subsequent members' voluntary liquidation, in making
their assessment.
The Company's prospectus at the time
of IPO commits the Directors to put forward a continuation vote at
the subsequent annual general meeting of the Company if NAV of the
Company is below £250 million at the end of 2024. The NAV of the
Company was below £250 million at the end of 2024, and whilst it is
possible that the Shareholder vote in relation to the proposed
asset sale transaction would remove the
requirement for a continuation vote, the possibility, and the
probability of a continuation vote passing have also been taken
into account by the Directors in making their
assessment.
The Directors are aware and
understand that the Company's revenues can be volatile and
therefore have reviewed the results of financial models analysing
the expected position of the Company under a prudent scenario as
well as a reasonably possible worst case scenario. Both scenarios
take into account the availability of cash reserves and receivables
during the Going Concern Period.
The prudent scenario assumes that
the revenue performance of the Company's operating projects is in
line with third-party forecasts of revenue. In previous
assessments, the IA had based the prudent scenario on a reduction
to third-party revenue forecasts, however as noted in the
description of NAV movements, these forecasts have been reduced
significantly over the past year and are now deemed a prudent
forecast for the coming year.
In addition, the Directors have
considered a reasonably possible worst scenario which assumes
non-contracted revenue earned by underlying investee companies is
c.38% lower than in the prudent scenario.
Under both scenarios the financial
model shows that sufficient cash is expected to be available to
meet the Company's obligations and commitments (including but not
limited to construction contracts, working capital requirements and
debt service).
Having considered the results of the
modelled scenarios, the Directors have a reasonable expectation
that the Company is able to manage cash flow and meet its working
capital and debt service commitments via a combination of operating
revenues, and/or contracted revenue products over the Going Concern
Period, and are working with the Investment Adviser to assess the
optimal combination of such options so as to ensure that the
Company can maximise returns to Shareholders. The Company also has
the option of selling an asset(s) if it wishes to do so. The
Directors are confident that key risks have been considered in this
assessment.
The Directors have concluded that
the Company's available funding and expected income are sufficient
for the Company to continue its operations for at least 12 months
from the date of signing these financial statements and therefore
believe it remains appropriate to prepare the financial statements
on a going concern basis. However, when taking into account the
probability of a Shareholder vote passing in favour of the proposed
asset sale and subsequent members' voluntary liquidation, the
Directors note that this represents a material uncertainty that may
cast significant doubt on the Company's ability to continue as a
going concern during the Going Concern Period. The financial
statements do not include any adjustments that would result from
the basis of preparation being inappropriate.
3.
NEW AND REVISED STANDARDS AND INTERPRETATIONS
NEW
AND REVISED STANDARDS AND INTERPRETATIONS
The below amendments came into force
during the year. None of these had a material impact on these
financial statements.
· IAS 1
(amended) - Amendment to IAS 1 - Non-Current liabilities with
covenants - effective from 1 January 2024
NEW
AND REVISED IFRS IN ISSUE BUT NOT YET EFFECTIVE
The following standards have been
issued but are not effective for this accounting year and have not
been adopted early:
· IFRS
18 - Presentation and Disclosures in Financial Statements -
effective from 1 January 2027
· IAS 8
(amended) - Amendment to IAS 7 and IFRS 7 - Supplier finance -
effective from 1 January 2024
Adoption of the new and revised
standards and relevant interpretations in future periods is not
expected to have a material impact on the Financial Statement of
the Company.
4.
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Unless detailed below, the
accounting policies used in the preparation of the Financial
Statements have been consistently applied during the year ended 31
October 2024.
The principal accounting policies
applied in the preparation of the Financial Statements are set out
below.
SEGMENTAL INFORMATION
The Board is of the opinion that the
Group is engaged in a single segment business, being the investment
in energy storage and complementary renewable energy generation
assets, with an initial focus in a diversified portfolio of utility
scale BESS assets, located in diverse locations across Great
Britain.
INCOME
Income comprises Investment income
and Service fee income. Investment income arising from fair value
gains pertaining to interest on the portfolio assets loan
investments is recognised in the Revenue account of the Statement
of Comprehensive Income. The remaining fair value gains and losses
are disclosed in net gain on investments at fair value through
profit and loss and recorded in the Capital account. Service fee
income is recognised on an accruals basis from fees charged to each
portfolio company regarding the Company's resources used for
project related matters. The Service fee income is recognised in
the Revenue account of the Statement of Comprehensive
Income.
EXPENSES
Operating expenses are the Company's
costs incurred in connection with the ongoing management of the
Company's investments and administrative costs. Operating expenses
are accounted for on an accruals basis and charged to the Statement
of Comprehensive Income. Expenses are charged through the Revenue
account except those which are capital in nature, these include
those which are incidental to the acquisition, disposal or
enhancement of an investment, which are accounted for through the
Capital account. In terms of the AIC SORP the Company applies the
general accounting basis and charges the full Investment Adviser
fees to revenue ("the
non-allocation approach"). Costs directly relating to the
issue of Ordinary Shares are charged to share premium.
TAXATION
The Company is approved as an
Investment Trust Company ("ITC") under sections 1158 and 1159 of
the Corporation Taxes Act 2010 and Part 2 Chapter 1 of Statutory
Instrument 2011/2999 for accounting periods commencing on or after
25 May 2018. The approval is subject to the Company continuing to
meet the eligibility conditions of the Corporations Tax Act 2010
and the Statutory Instrument 2011/29 99. The Company intends to
ensure that it complies with the ITC regulations on an ongoing
basis and regularly monitors the conditions required to maintain
ITC status.
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Cash and cash equivalents comprise
cash at bank.
TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES
Trade and other receivables are
recognised initially at fair value and subsequently stated at
amortised cost less loss allowance which is determined using the
simplified approach to measuring expected credit losses, the effect
of which is considered immaterial.
TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES
Trade and other payables are
recognised initially at fair value and subsequently stated at
amortised cost.
EQUITY
Equity instruments issued by the
Company are recorded as the amount of the proceeds received, net of
directly attributable issue costs. Costs not directly attributable
to the issue are immediately expensed in the Statement of
Comprehensive Income.
FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
In accordance with IFRS 9, the
Company classifies its financial assets and financial liabilities
at initial recognition into the categories of amortised cost or
fair value through profit or loss. Derivative instruments are
measured at fair value through profit and loss.
FINANCIAL ASSETS
The Company's financial assets,
other than cash and cash equivalents and trade and other
receivables, are measured at fair value through profit or loss as
they are held in the business model whose performance is evaluated
and assessed on a fair value basis.
FINANCIAL LIABILITIES MEASURED AT AMORTISED
COST
The Company classifies all financial
liabilities as financial liabilities at amortised cost.
RECOGNITION AND DERECOGNITION
Financial assets are recognised on
trade date, the date on which the Company commits to purchase or
sell an asset. A financial asset is derecognised where the
rights to receive cash flows from the asset have expired, or the
Company has transferred its rights to receive cash flows from the
asset. The Company derecognises a financial liability when the
obligation under the liability is discharged, cancelled or
expired.
IMPAIRMENT OF FINANCIAL ASSETS
The Company holds trade receivables
with no financing component and which have maturities of less than
12 months at amortised cost and, as such has chosen to apply
the simplified approach to measuring expected credit losses,
as permitted by IFRS 9, which uses a lifetime expected loss
allowance for all trade receivables.
DIVIDENDS PAYABLE
Dividends are recognised when they
become legally payable, as a reduction in equity in the Financial
Statements. Interim equity dividends are recognised when paid.
Dividends on the shares are paid in the form of interim
dividends.
5.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING JUDGEMENTS, ESTIMATES AND
ASSUMPTIONS
The preparation of the Financial
Statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and
assumptions that affect the application of accounting policies and
the reported amount of assets, liabilities, income and expenses.
Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing
basis. Revisions to the accounting estimates are recognised in the
year in which the estimates are revised and in any future periods
affected.
During the year the Directors
considered the following significant judgements, estimates and
assumptions:
SIGNIFICANT JUDGEMENT
Assessment as an Investment Entity
Entities that meet the definition of
an investment entity within IFRS 10 are required to measure their
subsidiaries at fair value through profit or loss rather than
consolidate them unless their main purpose and activities are
providing services related to the Company's investment activities.
To determine that the Company continues to meet the definition of
an investment entity, the Company is required to satisfy the
following three criteria:
a) the Company
obtains funds from one or more investors
for the purpose of providing those investors with investment
management services;
b) the Company commits
to its investors that its business purpose is to invest funds
solely for returns from capital appreciation, investment income, or
both; and
c) the Company measures
and evaluates the performance of substantially all of its
investments on a fair value basis.
The Company meets the criteria as
follows:
· the
Company's investment objective is to provide investors with an
attractive and sustainable level of income returns, with the
potential for capital growth, by investing in commercial scale
energy storage and renewable energy generation projects, with an
initial focus on a diversified portfolio of BESS projects located
in Great Britain ("Projects");
· the
Company provides investment management services and has several
investors who pool their funds to gain access to infrastructure
related investment opportunities that they might not have had
access to individually; and
· the
Company has elected to measure and evaluate the performance of all
of its investments on a fair value basis. The fair value method is
used to represent the Company's performance in its communication to
the market, including investor presentations. In addition, the
Company reports fair value information internally to Directors, who
use fair value as the primary measurement attribute to evaluate
performance.
In respect of the second criterion,
Projects may also be disposed of, or otherwise realised, where the
AIFM recommends (acting upon advice given by the Investment
Adviser) that such realisation is in the interests of the Company.
Such circumstances may include (without limitation) disposals for
the purposes of realising or preserving value, or of realising cash
resources for reinvestment or otherwise. The Directors are
responsible for the determination of the Company's investment
policy and strategy and have overall responsibility for the
Company's activities including the review of investment activity
and performance. The Board will also make the decision to acquire
or dispose of Projects, based on recommendations made by the AIFM
acting upon advice given by the Investment Adviser.
A further indicator of whether a
Company is an investment entity is the expectation they hold more
than one asset. The Company holds one investment directly but
several indirectly, as there is a portfolio of assets within HEIT
Holdings Ltd.
The Directors have evaluated whether
the Company is an investment entity and concluded that it meets the
definition set out in IFRS 10. Therefore, its subsidiaries are
measured at fair value through profit or loss, in accordance with
IFRS 9 'Financial Instruments'.
ASSESSMENT OF HEIT HOLDINGS LTD AS AN INVESTMENT
ENTITY
HEIT Holdings Ltd is not
consolidated as the company is also considered to be an investment
entity (see Note 10). The board of directors of HEIT Holdings Ltd
has considered the requirements of IFRS 10 as shown above and
confirmed that HEIT Holdings Ltd meets these criteria.
SIGNIFICANT ESTIMATION UNCERTAINTY
Valuation of Investments
Significant estimates in the
Company's Financial Statements include the amounts recorded for the
fair value of the investments in the subsidiary of the Company,
HEIT Holdings Ltd. These estimates and assumptions are subject to
measurement uncertainty by their nature. The impact on the
Company's Financial Statements of changes in the next financial
year may be significant. These estimates
and sensitivities are further discussed in note 16.
6.
INCOME
|
31 October
2024
|
31 October
2023
|
|
£
|
£
|
Service fee income
|
1,468,830
|
1,837,458
|
Investment Income
|
12,880,688
|
11,582,996
|
Bank interest income
|
389
|
340,939
|
Investment income write
off
|
(4,335,532)
|
-
|
Interest income on loan to
shareholder
|
-
|
12,739
|
|
10,014,375
|
13,774,132
|
Refer to note 10 for further detail
on interest on loan to subsidiary recognised in Investment income
and the Investment income write off.
7.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND OTHER EXPENSES
|
31 October
2024
|
31 October
2023
|
|
£
|
£
|
Administrative fees
|
107,204
|
57,300
|
AIFM fees
|
67,434
|
67,424
|
Director and officer
insurance
|
30,196
|
40,725
|
Directors' fees
|
237,038
|
225,750
|
Fees payable to the auditor for the
audit of the Company's Financial Statements
|
222,550
|
184,000
|
Legal and professional
fees
|
609,715
|
519,464
|
Investment adviser fees
|
1,093,542
|
2,163,222
|
Secretarial fees
|
56,250
|
82,097
|
Sundry expenses
|
275,404
|
135,902
|
|
2,699,333
|
3,475,884
|
The Company has no employees and
therefore no employee related costs have been incurred.
The audit fees for the Company's
Financial Statements for the 2024 financial year totalled to
£190,550 (2023: £184,000) as shown in note in 13. During the year,
£32,000 relates to the 2023 financial year audit fees. No non-audit
fees were paid to the auditors.
During the year the year the audit
fees relating to the statutory audits of HEIT Holdings Ltd and its
subsidiaries totalled £74,907 (2023: £64,675).
ADMINISTRATIVE AND SECRETARIAL FEES
JTC (UK) Limited has been appointed
to act as administrator and secretary for the Company through the
Administration and Company Secretarial Agreement with effect from
14 October 2021. JTC (UK) Limited is entitled to a minimum fee of
£48,000 per annum for accounting and administration services to the
Company as well as a minimum fee of £45,000 per annum for the
provision of Governance and Company Secretarial
services.
During the year, fees incurred with
JTC (UK) Limited amounted to £163,454 (2023: £139,397) and £5,007
(2023: £28,000) remained payable as at 31 October 2024.
AIFM
JTC Global AIFM Solutions Limited
has been appointed to act as the AIFM for the Company through the
AIFM Agreement with effect from 14 October 2021. The AIFM is
entitled to charge an annual rate of 0.03% of the Company's equity
raised subject to a minimum annual fee of £30,000.
During the year, fees incurred with
the AIFM amounted to £67,434 (2023: £67,434) and £5,620 (2023:
£5,620) remained payable as at 31 October 2024.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Investment Adviser fees are payable
monthly in arrears. Details on how the fees are charged are
disclosed in note 21.
8.
TAXATION
The Company is recognised as an
Investment Trust Company ("ITC") for accounting years beginning on
or after 1 October 2021 and is taxed at the main rate of 19%
until 31 March 2023 and then at 25% until 31 October 2024. An ITC
may claim a tax deduction for the distribution of income that
arises from interest receipts on the loan notes. Therefore, no
corporation tax charge has been recognised for the Company for the
year ended 31 October 2024.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31 October
|
|
|
31 October
|
|
Revenue
|
Capital
|
2024
|
Revenue
|
Capital
|
2023
|
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
a) Tax charge in profit or loss UK
corporation tax
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
b) Reconciliation of the tax charge
for the year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Profit before tax
|
7,315,042
|
(63,833,218)
|
(56,518,176)
|
10,298,248
|
(7,161,610)
|
3,136,638
|
Tax at UK main rate of 25%
(2023: 22.52%)
|
1,828,761
|
(15,958,305)
|
(14,129,544)
|
(2,318,940)
|
(1,612,638)
|
706,302
|
Tax effect of:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-taxable investment gains on
investments
|
-
|
15,958,305
|
15,958,305
|
-
|
1,612,638
|
1,612,638
|
Non-deductible expenses
|
1,084,656
|
-
|
1,084,656
|
56,343
|
-
|
56,343
|
Tax deductible interest
distributions paid
|
(1,290,639)
|
-
|
(1,290,639)
|
(2,476,959)
|
-
|
(2,476,959)
|
Group relief claimed
|
(1,590,893)
|
-
|
(1,590,893)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Movement in deferred tax not
recognised
|
(31,884)
|
-
|
(31,884)
|
101,676
|
|
101,676
|
Tax
charge for the year
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
FACTORS THAT AFFECT FUTURE TAX CHARGES
ITCs which have been approved by HM
Revenue & Customs are exempt from UK corporation tax on their
capital gains. Due to the Company's status as an approved ITC, and
the intention to continue meeting the conditions required to
maintain that approval for the foreseeable future, the Company has
not provided for deferred tax in respect of any gains or losses
arising on the revaluation of its investments. Taxes are based on
the UK Corporate tax rates which existed as of the balance sheet
date which was 25%.
As at 31 October 2024, the Company
had not provided deferred tax assets or liabilities. At that date,
based on current estimates and including the accumulation of net
allowable losses, the Company had unrelieved losses of
£Nil.
9.
BASIC AND DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE
Earnings per share ("EPS") amounts are calculated by
dividing the profit or loss for the year attributable to ordinary
equity holders of the Company by the weighted average number of
Ordinary Shares in issue during the year. As there are no dilutive
instruments outstanding, basic and diluted earnings per share are
identical.
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
Net loss
|
|
|
average
|
attributable
|
EPS
|
|
number of
|
to
Shareholders
|
31 October
2024
|
|
Ordinary
Shares
|
£
|
£
|
Ordinary Shares
|
227,128,295
|
(56,518,176)
|
(0.25)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
Net profit
|
|
|
average
|
attributable
to
|
EPS
|
|
number of
|
Shareholders
|
31 October
2023
|
|
Ordinary
Shares
|
£
|
£
|
Ordinary Shares
|
223,045,660
|
3,136,638
|
0.01
|
10.
INVESTMENTS HELD AT FAIR VALUE
The Company held the following
investments in subsidiary at 31 October 2024:
Subsidiary
|
Place of
business
|
Percentage
ownership
|
Equity
£
|
Loan
£
|
Closing
balance:
equity and
loan
£
|
HEIT Holdings Ltd
|
Grimbald
Crag Court,
Knaresborough
|
100%
|
122,638,125
|
72,126,744
|
194,764,869
|
The Company held the following
investments in subsidiary at 31 October 2023:
Subsidiary
|
Place of
business
|
Percentage
ownership
|
Equity
£
|
Loan
£
|
Closing
balance:
equity and
loan
£
|
HEIT Holdings Ltd
|
Grimbald
Crag Court,
Knaresborough
|
100%
|
84,185,808
|
155,839,973
|
240,025,781
|
The Company meets the definition of
an investment entity. Therefore, it does not consolidate its
subsidiaries but, rather, recognises them as investments at fair
value through profit or loss.
On 18 October 2024, the Company
subscribed for 102,285,533 ordinary shares in HEIT Holdings Ltd for
an amount of £102,285,533, the consideration for which was settled
by reducing the value of its loan to HEIT Holdings Ltd by the same
amount. Interest from the investment in subsidiary loan incurred
amounted to £12,880,683, and £4,335,532 was written off. During the
year the Company settled £3,763,939 of outstanding management fees
due from HEIT Holdings Ltd to the loan account and made cash loan
advances of £6,263,211.
On 31 March 2023, the Company sold
its investments in HEIT PW Limited, HEIT PW 2 Limited, HEIT BD
Limited, HEIT FM Limited, HEIT RH Limited, HEIT LR Limited, HEIT BF
Limited to its subsidiary HEIT Holdings Ltd for a total
consideration of £91,105,212, which was the fair value of the
projects at the date of transfer. HEIT Holdings Ltd satisfied this
transfer by issuing and allotting 91,105,212 ordinary shares of £1
each to the Company.
On 4 May 2023, the Company sold two
further investments in HEIT HP Limited and HEIT WG Limited to its
subsidiary HEIT Holdings Ltd for a total consideration of
£8,893,079, which was the fair value of the projects at the date of
transfer. HEIT Holdings Ltd satisfied this transfer by issuing and
allotting 8,893,079 ordinary shares of £1 each to the
Company.
On 4 September 2023, the Company
announced the sale of its investment Rye Common project, Harmony RC
Limited, to Pulse Clean Energy Limited at a premium to its carrying
value.
The table below summarises the
movement of investments held at fair value for the year ended 31
October 2024:
|
31 October
2024
£
|
31 October
2023
£
|
Opening balance
|
240,025,781
|
141,032,691
|
Investments purchased during the
year
|
-
|
21,936,818
|
Investment in equity of HEIT
Holdings Ltd
|
102,285,533
|
99,998,291
|
Loans advanced during the
year
|
10,027,150
|
86,286,593
|
Loan converted to equity
|
(102,285,533)
|
-
|
Interest on loans
|
12,880,688
|
11,582,996
|
Loan interest written off
|
(4,335,532)
|
-
|
Sale of equity of subsidiaries to
HEIT Holdings Ltd
|
-
|
(99,998,291)
|
Sale of Harmony RC
Limited
|
-
|
(13,651,707)
|
Net loss on investments held at fair
value through profit or loss
|
(63,833,218)
|
(7,161,610)
|
Closing balance
|
194,764,869
|
240,025,781
|
INVESTMENT HELD IN HEIT HOLDINGS LTD
The Company owns 100% of the
ordinary share capital of HEIT Holdings Ltd which holds investments
in the following underlying subsidiaries. The Company has several
indirectly held subsidiaries held by HEIT Holdings Ltd. The
investment totalling £194,764,868 (31 October 2023: £240,025,781)
in HEIT Holdings Ltd comprises of the underlying investments in the
following subsidiaries. The fair value measurements and
sensitivities used to measure these investments are disclosed in
note 16.
Underlying Subsidiaries
|
Project
|
Place of business
|
Percentage
ownership
|
Fair value
31 October
2024
£
|
Fair value
31 October
2023
£
|
HEIT PW Limited
|
Pillswood 1
|
Grimbald Crag Court,
Knaresborough
|
100%
|
38,708,062
|
48,918,397
|
HEIT PW2 Limited
|
Pillswood 2
|
Grimbald Crag Court,
Knaresborough
|
100%
|
38,025,163
|
49,012,689
|
HEIT BD Limited
|
Broadditch
|
Grimbald Crag Court,
Knaresborough
|
100%
|
10,334,834
|
11,516,954
|
HEIT FM Limited
|
Farnham
|
Grimbald Crag Court,
Knaresborough
|
100%
|
19,108,999
|
20,578,103
|
HEIT RH Limited
|
Rusholme
|
Grimbald Crag Court,
Knaresborough
|
100%
|
27,770,369
|
27,130,822
|
HEIT LR Limited
|
Little Raith
|
Grimbald Crag Court,
Knaresborough
|
100%
|
41,860,051
|
42,789,696
|
HEIT BF Limited
|
Bumpers
|
Grimbald Crag Court,
Knaresborough
|
100%
|
90,935,939
|
87,028,196
|
HEIT HP Limited
|
Hawthorn
|
Grimbald Crag Court,
Knaresborough
|
100%
|
33,748,519
|
27,508,395
|
HEIT WG Limited
|
Wormald Green
|
Grimbald Crag Court,
Knaresborough
|
100%
|
20,300,944
|
17,402,843
|
Total fair value of projects
|
|
|
|
320,792,880
|
331,886,095
|
Working capital
|
|
|
|
3,971,988
|
3,196,508
|
Senior loan facility
|
|
|
|
(130,000,000)
|
(95,056,822)
|
Total investment
|
|
|
|
194,764,868
|
240,025,781
|
As at 31 October 2024 ("Valuation Date"), the Company's
subsidiary HEIT Holdings Ltd had live investments in the following
nine BESS projects in the UK - Pillswood 1, Pillswood 2,
Broadditch, Farnham, Rusholme, Little Raith, Bumpers, Wormald Green
and Hawthorn Pit. These projects, taken together, have a combined
rated power capacity of 395.4 MW and an energy storage capacity of
c.790.8 MWh.
Wormald Green (66 MWh / 33 MW) and
Hawthorn Pit (99.8 MWh / 49.9 MW) were successfully energised
during the Period and have commenced trading, taking the Company's
total operational capacity to 790.8 MWh / 395.4 MW (100% of the
portfolio). Revenue for these projects is recognised from November
2024 onwards.
Two of these providers focus on
long-term fundamental-based forecasts whereas one is focused on
shorter-term battery specific performance.
The projects attract four different
streams of revenues: trading revenue (wholesale, Balancing
Mechanism and churn), Ancillary Services (Frequency Response
Revenue, Dynamic Containment and Dynamic Regulation), CM revenue
and embedded benefits (via the Embedded Export Tariff).
11.
TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES
|
31 October
2024
|
31 October
2023
|
|
£
|
£
|
Prepayments
|
72,210
|
48,486
|
VAT receivable
|
1,493,988
|
1,367,690
|
Intercompany loans
receivable
|
820,131
|
748,668
|
Amounts due from related
parties
|
56,520
|
2,247,402
|
Other receivables
|
2,074
|
40,027
|
|
2,444,923
|
4,452,273
|
12.
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
31 October
2024
|
31 October
2023
|
|
£
|
£
|
Cash at bank
|
4,211,249
|
18,093,379
|
|
4,211,249
|
18,093,379
|
13.
TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES
|
31 October
2024
|
31 October
2023
|
|
£
|
£
|
Trade creditors and operating
accruals
|
85,504
|
101,599
|
Administrator fees
|
5,007
|
28,000
|
AIFM fees
|
5,620
|
5,621
|
Audit fees
|
190,550
|
184,000
|
Investment adviser fee
accrual
|
87,010
|
144,121
|
|
373,691
|
463,341
|
14.
CATEGORIES OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
|
31 October
2024
|
31 October
2023
|
|
£
|
£
|
Financial assets
|
|
|
Financial assets at fair value through profit and
loss:
|
|
|
Investments
|
194,764,868
|
240,025,781
|
Financial assets at amortised cost:
|
|
|
Trade and other
receivables
|
2,444,923
|
4,452,273
|
Cash and cash Equivalents
|
4,211,249
|
18,093,379
|
Total financial assets
|
201,421,040
|
262,571,433
|
Financial liabilities
|
|
|
Financial liabilities at amortised cost:
|
|
|
Trade and other payables
|
373,691
|
463,341
|
Total financial liabilities
|
373,691
|
463,341
|
At the balance sheet date, all
financial assets and liabilities were measured at amortised cost
except for the investment in subsidiary which is measured at fair
value as further explained in note 16. The carrying amount for the
financial assets and liabilities measured at amortised costs
approximates fair value.
15.
FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT
The Company is exposed to certain
risks through the ordinary course of business and the Company's
financial risk management objective is to minimise the effect of
these risks. The management of risks is performed by the Directors
of the Company and the exposure to each financial risk considered
potentially material to the Company, how it arises and the policy
for managing it is summarised below:
CREDIT RISK
The Company is exposed to
third-party credit risk in several instances and the possibility
that counterparties with which the Company and its subsidiaries,
together the "Group",
contracts may fail to perform their obligations in the manner
anticipated by the Group.
Counterparty credit risk exposure
limits are determined based on the credit rating of the
counterparty. Counterparties are assessed and monitored on the
basis of their ratings from Standard & Poor's and/or Moody's.
No financial transactions are permitted with counterparties with a
credit rating of less than BBB- from Standard & Poor's or Baa3
from Moody's unless specifically approved by the Board. Cash and
bank deposits are held with major international financial
institutions who each hold a Moody's credit rating of A2 or
higher.
Cash and other assets that are
required to be held in custody will be held at a bank. In the event
of the insolvency of the bank, the Company will rank as a general
creditor in relation thereto and may not be able to recover such
cash in full, or at all.
In addition, credit risk relating to
receivables at subsidiary level is managed by diversifying
exposures among a portfolio of counterparties and through the
setting and monitoring of credit limits.
The Company's only financial
liabilities are trade and other payables. The Company intends to
hold sufficient cash across the Company and subsidiaries' operating
accounts to meet the working capital needs.
CURRENCY RISK
The Company is not exposed to
currency risk as all its assets, liabilities and transactions
during the current year were denominated in British Pound
Sterling.
LIQUIDITY RISK
The objective of liquidity
management is to ensure that all commitments which are required to
be funded can be met out of readily available and secure sources of
funding. The Company's only financial liabilities are trade and
other payables.
The Company intends to hold
sufficient cash across the Company and subsidiaries' operating
accounts to meet the working capital needs.
As at 31 October 2024, the Company
held cash at bank of £4,211,249 (2023: £18,093,379) and had trade
and other payables totalling £373,691 (2023: £463,341). The
following table reflects the maturity analysis of financial assets
and liabilities.
Although the Company has no direct
external debt, it has indirect external debt through its subsidiary
as described in note 2 under Going Concern and in the interest
rate risk note. The Board and Investment Adviser review the
projected cash flow for the group on a regular basis to ensure that
there is sufficient cash flow to cover the debt and interest
repayments of the external debt as they fall due.
|
<1 year
|
1 to 2
years
|
2 to 5
years
|
>5 years
|
Total
|
As
at 31 October 2024
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
Financial assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financial assets at fair value
through profit and loss:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loan investment to
subsidiary
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
72,126,744
|
72,126,744
|
Financial assets at amortised
cost:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trade and other
receivables
|
2,444,923
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2,444,923
|
Cash at bank
|
4,211,249
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4,211,249
|
Total financial assets
|
6,656,172
|
-
|
-
|
72,126,744
|
78,782,916
|
|
<1 year
|
1 to 2
years
|
2 to 5
years
|
>5 years
|
Total
|
As
at 31 October 2024
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
Financial liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financial liabilities at amortised
cost:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trade and other payables
|
373,691
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
373,691
|
Total financial liabilities
|
373,691
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
373,691
|
|
<1 year
|
1 to 2
years
|
2 to 5
years
|
>5 years
|
Total
|
As
at 31 October 2023
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
Financial assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financial assets at fair value
through profit and loss:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loan investment to
subsidiary
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
155,839,973
|
155,839,973
|
Financial assets at amortised
cost:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash at bank
|
18,093,379
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
18,093,379
|
Total financial assets
|
18,093,379
|
-
|
-
|
155,839,973
|
173,933,352
|
|
<1 year
|
1 to 2
years
|
2 to 5
years
|
>5 years
|
Total
|
As
at 31 October 2023
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
Financial liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financial liabilities at amortised
cost:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trade and other payables
|
463,341
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
463,341
|
Total financial liabilities
|
463,341
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
463,341
|
* Includes the interest on
loans advanced and excludes the equity portion of the
investment.
MARKET RISK
Market risk is the risk that the
fair value or cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate
due to changes in market prices. Market risk reflects: (i) other
price risks, and (ii) interest rate risk. The objective is to
minimise market risk through managing and controlling these risks
to acceptable parameters, while optimising returns. The Company
uses financial instruments in the ordinary course of business in
order to manage market risks. Further commentary on financial and
market risks is provided in the Principal Risks and Uncertainties
section, including inflation.
(i)
PRICE RISK
The Company's investments are
susceptible to market price risk arising from uncertainties about
future values of its portfolio assets. The Company's Investment
Adviser provides the Company with investment recommendations. The
Company relies on market knowledge of the Investment Adviser, the
valuation expertise of the third-party valuer and the use of
third-party market forecast information to provide comfort with
regard to fair market values of investments reflected in the
Financial Statements.
Price risk is the risk that the fair
value or cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate due to
changes in market prices. At 31 October 2024, if the valuation of
investments had been 10% higher with all other variables held
constant, the increase in net assets attributable to Shareholders
for the year would have been £19,475,427 (2023: £24,002,578)
higher, arising due to the increase in the fair value of financial
instruments. A 10% decrease would have the equal and opposite
effect.
The impact of changes in
unobservable inputs to the underlying investments is considered in
note 16.
(ii) INTEREST RATE RISK
Interest rate risk arises from the
possibility that changes in interest rates will affect future cash
flows or the fair values of financial instruments.
The Company is exposed to interest
rate risk on its cash balances held with counterparties, and
through loans to related parties. As at 31 October 2024 the Company
held no fixed bank deposits. The loan to its subsidiary is carried
at a fixed rate of interest. Therefore, the Company is not exposed
to changes in variable market rates of interest and has therefore
not considered any sensitivity to interest rates.
As described in the Going Concern
note, the Company is guarantor to its wholly owned subsidiary, HEIT
Holdings Ltd in respect of the long-term facility of
£130m.
HEIT Holdings Ltd uses interest rate
swaps to mitigate the interest rate risk on its external
borrowings. At the beginning of the Reporting Period, HEIT Holdings
Ltd benefitted from an interest rate cap at a rate of 5.25%. HEIT
Holdings Ltd terminated its interest rate cap in February 2024
(receiving a payment of £0.5 million) and replaced it with an
interest rate swap for the SONIA element of the loan. The new
interest rate swap (the "Swap") fixes the SONIA element of the
loan at a rate of 4.101% per annum.
As at 31 October 2024, the swap in
place in HEIT Holdings Ltd was fair valued as a liability of
£413,349.
The interest rate cap previously
held of 5.25% was put in place in relation to the variable SONIA
element of the increased facility, at a cost of £2.8
million.
The Company does not have any
borrowings as at 31 October 2024 however the Company has access to
a long-term facility through its subsidiary HEIT Holdings Ltd. As
at 31 October 2024 HEIT Holdings Ltd had successfully negotiated an
amendment and restatement of its debt facilities with NatWest and
Rabobank. The term loan and revolving credit facility have been
consolidated into a single long-term facility with a facility size
of £130,000,000, an extension of the legal maturity date from June
2027 to February 2031 and a reduction in margin to 275bps over
SONIA for the first two years, rising over time to a maximum of
350bps in the final year. HEIT Holdings Ltd had drawdowns of
£34,943,178 on its long‑term facility during the year.
As at 31 October 2023, HEIT Holdings
Ltd had drawn £10,629,073 on its RCF and £84,427,749 on its
long-term facility. It was a five-year facility with an
initial margin of 300bps over SONIA, rising over time to a maximum
of 375bps by year 5.
At 31 October 2024, the Company is
indirectly exposed to interest rate risk through its investment in
the subsidiary. The Company may be exposed to changes in variable
market rates of interest and this could impact the discount rate
and therefore the valuation of the projects that underpin the value
of its investment in subsidiary. The sensitivity of the valuation
of the investment projects due to discount rates is disclosed in
note 16.
CAPITAL RISK MANAGEMENT
The capital structure of the Company
at year end consists of equity attributable to equity holders of
the Company of £201,047,350 (2023: £262,108,092), comprising issued
capital and reserves. The Board continues to monitor the balance of
the overall capital structure so as to maintain investor and market
confidence. The Company is not subject to any external capital
requirements.
16.
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT AND HIERARCHY
Fair value is the price that would
be received on the sale of an asset, or paid to transfer a
liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at
the measurement date. If a fair value measurement uses observable
inputs that require significant adjustment based on unobservable
inputs or any other significant unobservable inputs, that
measurement is a Level 3 measurement.
The following table analyses within
the fair value hierarchy the Company's assets measured at fair
value at 31 October 2024:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
Investment in subsidiary
|
-
|
-
|
194,764,868
|
The following table analyses within
the fair value hierarchy the Company's assets measured at fair
value at 31 October 2023:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
Investment in subsidiary
|
-
|
-
|
240,025,781
|
The Company only invests in assets
at fair value through profit or loss that are Level 3 in the fair
value hierarchy and the reconciliation in the movement of this
Level 3 investment is presented in note 10. No transfer between
levels took place during the year.
The Company's policy is to recognise
transfers into and transfers out of fair value hierarchy levels as
of the date of the event or change in circumstances that caused the
transfer.
VALUATION METHODOLOGY
The fair value of the investment in
HEIT Holdings Ltd represents its net assets as determined by the
Company's administrator (reviewed by the Investment Adviser) and
further presented by the Investment Adviser and reviewed by the
Company's Board of Directors.
The Investment Adviser's assessment
of fair value of investments in the underlying projects in HEIT
Holdings Ltd is determined in accordance with the International
Private Equity and Venture Capital 2022 ("IPEV") Valuation Guidelines, using
levered and unlevered discounted cash flow principles.
The valuation of all the Company's
subsidiary's investments is based primarily on a DCF methodology,
"Income Approach", which indicates value based on the sum of the
economic income that an asset, or group of assets, is anticipated
to produce in the future. Free cash flow to total invested capital
is typically the appropriate measure of economic income.
The method discounts free cash flows
using an estimated discount rate Weighted Average Cost of Capital
("WACC"). The selected
discount rate is supported by the benchmarking of discount rates
for assets in the same, or analogous sectors as the
portfolio.
VALUATION PROCESS
Valuations are the responsibility of
the Board of Directors. The Investment Adviser is responsible for
submitting fair market valuations of the Company's assets to the
Directors. The Directors review and approve these valuations
following appropriate challenge and examination. Valuations are
carried out quarterly, with Forvis Mazars acting as independent
valuer providing a valuation report semi-annually. The current
portfolio consists of non-market traded investments and valuations
are based on a DCF methodology.
The Board, supported by the Audit
and Risk Committee, reviews the operating and financial
assumptions, including the discount rates, used in the valuation of
the Company's underlying portfolio and approves them based on the
recommendation of the Investment Adviser.
The AIFM acts as an oversight
function in order to ascertain whether the valuation risk is being
appropriately managed.
As at 31 October 2024, the fair
values of all the investments held within the portfolio of the
Company's subsidiary HEIT Holdings Ltd, have been determined by
Mazars LLP (reviewed by the Investment Adviser) and further
presented by the Investment Adviser and reviewed by the Company's
Board of Directors.
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
The following tables reflect the
range of sensitivities in respect of the fair value movements of
the underlying projects held by HEIT Holdings Ltd. The individual
project valuations are disclosed in note 10.
The Directors consider the changes
in inputs to be within a reasonable expected range based on their
understanding of market transactions. This is not intended to imply
that the likelihood of change or that possible changes in value
would be restricted to this range.
Investment
|
Project
|
Investment
fair value £
|
Valuation
technique
|
Significant
input
description
|
Sensitivity
|
31 October 2024 Estimated
effect on fair value £
|
31 October 2023 Estimated
effect on fair value £
|
HEIT PW Limited
|
Pillswood 1
|
38,708,062
|
DCF
|
Discount
rate
|
+0.5%
|
(1,659,098)
|
(1,962,728)
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0.5%
|
1,783,978
|
2,116,324
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
+10%
|
4,320,222
|
5,061,300
|
|
|
|
|
|
-10%
|
(4,500,514)
|
(5,090,193)
|
HEIT PW2 Limited
|
Pillswood 2
|
38,025,163
|
DCF
|
Discount
rate
|
+0.5%
|
(1,620,450)
|
(1,918,210)
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0.5%
|
1,741,488
|
2,067,967
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
+10%
|
4,250,728
|
5,052,974
|
|
|
|
|
|
-10%
|
(4,393,470)
|
(5,096,376)
|
HEIT BD Limited
|
Broadditch
|
10,334,834
|
DCF
|
Discount
rate
|
+0.5%
|
(433,936)
|
(454,100)
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0.5%
|
466,655
|
488,989
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
+10%
|
1,088,471
|
1,135,280
|
|
|
|
|
|
-10%
|
(1,107,223)
|
(1,138,960)
|
HEIT FM Limited
|
Farnham
|
19,108,999
|
DCF
|
Discount
rate
|
+0.5%
|
(818,743)
|
(880,030)
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0.5%
|
881,149
|
947,875
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
+10%
|
2,094,519
|
2,136,741
|
|
|
|
|
|
-10%
|
(2,061,817)
|
(2,157,962)
|
HEIT RH Limited
|
Rusholme
|
27,770,369
|
DCF
|
Discount
rate
|
+0.5%
|
(1,250,954)
|
(1,356,277)
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0.5%
|
1,349,139
|
1,461,224
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
+10%
|
3,331,897
|
3,450,997
|
|
|
|
|
|
-10%
|
(3,435,915)
|
(3,503,648)
|
HEIT LR Limited
|
Little Raith
|
41,860,051
|
DCF
|
Discount
rate
|
+0.5%
|
(1,745,884)
|
(1,819,262)
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0.5%
|
1,877,039
|
1,957,919
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
+10%
|
4,745,004
|
4,941,061
|
|
|
|
|
|
-10%
|
(4,825,519)
|
(5,053,689)
|
HEIT BF Limited
|
Bumpers
|
90,935,939
|
DCF
|
Discount
rate
|
+0.5%
|
(3,889,947)
|
(4,010,981)
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0.5%
|
4,183,997
|
4,318,710
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
+10%
|
9,881,199
|
9,685,739
|
|
|
|
|
|
-10%
|
(10,022,580)
|
(9,930,227)
|
HEIT HP Limited
|
Hawthorne Pit
|
33,748,519
|
DCF
|
Discount
rate
|
+0.5%
|
(1,630,106)
|
(1,733,055)
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0.5%
|
11,756,926
|
1,870,705
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
+10%
|
4,606,023
|
4,708,722
|
|
|
|
|
|
-10%
|
(4,720,732)
|
(4,804,294)
|
HEIT WG Limited
|
Wormald Green
|
20,300,944
|
DCF
|
Discount
rate
|
+0.5%
|
(1,010,267)
|
(1,154,003)
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0.5%
|
1,090,394
|
1,246,378
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
+10%
|
3,168,375
|
3,170,805
|
|
|
|
|
|
-10%
|
(3,168,516)
|
(3,354,679)
|
PORTFOLIO SENSITIVITY
The below table reflects a range of
sensitivities which the Directors consider to have a significant
impact on the portfolio of investments held by the
Company:
|
|
31 October
|
31 October
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
|
|
Estimated
|
Estimated
|
|
|
effect on
fair
|
effect on
fair
|
|
|
value
|
value
|
Investment
|
Sensitivity
|
£
|
£
|
Inflation
|
+0.5%
|
15,677,071
|
18,522,081
|
|
-0.5%
|
(14,976,606)
|
(18,269,983)
|
Construction Costs
|
+15%
|
-
|
(9,880,088)
|
|
-15%
|
-
|
11,205,647
|
Operating costs
|
+15%
|
(10,563,465)
|
(9,251,227)
|
|
-15%
|
10,110,183
|
9,031,841
|
Cell replacement costs
|
+15%
|
(2,695,698)
|
(2,769,237)
|
|
-15%
|
2,530,323
|
2,786,110
|
The capex sensitivity has been
applied to projects which have not yet achieved substantial
completion. The proportionate change has been applied to the full
capex budget even though most works have now been completed and the
scope for increase is therefore limited. In the context of capex
increase, this is viewed as a highly conservative methodology,
however it is consistent with previously reported sensitivity
results.
17.
SHARE CAPITAL, SHARE PREMIUM AND CAPITAL REDUCTION
RESERVE
|
Number of ordinary
shares
|
Share
capital
£
|
Share
premium
£
|
Capital reduction reserve
£
|
Total
£
|
As at 1 November 2023
|
227,128,295
|
2,271,283
|
21,370,889
|
194,094,197
|
217,736,369
|
Dividends paid
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(2,271,283)
|
(2,271,283)
|
As
at 31 October 2024
|
227,128,295
|
2,271,283
|
21,370,889
|
191,822,914
|
215,465,086
|
|
Number of
ordinary
shares
|
Share
capital
£
|
Share
premium
£
|
Capital reduction
reserve
£
|
Total
£
|
As at 1 November 2022
|
210,000,000
|
2,100,000
|
-
|
202,693,046
|
204,793,046
|
Conversion of C Shares to Ordinary
Shares
|
17,128,295
|
171,283
|
21,370,889
|
-
|
21,542,172
|
Dividends paid
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(8,598,849)
|
(8,598,849)
|
As
at 31 October 2023
|
227,128,295
|
2,271,283
|
21,370,889
|
194,094,197
|
217,736,369
|
SHARE CAPITAL, SHARE PREMIUM ACCOUNT AND CAPITAL REDUCTION
RESERVE
On 26 January 2023, the Company
announced the conversion of its C Shares. The total number of C
Shares that was converted into new Ordinary Shares with voting
rights was 17,128,295. Immediately following admission, the total
number of the Ordinary Shares in issue was 227,128,295.
There were no changes to the share
capital during the year ended 31 October 2024.
18.
RESERVES
The nature and purpose of each of
the reserves included within equity at 31 October 2024 are as
follows:
· Share
premium: represents the surplus of the gross proceeds of share
issues over the nominal value of the shares, net of the direct
costs of equity issues and net of conversion amount.
· Capital reduction reserve: represents a distributable reserve
created following a Court approved reduction in capital. This
reserve is distributable and may be used, where the Board considers
it appropriate, by the Company for the purpose of paying dividends
to Shareholders.
· Revenue reserve: represents a distributable reserve of
cumulative net gains and losses recognised in the Revenue account
of the Statement of Comprehensive Income.
· Capital reserve: represents a non-distributable reserve of
cumulative net capital gains and losses recognised in the Statement
of Comprehensive Income.
The movements in these reserves
during the year are disclosed in the statement of changes in
equity. The distributable reserves as at 31 October 2024 were
£199,967,619 (2023:£197,200,593).
19.
NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE
Basic Net Asset Value ("NAV") per share is calculated by
dividing the Company's net assets as shown in the statement of
financial position that are attributable to the ordinary equity
holders of the Company by the number of ordinary shares outstanding
at the end of the year. As there are no dilutive instruments
outstanding, basic and diluted NAV per share are
identical.
|
Shares in
|
Assets
|
Liabilities
|
NAV
|
Pence per
|
|
issue
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
Share
|
Ordinary Shares at 31 October 2024
|
227,128,295
|
201,421,041
|
373,691
|
201,047,350
|
88.52
|
Ordinary Shares at 31 October
2023
|
227,128,295
|
262,571,433
|
463,341
|
262,108,092
|
115.40
|
20.
DIVIDENDS
Dividend per Share is a measure to
show the distributions made or declared to shareholders during the
year.
|
Dividend
per share
|
31 October
2024
Total
£
|
For the 3-month period ended 31
October 2023 (paid 22 December 2023)
|
2
pence
|
4,542,566
|
Total
|
|
4,542,566
|
|
Dividend
per share
|
31 October
2023
Total
£
|
For the 6-month period ended 31
October 2022 (paid December 2022)
|
1
pence
|
2,100,000
|
For the 3-month period ended 31
January 2023 (paid March 2023)
|
2
pence
|
4,542,566
|
For the 3-month period ended 30
April 2023 (paid June 2023)
|
2
pence
|
4,542,566
|
For the 3-month period ended 31 July
2023 (paid September 2023)
|
2
pence
|
4,542,566
|
Total
|
|
15,727,698
|
The distributions paid during the
year were paid out of the capital reduction reserve and revenue
reserve.
On 30 November 2023, the Company
declared a distribution of 2 pence per Ordinary Share £4,542,566 in
relation to the period 1 August 2023 to 31 October 2023 which was
paid on or around 22 December 2023 to Shareholders on the register
as at the close of business on 7 December 2023. There were no
further dividends declared or paid for the financial
year.
The table below sets out the final
interim dividend, together with the interim dividends paid, in
respect of the financial year, which is the basis on which the
requirements of Section 1158 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 are
considered.
|
31 October
2024
|
31 October
2023
|
|
£
|
£
|
Interim dividends paid 2024 (2023: 6
pence)
|
-
|
13,627,698
|
Final interim dividend for 2024
(2023: 2 pence)
|
-
|
4,542,566
|
|
-
|
18,170,264
|
21.
TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PARTIES
The Company and the Directors are
not aware of any person who, directly or indirectly, jointly or
severally, exercises or could exercise control over the Company.
The Company does not have an ultimate controlling party.
Details of related parties are set
out below:
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
Details of the fees paid to
Directors in the year are set out in the Directors'
Report.
Total Directors' fees of £237,038
(2023: £225,750) were incurred in respect of the year with none
being outstanding and payable at the end of the year. The cost for
director and officer insurance for the year was £30,186 (2023:
£40,725).
SUBSIDIARIES
Included in note 11 are amounts
receivable from HEIT Holdings Ltd and its subsidiaries. These
amounts are interest free and repayable on demand.
On 18 October 2024, the Company
subscribed for 102,285,533 ordinary shares at a nominal value of £1
per share, £102,285,533 from HEIT Holdings Ltd, which was settled
via the loan and waived £4,335,532 of interest
receivable.
HEIT Holdings Ltd subscribed for
83,434,981 ordinary shares from its wholly owned subsidiaries at
the subscription price by the release of the subsidiaries'
liability and waived £32,895,965 interest receivable.
As described in the going concern
note in note 2, the Company was a guarantor to its wholly owned
subsidiary, HEIT Holdings Ltd in respect of the £130 million debt
facility. The Company also provides parent company guarantees to
subsidiaries in relation to certain construction and/or battery
supply contracts.
As at 31 October 2024, total
committed funding to subsidiaries was £18 million.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
The Investment Adviser is entitled
to advisory fees under the terms of an investment advisory
agreement dated 14 October 2021. The Company shall pay to the
Investment Adviser an annual fee (exclusive of value added tax,
which shall be added where applicable) payable monthly in arrears
calculated at the rate of:
a. one twelfth of 0.9%
per calendar month of the lesser of the (i) NAV or (ii) Average
Market Capitalisation of the Company up to the threshold of
£250,000,000; and
b. one twelfth of 0.8%
per calendar month of the lesser of the (i) NAV or (ii) Average
Market Capitalisation of the Company in excess of
£250,000,000
An advisory fee of £1,093,542 (2023:
£2,163,222) was incurred during the year and £87,010 (2023:
£144,121) remained payable as at 31 October 2024.
Harmony Energy Limited is the parent
of the Investment Adviser and therefore an entity with significant
control over the Investment Adviser. Harmony Energy Limited is also
a significant shareholder of the Company. See transactions with
subsidiaries for further details.
OTHER RELATED PARTIES
James Ritchie-Bland is a director of
Harmony Energy Limited as well as an indirect shareholder of
Harmony Energy Limited through Ritchie-Bland Energy (Number 1)
Limited. He is also a director of the Investment Adviser and a
shareholder in the Company.
Ritchie-Bland Energy (Number 2)
Limited, of which James Ritchie-Bland is also a director and an
indirect shareholder (through Renewable Environmental Investments
Limited) is party to a joint venture agreement with Harmony Energy
Limited in regard to the three projects of the Company.
22.
CAPITAL COMMITMENTS
As described in the going concern
note in note 2, the Company is a guarantor to its wholly owned
subsidiary, HEIT Holdings Ltd in respect of the £130 million debt
facility.
The Company also provides parent
company guarantees to subsidiaries in relation to certain
construction and/or battery supply contracts. As at 31 October
2024, total committed funding to subsidiaries was £18.0
million.
Other than as reported above, the
Company had no contingent liabilities and no significant capital
commitments at the reporting date.
23.
POST BALANCE SHEET EVENTS
There were no events after the
reporting date that require disclosure.