SPI SPI Energy Company Ltd

ITEM 3.                    KEY INFORMATION

Our Selected Consolidated Financial Data

The following selected consolidated statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2018 and 2019 and the selected consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2018 and 2019 are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this annual report. The selected consolidated statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2016 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2015, 2016 and 2017 are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements not included in this annual report. The selected consolidated financial data should be read in conjunction with, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes and “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” included elsewhere in this annual report. Our consolidated financial statements are prepared and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or U.S. GAAP. The historical results are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected in any future periods.

On January 1, 2017, we deconsolidated Sinsin Renewable Investment Limited, a Malta company (“Sinsin”) due to loss of control.

On December 10, 2018, the SPI China (HK) Limited and all China business were divested.

* The China business was discontinued operations after the disposal, the consolidated statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2015, 2016 and 2017 were reclassified to conform to current year presentation, while the consolidated statements of operations for the years ended December 31, 2015 was not reclassified as management considered it not cost-effective to do so.

**The shares are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the Company’s Reverse Stock Splits.

Exchange Rate Information

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

Our business, financial condition and results of operations are subject to various changing business, competitive, economic, political and social conditions worldwide. In addition to the factors discussed elsewhere in this annual report, the following are some of the important factors that could adversely affect our operating results, financial condition and business prospects, and cause our actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

We have incurred net losses, experienced net cash outflows from operating activities and recorded working capital deficit. If we do not effectively manage our cash and other liquid financial assets and execute our liquidity plan, we may not be able to continue as a going concern.

We incurred net losses of $91.0 million, $12.3 million and $15.1 million in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively. We had an accumulated deficit of $585.4 million as of December 31, 2019. We also had a working capital deficit of $113.5 million as of December 31, 2019. In addition, we have substantial amounts of debts that became due in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Historically, we have relied primarily on cash from our operations, bank borrowings, private placements and financial leases to fund our operations. We expect that our existing cash and cash equivalents and cash flows from operating and financing activities will be sufficient to meet our anticipated working capital requirements and capital expenditure for at least the next 12 months, but generally inadequate to pursue new project acquisition or development initiatives without additional capital. The timing and amount of our working capital and capital expenditure requirements may vary significantly depending on numerous factors, such as the timeliness of payments from our customers. We have filed liens to secure customer payments for each of our solar projects, but there is no assurance that such payments will be timely collected. We have also enhanced our collection efforts and undertaken various measures to collect outstanding payments from customers, damages from legal actions and other payments due to us. The volatility and potential deterioration of the PV market conditions and the overall global economies have also added uncertainties regarding the sustainability of the PV industry and adverse impact on the demand for our products. Without access to sufficient level of capital from operations or through bank borrowings or other sources, we may not be able to execute our growth strategy or pursue additional projects, or may not even be able to continue as a going concern. These doubts and uncertainties may create concerns for our creditors, suppliers, customers and other counterparties, and cause them to make it more difficult for us to raise our financing, conduct our business and meet our debt and other obligations.

The report of our independent registered public accounting firm on our financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2019 includes discussions on our ability to continue as a going concern. Although we have formulated a liquidity plan as summarized under Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this annual report, we cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully execute this liquidity plan. The amount of liquidity that we need may be greater than we currently anticipate as a result of additional factors and events beyond our control, such as global economic slowdown, continued downturn in the global PV market, potential financial crises globally or in any region where we conduct a significant portion of our business, changes in the regulatory and business environments, including international trade-related sanctions, which may prevent us from operating normally or from effectively competing in the PV industry. All of these and other factors and occurrences may increase our cash requirements and make us unable to satisfy our liquidity requirements and we may, as a result, be unable to continue as a going concern.

We have revised the assumptions underlying our existing operating plans and recognized the fact that additional actions were needed to reposition our operations to minimize our cash outflows. Therefore, we are undertaking a number of initiatives in order to conserve or generate cash on an incremental basis in 2019. For a detailed discussion of these initiatives and strategies, please see “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—B. Liquidity and Capital Resources— Capital Resources and Material Known Facts on Liquidity.”

However, there is no assurance that these initiatives and strategies will be successfully implemented, or even if successfully implemented, our cash position and our operational efficiency will be improved. In the event that our business initiatives and strategies do not achieve the expected results, our business, financial conditions, results of operations and liquidity position may be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, we have identified several business related risk factors, such as compliance with laws and regulations, contingent liabilities arising from litigations, suspected related party transactions and unusual transactions, which could cause cash position to further deteriorate.

We are in default on a number of our obligations, which could result in our being forced to cease operations if we are unable to reach satisfactory settlement with applicable counterparties.

We have outstanding convertible bonds of $55.0 million under a convertible bond agreement (“Convertible Bond Agreement”) with certain bond holders, which were defaulted in June 2016 and not repaid through December 31, 2017. On February 12, 2017, we entered into the first amendment agreement (the “1st Amendment”) with Union Sky Holding Group Limited (“Union Sky”), one of the holders of our convertible bonds, to extend the maturity date of the bonds, pursuant to which the repayment of US$6.6 million, US$6.7 million and US$6.7 million of the principal amount of the convertible bond were due by April 30, 2017, January 30, 2018 and January 30, 2019, respectively. Union Sky has the option to convert those outstanding amounts under the Convertible Bond Agreement and its 1st Amendment into the equity interest in our company at a conversion price of $1.372 per share. We were not able to make the first payment as of April 29, 2017. We have been in communications with the holders of our convertible bonds, including Union Sky, to further extend the maturity date of the bonds, and subsequently on June 29, 2018, the Company entered into another amendment agreement (the “2nd Amendment”) with the Union Sky and Magical Glaze Limited (the “MGL”), a company incorporated under the laws of British Virgin Islands, pursuant to which the Union Sky transferred all the rights and obligations under the Convertible Bond Agreement and 1st Amendment to MGL, and the maturity date of such bond was extended. According to the 2nd Amendment, the repayments of US$6.6 million, US$6.7 million and US$6.7 million of the principal amount of the bond and interest thereon should be due by December 2019, June 2020 and December 2020, respectively. As of the date of this annual report, we missed the December 2019 repayment and expect to miss the June 2020 repayment. We have been working on negotiating a third amendment to the Convertible Bond Agreement but have not yet obtained a further extension from the bond holders.

If we are unable to enter into settlement arrangements with all of the parties with whom we are in default, we could be forced to cease operations.

Certain minority stockholders of Solar Juice Pty Ltd (“Solar Juice Australia”), our 80% owned subsidiary in Australia, took certain actions that, if effective, would result in us owning only a minority interest in Solar Juice Australia, which would mean that we no longer have control of Solar Juice Australia and no longer be able to consolidate its financial results into our financial statements.

In May, 2020, certain minority stockholders of Solar Juice Australia took certain actions that, if effective, would result in our owning only a minority interest in Solar Juice Australia, which could cause us to no longer be able to control Solar Juice Australia or consolidate its financial results into our financial statements. This would result in a material adverse effect on our financial results since Solar Juice Australia accounts for 82.3% of our revenues and 15.7% of our assets.

In May 2020, Solar Juice Co. Ltd. (“Solar Juice Co”),a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, in its capacity as shareholder of Solar Juice Australia together with Mr. Kun Fong Lee and Mr. Jinhan Zhou (who hold shares in Solar Juice as trustee for Solar Juice Co) ("SPI Shareholders") commenced proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia as plaintiffs against its other shareholders and some of its other directors and purported directors and against Solar Juice Australia ("Defendants") in relation to a purported new rights issue undertaken by Solar Juice Australia, the purported removal by those other shareholders of Mr. Kun Fong Lee and Mr. Jinhan Zhou as directors of Solar Juice Australia and the purported appointment of an additional director. The SPI Shareholders allege that the purported new rights issue and the subsequent purported removal and appointment of directors are invalid and ineffective and therefore should be set aside. If effective, the purported rights issue will result in the SPI Shareholders' shareholding in Solar Juice Australia being reduced from 80% to 40%.

If our lawsuit is not successful, our financial results and stock price will be materially adversely affected.

We conduct our business in diverse locations around the world and are subject to economic, regulatory, social and political risks internationally and in the regions where we operate.

We currently conduct our business operations in the U.S., Japan, U.K., Greece, Italy and Australia, and as of June 29, 2020, we own and operate 16.8 MW of solar projects and have 19.636 MW of solar projects under construction across the world. Our business is therefore subject to diverse and constantly changing economic, regulatory, social and political conditions in these markets.

Operating internationally exposes us to a number of risks globally and in each of the markets where we operate, including, without limitation:

If economic recovery is slow in the markets where we operate, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, as we expand into additional markets, we may face unfamiliar regulatory regimes, business practices, governmental policies and industry conditions. As a result, our experience and knowledge of our existing markets may not be applicable to new markets that we enter, requiring significant time and resources to adapt our business to these unfamiliar markets. To the extent that our diverse business operations are affected by unexpected and adverse economic, regulatory, social and political conditions, we may experience business disruptions, loss of assets and personnel and other indirect losses and our business, financial condition and results of operations both locally and internationally could be materially and adversely affected.

The reduction, modification, delay or discontinuation of government subsidies and other economic incentives for the solar industry may reduce the profitability or viability of our solar projects and materially adversely affect our business.

At present, solar power is not cost competitive with other energy sources in our existing markets and the new markets we plan to expand into. For a variety of technological and economic reasons, the cost of generating electricity from solar energy in these markets currently exceeds and, absent significant changes in technological or economic circumstances, will continue to exceed the cost of generating electricity from conventional and certain other competing energy sources. Therefore, government subsidies and incentives, primarily in the form of feed-in tariffs, or FIT, price support schemes, tax credits, net metering and other incentives to end users, distributors, system integrators and manufacturers of solar products are generally required to enable companies such as us to successfully operate in these markets.

Government subsidies and incentives vary by geographic market. The availability and size of such subsidies and incentives depend, to a large extent, on political and policy developments relating to environmental concerns and other macro-economic factors. These government subsidies and incentives are expected to gradually decrease in scope or be discontinued as solar power technology improves and becomes more affordable relative to other types of energy. Reductions have occurred in certain countries where we have operations, and subsidies and incentives may be further reduced or discontinued in countries where we currently or intend to operate. Reductions may apply retroactively to existing solar projects, which could significantly reduce the value of our existing solar projects and other businesses. Even if reductions in government subsidies and economic incentives apply only to future solar projects, our operations in that country could be materially and adversely affected as we would not be able to leverage our existing presence to drive further growth. Moreover, certain solar subsidies and incentives are designed to expire or decline over time, are limited in total funding, require renewal from regulatory authorities or impose certain investment or performance criteria on our business partners or us, which we may not be able to satisfy. In addition, we may not be able to upgrade our technologies rapidly enough to compensate for foreseeable reductions in government subsidies and incentives. As a result, a significant reduction in the scope or discontinuation of government incentive programs in our existing and target markets could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Misconduct and errors by our employees could harm our business and reputation.

We are exposed to many types of operational risks, including the risk of misconduct, errors and fraud by our employees and key management personnel. Our training, resources, technologies and fraud detection tools may be insufficient to accurately detect and prevent fraud. Significant increases in fraudulent activity could negatively impact our brand and reputation, which could increase our costs and expenses. High profile fraudulent activity could even lead to regulatory intervention, and may divert our management’s attention and cause us to incur additional expenses and costs. If any of the foregoing were to occur, our results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

Changes to our business strategy provide a limited history on which to base our prospects and anticipated results of operations. Our historical operating results may not serve as an adequate basis to evaluate our future prospects and results of operations.

For the past few years, we have expanded our global project development business under our independent power producer model, or IPP model, or our build-and-transfer model, or BT model, by ramping up our portfolio of solar projects. This limited operating history of developing and operating solar projects under our IPP and BT model may not be a reliable indicator of our future performance.

Given our limited operating history under the current business model, we may not be able to ascertain and allocate the appropriate financial and human resources necessary to grow these new business areas. We may invest considerable capital into growing these businesses but fail to address market or customer demands or otherwise fail to achieve satisfactory financial return. In particular, our results of operations, financial condition and future success depend largely on our ability to continue to identify suitable projects that complement our solar project pipeline through acquisitions and secondary development, as well as our ability to obtain the required regulatory approvals, financing and cost-effective construction services for these acquisitions. We must also sustainably manage and operate the solar projects that we acquire, develop and hold under our IPP model, or successfully identify buyers for solar projects under our BT model. In addition, in expanding into these new business areas, we may be competing against companies that have substantially more experience than we do with respect to solar projects under our IPP and BT models. If we are unable to achieve growth in these new business areas, our overall growth and financial performance may be inferior to our competitors and our operating results could be adversely impacted.

 Due to the change in our strategic focus and revenue generating efforts in 2014, our prior operating history and historical operating results may not provide a meaningful basis for evaluating our business, financial performance and prospects.

Period-to-period comparisons of our operating results and our results of operations for any period should not be relied upon as an indication of our performance for any future period. We have incurred net losses since our inception and as of December 31, 2019, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $585.4 million. While we have had decreasing losses year over year, we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the near future.

We may not be able to acquire additional solar projects to grow our project portfolio, or effectively integrate or realize the anticipated benefits of our acquisitions.

Our current business strategy includes plans to further increase the number of solar projects we own and operate. Since 2014, we have significantly expanded our operations through acquisitions of solar projects across different development stages in Japan, the U.S., the U.K., Greece and Italy, and we may acquire additional businesses, products or technologies or enter into joint ventures or other strategic initiatives in the future. Accordingly, our ability to execute our expansion strategies depends on our ability to identify suitable investment or acquisition opportunities, which is subject to numerous uncertainties. We may not be able to identify favorable geographical markets for expansion or assess local demand for solar power, identify a sufficient number of projects as contemplated, or secure project financing and refinancing on reasonable terms for the contemplated acquisitions. In addition, our competitors may have substantially greater capital and other resources than we do, and may be able to pay more for the acquisition targets we identify and may be able to identify, evaluate, bid for and acquire a greater number of projects than our resources permit.

Furthermore, we may not realize the anticipated benefits of our acquisitions and each transaction involves numerous risks, including, among others:

Acquisitions of companies are inherently risky, and ultimately, if we do not generate expected economic returns from the acquired businesses, or become responsible for any preexisting liabilities related to the acquired businesses, we may not fully realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisitions, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We require a significant amount of cash to meet our capital requirements and fund our operations, including payments to suppliers for PV modules and components and to bank for project loan. As of December 31, 2019, we had $2.9 million in outstanding short-term borrowings (and the current portion of long-term borrowings) and $6 million in outstanding long-term borrowings (excluding the current portion).

Our existing debt may have significant consequences on our operations, including:

Any of these factors and other consequences that may result from our substantial indebtedness could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations as well as our ability to meet our payment obligations under our existing debt facilities. Our ability to meet our payment obligations under our existing debt facilities depends on our ability to generate significant cash flow in the future. This, to some extent, is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative and regulatory factors as well as other factors that are beyond our control.

Our results of operations may be subject to fluctuations.

Before we achieve economies of scale in terms of our IPP projects and receive steady electricity generation income, our revenue in a given period will depend on the number of solar projects sold under our BT model and sale of PV modules and solar component, and therefore is subject to significant fluctuations. For instance, we may generate a significant portion of our revenues from the one-time sale of solar projects for certain periods. Moreover, certain aspects of our operations will also be subject to seasonal variations. For example, we may schedule significant construction activities to connect solar projects to the grids prior to a scheduled decrease in FIT rates in order to qualify for more favorable FIT policies.

Failure to manage our evolving business could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

We intend to expand our business within our existing markets and in a number of selected new locations in the future. We also intend to expand our global project development business in the future. As our operations evolve, we expect to encounter additional challenges in our internal management, construction contracting management, investment and acquisition management, project management, project funding infrastructure and financing capabilities. Our existing operations, personnel, systems and internal control may not be adequate to support our business expansion and may require new investments in our internal management infrastructure. To manage the future growth of our operations, we will be required to improve our administrative, operational and financial systems, procedures and controls, and maintain, expand, train and manage a growing number of employees. In addition, we will need to hire and train additional project development personnel to manage our growing portfolio of IPP and BT projects. If we are unable to manage our growth effectively, we may not be able to take advantage of market opportunities, execute our business strategies successfully or respond to competitive pressures. As a result, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

We act as the general contractor for our customers for the provision of EPC services, and are subject to risks associated with construction, delays and other contingencies, which could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business and results of operations.

Historically, we have generated a significant portion of our revenue from the provision of EPC services. We generally enter into fixed-price EPC contracts under which we act as the general contractor for our customers in connection with the installation of their solar power systems. All essential costs are estimated at the time of entering into the EPC contracts for a particular project, and are reflected in the overall fixed-price that we charge our customers. These cost estimates are preliminary and may or may not be covered by contracts between us or our subcontractors, suppliers or other parties to the project. In addition, we engage qualified and licensed subcontractors for the construction of our EPC projects. Shortages of such skilled labor could significantly delay a project or otherwise increase our costs. Should miscalculations in project planning or delay in execution occur (including those due to unexpected increases in inflation, commodity prices or labor costs), we may not be able to achieve our expected margins or recover our costs.

In addition, our EPC contracts generally provide for performance milestones. Delays in supply of PV module or components, construction delays, unexpected performance problems in electricity generation or other events may cause us to fail to meet these performance criteria, resulting in unanticipated and severe revenue and earnings losses and financial penalties. If we are unable to complete the development of a solar project, or fail to meet one or more agreed target construction milestone dates, any agreed upon system-level capacity or energy output guarantees or warranties (including, for some projects, twenty-five year performance warranties) or other terms under our EPC contracts, or the solar projects we develop cause grid interference or other damage, we may be subject to termination of such contracts or significant damages, penalties and/or other obligation under the EPC agreements or other agreements relating to the projects (including obligations to repair, replace and/or supplement additional modules and balance of system materials for the projects), particularly if our liabilities are not capped under the terms of such agreements, and we may not be able to recover our investment in the project. The occurrence of any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business and results of operations.

We generally recognize revenue from EPC services on a “cost-based input method” and payments are due upon the achievement of contractual milestones and any delay or cancellation of a project could adversely affect our business.

We generally recognize revenue from our EPC services on a “cost-based input method,” and as a result, revenues from our EPC services are driven by the performance of our contractual obligations, which is in turn generally driven by timelines of the installation of solar power systems at customer sites. Such arrangement could result in unpredictability of revenue and in the near term, a revenue decrease. As with any project-related business, there is potential for delays within any particular customer project. Variation of project timelines and estimates may impact our ability to recognize revenue in a particular period. In addition, certain EPC contracts may provide for payment milestones due at specified stages throughout the development of a project. Because we must invest substantially in a project in advance of achieving these milestones and receiving payments, delay or cancellation of a project could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

We may fail to comply with laws and regulations in the markets we operate.

The development, construction and operation of solar projects are highly regulated. We conduct our operations in many jurisdictions and are subject to different laws and regulations, including national and local regulations relating to building codes, taxes, safety, environmental protection, utility interconnection, metering and other matters. Our establish subsidiaries also have operations in these countries and jurisdictions that are required to comply with various local laws and regulations. While we strive to work with our local counsel and other advisers to comply with the laws and regulations of each jurisdiction where we operate, there have been, and may continue to be, instances of non-compliances such as late filings of annual accounts with the appropriate governmental authorities, failure to notify governmental authorities of certain transactions, failure to hold annual meetings as required, failure to register director or address changes or other local requirements which may result in fines, sanctions or other penalties against our non-complying subsidiaries and its directors and officers. While we do not believe our past and continuing non-compliances, singularly or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations, we cannot assure you that similar or other non-compliances will not occur in the future which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We are responsible for obtaining a variety of approvals, permits and licenses from various authorities for our solar projects. The procedures for obtaining such approvals, permits and licenses vary from country to country, making it onerous and costly to adhere to the varying requirements and standards of individual localities. Failure to obtain the required approvals, permits or licenses or to comply with the conditions associated therewith may result in fines, sanctions, suspension, revocation or non-renewal of approvals, permits or licenses, or even criminal liabilities, which could material and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, new government regulations pertaining to our business or solar projects may result in significant additional expenses. We cannot assure you that we will be able to promptly and adequately respond to changes of laws and regulations in various jurisdictions, or that our employees and contractors will act in accordance with our internal policies and procedures. Failure to comply with laws and regulations where we develop, own and operate solar projects may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The market demand for solar power is strongly influenced by government regulations and policies concerning the electric utility industry as well as by policies promulgated by electric utilities in each of the markets we operate. These regulations and policies often relate to electricity pricing and technical interconnection of electricity generation. Customer purchases of alternative energy sources, including solar power technology, could be deterred by these regulations and policies, which may significantly reduce the demand for our PV solutions. For example, without a regulatory-mandated exception for solar power systems, utility customers are often charged interconnection or standby fees for putting distributed power generation on the electric utility grid or limit the production capacity to the grid. The county-level government may also levy additional tax related to land use or potential plants recovery that was not initially included during the development or construction phase. These fees could increase, rendering solar power less cost competitive in these markets and our PV solutions less desirable.

It is difficult to ensure ongoing compliance with the changing requirements of individual markets. Any new government regulations or utility policies pertaining to solar projects may result in significant additional expenses to us or other industry participants and as a result could cause a significant reduction in demand for our PV solutions.

The solar industry faces competition from both conventional power industries and other renewable power industries.

The solar industry faces intense competition from all other players within the energy industry, including both conventional energy providers such as nuclear, natural gas and fossil fuels and other renewable energy providers, such as geothermal, hydropower, biomass, wind and nuclear energy. Other energy sources may benefit from innovations that reduce their costs and increase safety, and therefore improve their competitiveness. New natural resources may be discovered, or global economic, business or political developments may disproportionately benefit conventional energy sources or other renewable energy sources at the expense of solar. Governments may strengthen their support for other renewable energy sources and reduce their support for the solar industry. Changes in supply and demand of conventional energy sources or other energy sources may reduce the cost of such sources and render solar power less attractive. For instance, the recent decline in oil prices and prolong low prices have adversely impacted the competitiveness of solar energy. Failure for our customers, other business partners or us to compete with the providers of other energy sources may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The market for solar project development is highly competitive.

There is currently intense competition in the solar industry, particularly in the downstream project development segment. Solar projects encounter competition from utilities, industrial companies and other independent power producers. In recent years, there has been increasing competition for the award of PPAs, which has in some markets resulted in an excess supply above designated reserve margins and has been contributing to the declining electricity prices in many markets. In light of these conditions, we may not be able to obtain PPAs for our new solar projects under our IPP model, and we may not be able to renew PPAs on the same terms and conditions upon expiration, particularly in terms of securing an electricity sale price that enables profitable operation or the sale of a project at anticipated value, if at all.

We have expanded our business to include global project development and may not have the same level of expertise and customer base as our competitors, which may affect our ability to successfully establish our presence in the global market. Our current or potential competitors may have greater operational, financial, technical, market share, scale, management or other resources than us in our existing or target markets. Our competitors may also enter into strategic alliances with other competitors to our detriment, or may ally with our suppliers or contractors, thereby limiting our procurement choices and our flexibility in project development. Our current or potential competitors may offer PV solutions comparable or superior to ours at the same or lower prices, or adapt more quickly to industry trends than we do. Increased competition may result in price reductions, reduced profit margins and loss of market share.

Technological advances in the solar industry could render our PV solutions uncompetitive or obsolete.

The solar industry is characterized by its rapid adoption and application of technological advances. This requires us to develop new PV solutions and enhance our existing PV solutions to keep pace with and respond effectively to evolving technologies, market conditions and customer demands. Our competitors may develop technologies more advanced and cost-effective than ours. We will need to invest substantially in research and development to maintain our market position and effectively compete in the future. Our failure to further refine or enhance our technologies could render our technologies uncompetitive or obsolete, which could reduce our market share and cause our revenues to decline.

In addition, we may invest in and implement newly-developed, less-proven technologies in our project development or in maintaining or enhancing our existing projects. There is no guarantee that these new technologies will perform or generate customer demand as anticipated. The failure of our new technologies to perform as anticipated may materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

If sufficient demand for solar projects develops slower than we anticipate, develops in ways inconsistent with our strategy, or fails to develop at all, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected.

The solar power market worldwide is at a relatively early stage of development compared to conventional power markets and other renewable power markets, such as that for hydropower. Thus, trends in the solar industry are based only on limited data and may be unreliable. Many factors may affect the demand for solar projects worldwide, including:

Our analysis and predictions concerning the future growth of the solar industry are based on complex facts and circumstances and may be incorrect. If market demand for solar projects in our existing or target markets fails to develop according to our expectations, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected.

Our growth prospects and future profitability and our ability to continue to acquire solar projects depends on the availability of sufficient financing on terms acceptable to us.

The development of solar projects requires significant upfront cash investments, including the costs of permit development, construction and associated operations. Since 2014, we have been expanding our solar project portfolio primarily by acquiring solar projects across different development stages. Such expansion strategy requires significant upfront capital expenditures which, depending on the respective development stages of the acquired projects, may not be recouped for a significant period of time. As a result, we are required to pursue a wide variety of capital resources to fund our operations, including private placements, bank loans, financial leases and other third-party financing options.

Our ability to obtain sufficient financing is subject to a number of uncertainties, including:

Due to these or other reasons, we may not be successful in obtaining the required funds for future acquisitions. Furthermore, we may be unable to refinance our bank borrowings on favorable terms, or at all, upon the expiration or termination of our existing loan facilities. In addition, rising interest rates could adversely affect our ability to secure financing on favorable terms. Our failure in securing suitable financing sources in a timely manner or at all, or on commercially acceptable terms, could significantly limit our ability to execute our growth strategies or future acquisitions, and may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

The significant period of time between our upfront investments in solar projects and their commencement of revenue generation could materially and adversely affect our liquidity, business and results of operations.

We have since 2014 commenced our global project development business under our IPP or BT models by ramping up our portfolio of solar projects. There is a significant gap between the time that we make significant upfront investments in the solar projects and the time that we receive any revenue from the electricity generated by these solar projects after grid connection (under our IPP model) or from the sale of these projects (under our BT model). These upfront investments include, among others, legal, accounting and other professional fees, costs associated with feasibility studies and due diligence, payments for land use rights, construction costs, government permits and deposits for grid connection agreements and PPAs, none of which may be refundable if a project fails to achieve completion. We have historically relied on private placements, bank loans and financial leases to cover costs and expenses incurred during project development.

In particular, there could be an especially long gap between the initial assessment of a project, the first steps of acquiring land use rights and negotiating interconnection agreements and the obtaining of governmental approvals for construction. Acquisition of land use rights can be particularly time-consuming if we are engaged in primary development and need to negotiate with land owners or government entities. The significant development time increases the risk for adverse events during such process, whether they be economic, environmental, political, social or otherwise, that could cause further delays in project development or increase the overall development costs. Due to such adverse developments or unanticipated delays, we may be unable to recoup our initial investment in the solar projects, which may materially and adversely affect our liquidity, profitability and results of operations.

We may encounter unexpected difficulties when developing solar power projects.

In 2014, we commenced our global project development business by ramping up our portfolio of solar projects under both our IPP, BT and EPC models. The attributable capacity of our projects in operation is 16.8 MW, projects under construction 19.636 MW, and had an aggregate of 10.24MW of projects in announced pipeline as of June 29, 2020. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Our Global Project Development Business.” The development of solar projects involves numerous risks and uncertainties and require extensive research, planning and due diligence. Before we can determine whether a solar project is economically, technologically or otherwise feasible, we may be required to incur significant capital expenditure for land and interconnection rights, preliminary engineering, permitting, legal and other work. Success in developing a particular solar project is contingent upon, among others:

Successful completion of a particular solar project may be adversely affected by numerous factors, including, without limitation:

Accordingly, some of the solar projects in our portfolio may not eventually commence operation and connect to the grid, or even proceed to construction. If a number of our solar projects are not completed, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Our construction activities may be subject to cost overruns or delays.

We engage third-party contractors for the construction of solar projects. Construction of solar projects involves numerous risks and uncertainties, and may be adversely affected by circumstances outside of our control, including seasonal changes, inclement weather, failure to receive regulatory approvals on schedule or third-party delays in supplying PV modules or other materials. We may not be able to negotiate satisfactory construction agreements with third-party contractors, or our third-party contractors may not be able to contract with their subcontractors on a timely basis. In addition, if our contractors fail to adhere to our quality standards or otherwise fail to meet their contractual obligations, or if there is a shortage of contractors or labor strikes that prevents our contractors from completing their construction work on schedule or within budget, the solar projects may experience significant delays or cost overruns. Increases in the prices of solar products and components may also increase our procurement costs. Labor shortages, work stoppages and labor disputes could significantly delay a project or otherwise increase our costs. In addition, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required construction permits could also delay or hinder the construction of our solar projects. A lack of proper construction permits, or post-construction approvals could delay or prevent our solar projects from commencing operation and connecting to the grid.

We may not be able to recover any of our losses resulting from construction cost overruns or delays. In addition, since the FIT applicable to a solar project generally depends on its lead time to grid connection, construction and connection delays may lead to a lower-than-expected FIT, which would adversely affect the long-term value and potentially the viability of the project. Many PPAs also require our solar projects to connect to the grid by a certain date. If the construction of solar project is significantly delayed, we may be in violation of our PPAs or may only be entitled to reduced FIT payments, if at all. A reduction or forfeiture of FIT payments would materially and adversely affect the profitability for a solar power project. Any of the above contingencies could lead to our failure to generate expected return from our solar projects and result in unanticipated and significant revenue and earnings losses.

We rely on third-party suppliers and contractors when developing our solar power projects.

We source PV modules and other balance-of-system components from a wide selection of third-party suppliers and engage third-party contractors for the construction of solar projects. We typically enter into contracts with our suppliers and contractors on a project-by-project basis and do not maintain long-term contracts with our suppliers or contractors. Therefore, we are generally exposed to price fluctuations and availability of PV modules and balance-of-system components sourced from our suppliers and construction services procured from our contractors. For example, in light of changing market dynamics and government policies, the price and availability of PV modules have been subject to significant volatility in recent years. Increases in the prices of PV modules or balance-of-system components, decreases in their availability, fluctuations in construction, labor and installation costs, or changes in the terms of our relationship with our suppliers and contractors may increase the cost of procuring equipment and engaging contractors and hence materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Furthermore, the delivery of defective products or products or construction services by our suppliers or contractors which are otherwise not in compliance with contract specifications, or the late supply of products or construction services, may cause construction delays or solar power projects that fail to adhere to our quality and safety standards, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flow.

Warranties provided by our suppliers and contractors may be limited or insufficient to compensate for our losses, or may not cover the nature of our losses incurred.

We expect to benefit from various warranties, including product quality and performance warranties, provided by our suppliers and contractors. These suppliers and contractors, however, may file for bankruptcy, cease operations or otherwise become unable or unwilling to fulfill their warranty obligations. Even if a supplier fulfills its warranty obligations, the warranty may not be sufficient to compensate us for all of our losses. In addition, the warranty for inverters and transformers generally expire after 5 to 10 years from the date such equipment is delivered or commissioned and is subject to liability limits. Where damages are caused by defective products provided by our suppliers or construction services delivered by our contractors, our suppliers or contractors may be unable or unwilling to perform their warranty obligations as a result of their financial conditions or otherwise. Or if the warranty has expired or a liability limit has been reached, there may be a reduction or loss of warranty protection for the affected projects, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our solar projects have short operating histories and may not perform up to our expectations.

The projects in our solar project portfolio are relatively new with expected operating life of more than 20 years. The majority of our projects in operation as of December 31, 2019 commenced operations since 2014. In addition, the projects we acquire in the future may not have commenced construction or operation or otherwise have a limited operating history. As a result, our assumptions and estimates regarding the future performance of these projects are, and will be, made without the benefit of a meaningful operating history, which may impair our ability to accurately assess the potential profitability of the projects. The performance of these projects will also be subject to risks inherent in newly constructed renewable energy projects, including breakdowns and outages, latent defects, equipment that performs below our expectations and system failures. Failure of some or all of our projects to perform up to our expectations could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to obtain long-term contracts for the sale of electricity generated by our solar projects under our IPP model at prices and on other terms favorable to attract financing and other investments.

Since 2014, we started acquiring solar projects across different stages of development globally and to hold some of these acquired projects under our IPP model. Obtaining long-term contracts for the sale of electricity generated by our solar projects under our IPP model at prices and on other terms favorable to us will be essential for obtaining financing or completing construction of these projects. We must compete for PPAs against other developers of solar and renewable energy projects. Furthermore, other sources of power, such as natural gas-fired power plants, have historically been cheaper than the cost of solar power and power from certain types of projects, such as natural gas-fired power plants, can be delivered on a firm basis. The availability of PPAs is subject to a number of economic, regulatory, tax and public policy factors. The inability to compete successfully against other power producers or otherwise enter into PPAs favorable to us would negatively affect our ability to develop and finance our projects and negatively impact our revenue.

We may be subject to unforeseen costs, liabilities or obligations when providing O&M services.

We provide ongoing O&M services to third-party solar projects under fixed-price long-term service agreements, pursuant to which we generally perform all scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and operating and other asset management services for the system. Our costs to perform these services are estimated at the time of entering into the O&M agreement for a particular project, and these are reflected in the fixed-price that we charge our customers under the O&M agreement. Should miscalculations in estimating these costs occur (including those due to unexpected increases in inflation or labor costs), our O&M services may not be profitable and our growth strategy and results of operations could be adversely affected. Because of the long-term nature of these O&M agreements, the adverse impacts on results of operations could be significant, particularly if our liabilities are not capped or subject to an above-market liability cap under the terms of the O&M agreement. In addition, we may be subject to substantial costs, liabilities or obligations in the event that the solar projects we maintain and operate do not meet any agreed-upon system-level availability or performance warranties.

We have limited insurance coverage.

Our insurance policies cover employee-related accidents and injuries, property damage, machinery breakdowns, fixed assets, facilities and liability deriving from our activities, including environmental liability. We consider our current insurance coverage to be adequate, but we cannot assure you that our insurance will be sufficient or effective under all circumstances and against all hazards or liabilities to which we may be subject. Furthermore, our insurance coverage is subject to deductibles, caps, exclusions and other limitations. A loss for which we are not fully insured could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Furthermore, due to rising insurance costs and changes in the insurance markets, we cannot assure you that our insurance coverage will continue to be available at comparable rates or on similar terms, if at all. We may also reduce or cancel our insurance coverage at any time. We may not be able to maintain or obtain insurance of the type and amount we desire at reasonable rates and we may elect to self-insure a portion of our solar project portfolio. Any losses not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In addition, the insurance industry in many parts of the world is still in an early stage of development. As we continue to expand our global presence, we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage in each of the new markets we enter. To the extent that our operations are not adequately insured in these markets, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

We may be subject to product or strict liability claims if the provision of our EPC services or the solar projects we sell result in injury or damage, and we have limited insurance coverage to protect against such claims, as well as losses that may result from business interruptions or natural disasters.

Solar projects are highly sophisticated and generate and transfer large volumes of electric charge with the potential to harm or kill, whether by improper installation or other causes. We are therefore exposed to an inherent risk of product liability claims or class action suits in the event that the installation of the solar power systems during the provision of our EPC services, or the solar projects we sell under our BT model, results in injury or damage, and we may even be liable in some jurisdictions under a strict liability theory, where liability holds even if we are not negligent or at fault. Moreover, to the extent that a claim is brought against us, we may not have adequate resources to defend ourselves. We rely on our general liability insurance to cover product liability and other liability claims and have not separately obtained product liability insurance. The unfavorable settlement of product or strict liability claims against us could result in significant monetary damages and significant payments in excess of our insurance coverage could have a materially adverse effect on our financial results. Any such business disruption could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources.

Solar energy generation depends heavily on suitable meteorological conditions. If weather conditions are unfavorable, our power generation output, and therefore the revenue from our solar projects, may be substantially below our expectations.

The electricity produced and revenues generated by solar projects are highly dependent on suitable solar conditions and associated weather conditions. Such conditions are beyond our control. Furthermore, components of these generation systems, including solar panels and inverters, can be damaged by severe weather, such as heavy snowstorms, hailstorms, ice storms, lightning strikes, extreme winds, earthquakes or tornadoes. Replacement and spare parts for key components may be difficult costly or unavailable. Unfavorable weather and atmospheric conditions could reduce the electricity output of our solar projects to below projected generation, damage or impair the effectiveness of our projects or require shutdown of key equipment, impeding operation of our projects and our ability to achieve forecasted revenues and cash flows.

The amount of electricity solar projects produce is dependent in part on the amount of sunlight, or insolation, where the projects are located. Because shorter daylight hours in winter months results in less insolation, the generation of particular projects will vary depending on the season.

We base our investment decisions with respect to solar power generation assets on the findings of related solar studies conducted prior to construction or based on historical conditions at existing projects. However, actual climatic conditions at an asset site may not conform to the findings of these studies. For example, unexpected development of climate conditions that was not taken into consideration during the investment decision-making process, such as smog and sand storms may significantly reduce the solar power generation. Therefore, our solar projects may not meet anticipated production levels or the rated capacity of our projects, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

The operation of solar projects involves significant inherent risks and hazards that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

The operation of solar projects involves numerous hazardous activities, including delivering electricity to transmission and distribution systems. We are subject to natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, snow obscuration, high temperatures, lightning, hurricanes, long-term climate changes, volcanoes and wind risks, as well as other inherent risks affecting resource availability such as fire, explosion, soil and ice buildup, structural collapse and equipment failure. Moreover, we may suffer from negligent acts by our PPA counterparties or other third parties. Our rooftop projects could cause damage to the building roof, resulting in claims due to water damages or replacement of roofing materials. These and other hazards can cause significant personal injury or loss of life, severe damage to, and destruction of, property and equipment and contamination of, or damage to, the environment, wildlife takes or fatalities and suspension of operations. The occurrence of any of these events may result in lawsuits against us asserting claims for substantial damages, including for environmental cleanup costs, personal injury and property damage and fines and/or penalties.

In addition, the ongoing operation of solar projects face risks that include the breakdown or failure of equipment or processes or performance below expected levels of output or efficiency due to wear and tear, latent defect, design error or operator error or force majeure events, among others. Unplanned outages, including extensions of scheduled outages, occur from time to time and are an inherent risk of our business. Unplanned outages typically increase our operation and maintenance expenses and may reduce our revenues as a result of generating and selling less electricity.

If we fail to properly operate and maintain our solar projects, these projects may experience decreased performance, shortened operating life or shut downs. Our solar projects may also require periodic upgrading and improvement. Changes in our own operation or local conditions may increase the costs of operating the project, including costs related to labor, equipment, insurance and taxes. If we cause damage to third parties, we may become liable for the consequences of any resulting damage. We may also experience equipment malfunction or failure, leading to unexpected maintenance needs, unplanned outages or other operational issues. In addition, inconsistencies in the quality of solar panels, PV modules, balance-of-system components or maintenance services for our solar projects may affect the system efficiency of our projects.

Any unexpected operational or mechanical failure, including failure associated with breakdowns and forced outages, and any decreased operational or management performance, could reduce our solar projects’ power generating capacity below expected levels, reducing our revenues and profitability. Degradation of the performance of our solar projects above levels provided for in the relevant PPAs may also reduce our revenues. Unanticipated capital expenditures associated with maintaining, upgrading or repairing our projects may also reduce our profitability. In addition, damage to our reputation due to system failure or accidents could negatively impact our relationships with customers and local government authorities, which could also materially adversely affect our business. Negative public or community response to solar energy projects could adversely affect the approval for and construction of our projects. We maintain insurance coverage that we consider adequate but we cannot assure you that our insurance will be sufficient or effective under all circumstances and against all hazards or liabilities to which we may be subject.

Environmental, health and safety laws and regulations subject us to extensive and increasingly stringent operational requirements, as well as potentially substantial liabilities arising out of environmental contamination.

We are subject to, in each of the jurisdictions we operate, numerous national and local laws, regulations, guidelines, policies, directives and other requirements governing or relating to, among others, land use and zoning matters and protection of human health and the environment, including those limiting the discharge and release of pollutants into the environment, and the protection of certain wildlife. These laws and regulations require our solar projects to, among others, obtain and maintain approvals and permits, undergo environmental impact assessments and review processes and implement environmental, health and safety programs and procedures to control risks associated with the construction, operation and decommissioning of solar projects. If our solar projects do not comply with applicable environmental laws, regulations or permit requirements, we may be required to pay significant fines or penalties or suspend or cease operations of the affected projects. Violations of environmental and other laws, regulations and permit requirements may also result in criminal sanctions or injunctions.

Our solar projects may experience malfunctions and other unplanned events that result in personal injury and property damage. As such, the operation of our projects carries an inherent risk of environmental, health and safety liabilities (including potential civil actions, compliance or remediation orders, fines and other penalties), and may subject us to administrative and judicial proceedings. In addition, certain environmental laws and regulations may impose joint and several liability on past and present owners and operators of sites, related to the cleaning up of sites where hazardous wastes or materials were disposed or released.

We may continue to conduct acquisitions and enter into joint ventures, investments or other strategic alliances which may be unsuccessful.

We may continue to grow our operations through acquisitions, as well as joint ventures or other strategic alliances when appropriate opportunities arise. Such acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances may expose us to additional operational, regulatory, market and geographical risks as well as risks associated with additional capital requirements and diversion of management attention. In particular, any future strategic alliances may expose us to the following risks:

The materialization of any of these risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We rely substantially on our senior management team and our ability to attract, train and retain qualified personnel for our current and future success.

The industry experience, expertise and contributions of our chairman, Mr. Xiaofeng Peng, is essential to our continuing success. We will continue to rely on our senior management, regional management and other key employees to manage our business operations and implement our growth plans. If they cannot work together effectively or efficiently, our business may be severely disrupted. If one or more of our senior or regional management personnel were unable or unwilling to continue to hold their present positions, we might not be able to recruit, train and retain personnel with comparable qualifications, and our results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected.

Our qualified and experienced project development teams are critical to our success. We may not be able to continue to attract, train and retain qualified personnel, including executive officers, project development personnel, project management personnel and other key personnel with the necessary experience and expertise. In particular, as we enter into new markets, we face challenges to recruit and retain qualified personnel who are familiar with local regulatory regimes and have adequate experiences in project development and operations. In particular, we have experienced a lack of accounting personnel with an appropriate level of knowledge and experience in U.S. GAAP.

There is substantial competition for qualified personnel in the downstream PV industry. Our competitors may offer more competitive packages or otherwise attract our personnel. Our costs to retain qualified personnel may also increase in response to competition. If we fail to continue to attract and retain a sufficient number of personnel with suitable managerial, technical or marketing expertise, our business operations could be adversely affected and our future growth and expansions may be inhibited.

Our failure to protect our intellectual property rights may undermine our competitive position, and litigation to protect our intellectual property rights may be costly.

We rely primarily on trade secrets, know-how and other proprietary information to protect our intellectual property. Nevertheless, these afford only limited protection and the actions we take to protect our intellectual property rights may not be adequate to provide us with meaningful protection or commercial advantage. Third parties may be able to use the technologies that we have developed and compete with us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Our failure to protect our intellectual property and proprietary rights may undermine our competitive position. Third parties may infringe or misappropriate our proprietary technologies or other intellectual property and proprietary rights. Policing the unauthorized use of proprietary technology can be difficult and expensive. In particular, the laws and enforcement procedures certain markets where we operate are uncertain or do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as do the laws and enforcement procedures of the United States. We may need to resort to court proceedings to enforce our intellectual property rights in the future. Litigation relating to our intellectual property might result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention away from our business. An adverse determination in any such litigation will impair our intellectual property rights and adversely affect our business, prospects and reputation.

We may be exposed to infringement or misappropriation claims by third parties which, if determined adversely to us, could cause us to pay significant damage awards.

Our success depends largely on our ability to use and develop our technology and know-how without infringing the intellectual property rights of third parties. The validity and scope of claims relating to solar technology involve complex scientific, legal and factual questions and analysis and, therefore, may be highly uncertain. As we continue to expand internationally, we face a heightened risk of becoming the subject of claims for intellectual property infringement. We may be subject to litigation involving claims of patent infringement or violation of intellectual property rights of third parties. An adverse determination in any such litigation or proceedings against us could subject us to significant liabilities to third parties, including requiring us to seek licenses from third parties, to pay ongoing royalties or to pay monetary and punitive damages. Protracted litigation could also result in our customers or potential customers deferring or limiting their procurement of our PV solutions until resolution of such litigation, which could result in losses and adversely affect our reputation and results of operations.

Our management has identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting and we may not be able to remediate these weaknesses. Additionally, our management may identify material weaknesses in the future that could adversely affect investor confidence, impair the value of our securities and increase our cost of raising capital.

Our management identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, and our chief executive officer concluded that our disclosure and internal controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2019. See “Item 15. Controls and Procedures” for more information. There can be no assurance as to how quickly or effectively we can remediate the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting or that additional material weaknesses will not be identified in the future.

Any failure to remedy additional weaknesses or deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that may be discovered in the future or to implement new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in the implementation of such controls, could harm our operating results, cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations or result in material misstatements in our financial statements. Any such failure could, in turn, affect the future ability of our management to certify that our internal control over financial reporting is effective. Ineffective internal control over financial reporting could also subject us to the scrutiny of the SEC and other regulatory bodies which could cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information and subject us to civil or criminal penalties or shareholder litigation, which could have an adverse effect on the trading price of our securities.

In addition, if we identify additional deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting, the disclosure of that fact, even if quickly remedied, could reduce the market’s confidence in our financial statements and harm our share price. Furthermore, additional deficiencies could result in future non-compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”). Such non-compliance could subject us to a variety of administrative sanctions, including review by the SEC or other regulatory authorities.

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires us to make estimates, judgments and assumptions that may ultimately prove to be incorrect.

The accounting estimates and judgments that management must make in the ordinary course of business affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the periods presented. If the underlying estimates are ultimately proven to be incorrect, subsequent adjustments could have a material adverse effect on our operating results for the period or periods in which the change is identified.

The global cryptocurrency mining services market is highly competitive and fragmented with low barriers to market.

Although the market for providing services to cryptocurrency miners is new and evolving, the barriers to entry are quite low. Except for having the financial resources to set up a facility, no specialized technology or know-how required. Therefore, if cryptocurrency mining remains profitable, we expect additional competitors to enter the market, some of whom may have greater resources than we do.

The prices of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have been fluctuating wildly in the last few months. If there is fewer people who want to conduct cryptocurrency mining operations due to the wild fluctuation, the demand for our services will decline.

The prices of cryptocurrencies have been fluctuating wildly in the last few months. Such fluctuation may make cryptocurrency mining less profitable. If the price of cryptocurrencies falls or does not increase, fewer people are likely to conduct cryptocurrency mining operations, which would reduce the demand for our services.

Blockchain technology and cryptocurrency are in the early stages of development and it is difficult to predict how the market for cryptocurrencies will develop.

Blockchain technology and cryptocurrency are in the early stages of development and it is difficult to predict how the market for cryptocurrencies will develop. There are significant factors which may inhibit the growth of these markets, including:

Any of these factors could significantly limit the growth of our business.

We need to access a large quantity of power at a reasonable cost in order to provide our cryptocurrency mining services; if we are unable to access such power sources, we will not be able to continue providing cryptocurrency mining services profitably.

We need to access a large quantity of power at a reasonable cost in order to provide our cryptocurrency mining services, and we do not have any long-term contract for the provision of power at specified prices. As competition in this area increases, we may not be able to access power at reasonable costs or at all. If we are unable to access new power sources, or the price of our current power sources significantly increase, we will not be able to continue providing cryptocurrency mining services profitably.

The hemp and CBD industries are evolving yet highly regulated and we must anticipate and respond to changes and risks.

In September 2019, the Company launched a hemp and Cannabidiol (“CBD”) businesses and as of the date of this annual report, our hemp and CBD businesses have no revenue derived from this business. The hemp and CBD industries are not yet well-developed, and many aspects of the industries’ development and evolution cannot be accurately predicted. In addition, the hemp and CBD businesses are heavily regulated in the jurisdiction(s) where we carry on such businesses. Although the hemp and CBD businesses contribute nil to our total revenue,our hemp and CBD businesses are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines by governmental authorities relating to, among other things, the manufacture, marketing, management, transportation, storage, sale, pricing and disposal of cannabis, U.S. hemp and cannabis-based products, and also including laws, regulations and guidelines relating to health and safety, insurance coverage, the conduct of operations and the protection of the environment. You should carefully consider that there are other risks that cannot be foreseen or are not described herein, which could affect Company’s business and financial performance.

DEA Regulation of CBD Varies Depending on the Concentration of THC

Under Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulations, marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug not approved as a medication in the United States; however, hemp has been distinguished from marijuana under the definition revised in 2018. Hemp is defined as the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant — including the seeds and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not — with a THC concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) Regulations Do Not Permit CBD as a Food Additive or Dietary Supplement

Analysis of the potential for regulatory impact on any type of CBD product is fact-specific and requires close evaluation of several factors, including the type of product (e.g., food, dietary supplement, or cosmetic), product’s labeling, and the existing compliance structure of the product developer or manufacturer. The FDA regulates CBD if it is used as a food additive, a dietary supplement or in cosmetic products, or if it is advertised as a drug.

Rapidly Changing State Laws May Impose Further Restrictions on CBD Products

Where CBD products are sold or manufactured, it is important to review applicable state law to determine any further restrictions on CBD. For instance, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently announced it would send letters to businesses notifying them that the sale of CBD in food, drinks and animal food violates state and federal law. Further, in February 2019, Maine and New York announced that restaurants and other retailers may not sell products containing CBD and that the states would begin enforcing these restrictions. These state restrictions may significantly impact overall sales of CBD products as the regulatory landscape continues to evolve.

Avoid Certain Advertising and Labeling Claims for CBD Products

Marketing claims about the therapeutic benefits of CBD may inadvertently subject CBD product manufacturers to FDA’s drug regulations. Claims that CBD can treat or mitigate a disease or condition, for instance, may run afoul of FDA’s position on CBD product marketing. To date, the FDA has approved only one drug directly using CBD - Epidiolex - which treats two rare forms of childhood epilepsy. The FDA has not determined that CBD is safe or effective for treating any other particular disease or condition. Accordingly, companies should avoid making claims that CBD will aid in the treatment of any particular disease or condition or provide any particular health benefits. FDA further clarified that it will continue to aggressively pursue companies marketing CBD products with “egregious and unfounded claims that are aimed at vulnerable populations.”

Federal Regulation of CBD Will Continue to Evolve

The FDA’s position on CBD is not static, and potential investors should continue to monitor the evolving federal landscape. The FDA recently held a public hearing to obtain scientific data and information about the safety, manufacturing, product quality, marketing, labeling and sale of products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds. The FDA also announced that it is forming a high-level internal agency working group to explore potential pathways for dietary supplements and/or conventional foods containing CBD to be lawfully marketed. The group will consider what statutory or regulatory changes might be needed and the likely impact of such marketing on public health. As stakeholders weigh in on thisissue, FDA’s position on this topic likely will continue to evolve.

Covid-19 continues to impact on alfalfa hay transportation

With Asia’s increasing demand for American alfalfa hay, we have recognized the importance of exporting to the Asian market. However, the uncertainty around the coronavirus has disrupted global markets and the U.S. market has not been immune. Major oceanic carriers have reduced the frequency of their shipments, disrupting our supply chain. This required U.S. exporters to reschedule shipments and work to find boat space for new shipments. Fortunately, there is sustained demand from major importing countries, but logistics will be a challenge in the coming months.

U.S.-China trade disruption remains unclear

The outcome of the U.S.-China trade war remains unclear. There might be future disruptions in the market with potential for tariffs being set on our products. This will affect the Chinese demand for our products if our products become more expensive than Chinese local producers when tariffs are added to our prices. However, alfalfa hay is exempted from tariffs since September 2019 for one year so we are currently unaffected.

Weather Condition may lead to decline in Hay production

Weather conditions are a huge factor affecting alfalfa hay production. Increasingly random weather patterns due to global warming could post a potential risk to production levels.

Risks Related to COVID-19

Our business and financial results may be materially adversely affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

The pandemic of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has resulted in a widespread health crisis that has adversely affected the economies and financial markets worldwide. Government efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus through lockdowns of cities, business closures, restrictions on travel and emergency quarantines, among others, and responses by businesses and individuals to reduce the risk of exposure to infection, including reduced travel, cancellation of meetings and events, and implementation of work-at-home policies, among others, have caused significant disruptions to the global economy and normal business operations across a growing list of sectors and countries.

Our operating results substantially depend on revenues derived from sales of PV project assets, provision of electricity and our Australian subsidiary’s trading of PV components. As the COVID-19 spread continues, the measures implemented to curb the spread of the virus have resulted in supply chain disruptions, insufficient work force and suspended manufacturing and construction works for solar industry. One or more of our customers, partners, service providers or suppliers may experience financial distress, delayed or defaults on payment, file for bankruptcy protection, sharp diminishing of business, or suffer disruptions in their business due to the outbreak. These preventative measures have also impacted our daily operations. The efforts enacted to control COVID-19 have placed heavy pressure on our marketing and sales activities. Moreover, due to the decrease in prices of crude oil, the demand for solar energy can decrease in the near future. We continue to assess the related risks and impacts COVID-19 pandemic may have on our business and our financial performance. In light of the rapidly changing situation across different countries and regions, it remains difficult to estimate the duration and magnitude of COVID-19 impact. Until such time as the COVID-19 pandemic is contained or eradicated and global business return to more customary levels, our business and financial results may be materially adversely affected.

Risks Related to Our International Operations

We are subject to risks associated with foreign currency exchange rates, fluctuations of which may negatively affect our revenue, cost of goods sold and gross margins and could result in exchange losses.

We currently operate in a number of jurisdictions including the U.S., Japan, U.K., Greece, Italy and Australia, and our local operations are generally conducted in the functional currency of the home jurisdiction. The FIT and other subsidies granted are also denominated in local currencies. Thus, we deal on a regular basis in several currencies concurrently, which exposes us to significant currency exchange risks. Any increased costs or reduced revenue as a result of foreign exchange rate fluctuations could adversely affect our profit margins. The fluctuation of foreign exchange rates also affects the value of our monetary and other assets and liabilities denominated in local currencies. Generally, an appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the relevant local currencies could result in a foreign exchange loss for assets denominated in such local currencies and a foreign exchange gain for liabilities denominated in such local currencies. Conversely, a devaluation of the U.S. dollar against the relevant local currencies could result in a foreign exchange gain for assets denominated in such local currencies and a foreign exchange loss for liabilities denominated in such local currencies.

We may also expand into emerging markets, some of which may have an uncertain regulatory environment relating to currency policy. Conducting business in such emerging markets could increase our exposure to foreign exchange risks. Although we access a variety of financing solutions that are tailored to the geographic location of our projects and to local regulations, we have not entered into any hedging transactions to reduce the foreign exchange risks, but may do so in the future when appropriate. However, if we decide to hedge our foreign exchange exposure in the future, we cannot assure you that we will be able to reduce our foreign currency risk exposure in an effective manner, at reasonable costs, or at all.

The ongoing debt crisis in the Eurozone and market perceptions concerning the instability of the Euro and the European economy could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financing.

Concerns persist regarding the debt burden of certain Eurozone countries and their ability to meet future financial obligations, the overall stability of the Euro and the suitability of the Euro as a single currency given the diverse economic and political circumstances in individual Eurozone countries. These concerns or market perceptions concerning these and related issues could adversely affect the value of our Euro-denominated assets and obligations and lead to future economic slowdowns.

Risks Related to Our Ordinary Shares

We have significant “equity overhang” which could adversely affect the market price of our Shares and impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of equity securities.

As of the date of this annual report, we had 14,837,469 ordinary shares outstanding, including 4,289,340 ordinary shares, or approximately 28.9% of our total ordinary shares outstanding, held by Mr. Xiaofeng Peng, our director, executive chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer. The possibility that substantial amounts of our outstanding ordinary shares may be sold by Mr. Xiaofeng Peng or the perception that such sales could occur, or “equity overhang,” could adversely affect the market price of our ordinary shares, and could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of equity securities in the future.

We are subject to litigation risks, including securities class actions and shareholder derivative actions, which may be costly to defend and the outcome of which is uncertain.

From time to time, we are subject to legal claims, with and without merit, that may be costly, and which may divert the attention of our management and our resources in general. In addition, our solar projects may be subject to litigation or other adverse proceedings that may adversely impact our ability to proceed with construction or grid connection or sell a given project, which would adversely affect our ability to recognize revenue with respect to such project. We are currently involved in various legal proceedings. See “Item 8. Financial Information —Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information—Legal and Administrative Proceedings.” The results of complex legal proceedings are difficult to predict. Lawsuits filed against us may assert types of claims that, if resolved against us, could give rise to substantial damages, and an unfavorable outcome or settlement of one or more of these lawsuits, or any future lawsuits, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations. Even if these lawsuits are not resolved against us, the costs of defending such lawsuits may not be covered by our insurance policies. We cannot assure you that additional litigation will not be filed against us in the future.

It may be difficult to effect service of process on, or to enforce any judgments obtained against us, our directors, or our senior management members.

There is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the federal or state courts of the United States (and the Cayman Islands are not a party to any treaties for the reciprocal enforcement or recognition of such judgments), a judgment obtained in such jurisdiction will be recognized and enforced in the courts of the Cayman Islands at common law, without any re-examination of the merits of the underlying dispute, by an action commenced on the foreign judgment debt in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, provided such judgment (a) is given by a foreign court of competent jurisdiction, (b) imposes on the judgment debtor a liability to pay a liquidated sum for which the judgment has been given, (c) is final, (d) is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty, and (e) was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands. However, the Cayman Islands courts are unlikely to enforce a judgment obtained from the U.S. courts under civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities law if such judgment is determined by the courts of the Cayman Islands to give rise to obligations to make payments that are penal or punitive in nature. Because such a determination has not yet been made by a court of the Cayman Islands, it is uncertain whether such civil liability judgments from U.S. courts would be enforceable in the Cayman Islands.

Our shareholders may experience future dilution.

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association permits our board of directors, without shareholder approval, to authorize the issuance of preferred shares. The board of directors may classify or reclassify any preferred shares to set the preferences, rights and other terms of the classified or reclassified shares, including the issuance of preferred shares that have preference rights over our ordinary shares with respect to dividends, liquidation and voting rights. Furthermore, substantially all of our ordinary shares for which our outstanding stock options are exercisable are, once they have been purchased, eligible for immediate sale in the public market.

We may from time to time distribute rights to our shareholders, including rights to acquire our securities. However, we cannot make these rights available in the United States unless we register the rights and the securities to which the rights relate under the Securities Act or an exemption from the registration requirements is available. We are under no obligation to file a registration statement with respect to any such rights or securities or to endeavor to cause a registration statement to be declared effective. Moreover, we may not be able to establish an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly, you may be unable to participate in our rights offerings and may experience dilution in your holdings.

The issuance of additional shares in our capital or the exercise of stock options or warrants could be substantially dilutive to your shares and may negatively affect the market price of our ordinary shares.

The price of our securities has been and may continue to be highly volatile.

The price of our ordinary shares has been and may continue to be subject to wide fluctuations in the future in response to many events or factors, including those discussed in the preceding risk factors relating to our operations, as well as:

Any of these factors may result in large and sudden changes in the volume and price at which our ordinary shares will trade. We cannot give any assurance that these factors will not occur in the future again. In addition, the securities market has from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are not related to the operating performance of particular companies. These market fluctuations may also have a material adverse effect on the market price of our ordinary shares. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of their stock, many companies have been the subject of securities class action litigation. If we become involved in similar securities class action litigation in the future, it could result in substantial costs and diversion of our management’s attention and resources and could harm our stock price, business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

If we fail to meet the applicable listing requirements, NASDAQ may delist our ordinary shares from trading on its exchange in which case the liquidity and market price of our securities could decline and our ability to raise additional capital would be adversely affected.

Our ordinary shares are currently listed for trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. If we remain listed, there are a number of requirements that must be met in order for our ordinary shares to remain listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, and the failure to meet any of these listing standards could result in the delisting of our ordinary shares from NASDAQ. We cannot assure you that we will be able to timely file all required reports or comply with all other NASDAQ Listing Rules at all times in the future, or regain compliance in a timely manner in case of a default and avoid any subsequent adverse action taken by the Listing Qualifications Department, including but not limited to delisting.

Our articles of association contain anti-takeover provisions that could prevent a change in control even if such takeover is beneficial to our shareholders.

Our articles of association contain provisions that could delay, defer or prevent a change in control of us that could be beneficial to our shareholders. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other shareholders to elect directors and take other corporate actions. As a result, these provisions could limit the price that investors are willing to pay for the ordinary shares. These provisions might also discourage a potential acquisition proposal or tender offer, even if the acquisition proposal or tender offer is at a price above the then current market price of our ordinary shares. These provisions provide that our board of directors has authority, without any further action by our shareholders, to issue preferred shares in one or more series and to fix their designations, powers, preferences, privileges, and relative participating, optional or special rights and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the rights associated with the ordinary shares. The board of directors may decide to issue such preferred shares quickly with terms calculated to delay or prevent a change in control of us or make the removal of our management more difficult. If the board of directors decides to issue such preferred shares, the price of our ordinary shares may fall and the voting and other rights of holders of our ordinary shares may be materially adversely affected.

You may not receive dividends or other distributions on our ordinary shares and you may not receive any value for them, if it is illegal or impractical to make them available to you.

Under Cayman Islands law, we may only pay dividends out of our profits or share premium account subject to our ability to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of our business. Our ability to pay dividends will therefore depend on our ability to generate sufficient profits. We cannot give any assurance that we will declare dividends of any amounts, at any rate or at all in the future. We have not paid any dividends in the past. Future dividends, if any, will be paid at the discretion of our board of directors, subject to requirements under Cayman Islands law and our memorandum and articles of association, as amended and restated from time to time, and will depend upon our future operations and earnings, capital expenditure requirements, general financial conditions, legal and contractual restrictions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.

We are treated as a U.S. corporation for U.S. federal tax purposes.

Due to the circumstances of our formation and the application of Section 7874(b) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), we are treated as a U.S. corporation for all purposes of the Code. As a result, we are subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on our worldwide income. In addition, if we pay dividends to a Non-U.S. Holder, as defined in the discussion “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Taxation,” U.S. income tax will be withheld at the rate of 30%, or, subject to certain conditions, such lower rate as may be provided in an applicable income tax treaty. Each investor should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of holding the ordinary shares in its particular circumstances.

We rely on the foreign private issuer exemption for certain corporate governance requirements under the NASDAQ Stock Market Rules, or the NASDAQ Rules, including the majority independent board requirement. This may afford less protection to holders of our ordinary shares and ADSs.

As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from certain corporate governance requirements of NASDAQ. We are required to provide a brief description of the significant differences between our corporate governance practices and the corporate governance practices required to be followed by U.S. domestic issuers under the NASDAQ Rules. The standards applicable to us are considerably different from those applied to U.S. domestic issuers. For instance, we are not required to:

We are not required to, and will not voluntarily meet, these requirements. For example, our board of directors currently consists of five directors, three of whom satisfy the “independence” requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and Rule 5605 of the NASDAQ Rules. The law of our home country, the Cayman Islands, does not require a majority of our board of directors be composed of independent directors. We intend to follow our home country practice with regard to the composition of the board of directors.

As a result, holders of our ordinary shares may not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of NASDAQ’s corporate governance requirements. For a description of the material corporate governance differences between the NASDAQ Rules and Cayman Islands law, see “Item 16G. Corporate Governance.”