GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Feb. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CEO Dr. Martin Edlund: "Minesto has now demonstrated competitive renewable energy production from an untapped natural resource based on a truly novel and proprietary innovation."
Significant events October - December 2024
Minesto's work towards tidal energy buildout in the Faroe Islands continues. The Hestfjord Dragon Farm is a first-of-a-kind tidal energy array with Minesto Dragon 12-kites with a total capacity of 10 MW in a first phase. Following the successful utility-scale installation of the Dragon 12 in Vestmanna and corresponding interest by various parties in the technology, Minesto assigns strategic advisor Ernst & Young (EY) to the unique Dragon Farm Project, with focus on investments.
In December, Minesto announces completion of Hestfjord Dragon Farm specification based on Dragon 12 achievements. This refers to the overall design and technical specification of the upgraded Dragon 12 system targeting the first Dragon farm in Hestfjord (Phase 1: 10MW) in the Faroe Islands.
Minesto presents at one of the biggest international energy conferences, Enlit Europe in Milan. CEO Dr. Martin Edlund also presents at global climate change meeting COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan where Minesto is hosting a session on the role and importance of innovation in tackling climate change.
The company arranges a well-attended capital market day at the company's premises in Gothenburg, welcoming shareholders to experience the Minesto workshop and power plant components.
After the end of the period
In February, Minesto welcomes Faroese stakeholders, authorities as well as the public to a seminar at the Nordic House in Torshavn. CEO Martin Edlund presented the company's vision for a sustainable energy system in the Faroe Islands, a 200MW buildout roadmap. There was a strong stakeholder engagement towards Minesto's first tidal energy Dragon farm in Hestfjord, Faroe Islands.
An independent technical review of Minesto's Dragon-class technology initiated in autumn 2024 is completed by DNV - a world leader in technology assessments and certifications in the energy & maritime sectors, incl. renewable energy solutions. The successfully completed review strengthens Minesto's buildout investment case.
Group in summary 1 January-31 December 2024
1 January-31 December 2024
Total operating income in the end of the financial year amounted to SEK 33,035 thousand (45,590) and mainly included capitalised development work. Net sales amounted to SEK 75 thousand (391).
Operating loss, at the end of the financial year, amounted to SEK -37,345 thousand (-28,680). The negative result is largely attributable to business development and administration related to technology development.
At the end of the financial year, intangible assets amounted to SEK 544,924 thousand (492,928), of which capitalised development costs amounted to SEK 527,708 thousand (476,608) and capitalised patent expenses amounted to SEK 17,217 thousand (16,320).
Cash flow amounted to SEK 19,436 thousand (-20,015). At the end of the period, cash and cash equivalents amounted to SEK 34,890 thousand (15,160).
At the end of the financial year, equity amounted to SEK 568,649 thousand (522,746) divided into 194,116,040 shares (160,732,694), of which net loss for the year amounted to SEK -36,104 thousand (-27,123).
Reinforcing Minesto as the World Leader in Ocean Renewables
2024 was a year of outstanding achievements for Minesto. The success of Dragon 12 puts us in a solid position to release the commercial potential of our unique ocean energy technology.
Minesto has now demonstrated competitive renewable energy production from an untapped natural resource based on a truly novel and proprietary innovation.
Backed up by performance and production data from installed devices, Minesto has assessed the cost of energy of its technology at lower levels than all other actors in ocean energy and most importantly, in our target markets, we offer the most viable or the only viable solution for an affordable energy transition. At last, the marine energy sector has a commercially viable energy generating technology ready for large scale buildout.
Ready for Dragon Farms
During 2024, all technical aspects of a commercial Dragon farm - a grid connected array of Dragon 12 units - have been successfully verified at the site in Vestmanna. Limited upgrades and customizations required are identified and in implementation for the first phase of Dragon Farm build outs.
It is important to underline that to commercialize the core Dragon-class technology, Minesto is relying on a wide range of unique and hard-earned technologies and competencies accumulated (internally and with partners) over more than a decade. So stating that we are "ready for farms" is not made lightly and implies that we are a master of all core activities such as: tidal site assessment, environmental consenting, production array design, infrastructure configuration, balance of plant, service procedures, offshore launch/recovery, grid connection, production monitoring, powerplant build and onshore testing, array installation management and power plant commissioning.
Most recently, the independent review of Minesto's technology by DNV has been successfully completed. The review underlines the strength of our technology and our readiness to deploy at scale. It also supports our core arguments that our technology is generically cost effective.
Pushing for Business
During the year, Minesto has created energy project investment cases, initiated feasibility studies targeting specific production sites, hosted due diligence from potential customers and strengthened collaboration with our local partners around the world.
We have continued to nurture a strong relationship with the Faroe Islands' business community and investor sphere. A renewed and updated power purchase agreement (PPA) with a price level to denote the total system value of tidal energy in the future renewable energy mix in the Faroe Islands is agreed in principle for the first phase of the Hestfjord buildout.
The Phase 1 Hestfjord Dragon Farm investment case is now open for business, the plan includes a newly established local project development company, Drekin Sp/f, where local investors can eventually become part owners of a 200MW tidal farm project in the Faroe Islands. The investment case includes the technical specification of the Phase 1 buildout, targeting the specific site conditions in Hestfjord, which is based on six customized Dragon 12 kites systems rated at 1.75MW, 10.5 MW in total.
In a number of markets around the world, Minesto has been asked to offer feasibility studies, project planning services, demo-installation projects and the creation of larger scale investment cases like Hestfjord. We are working with new and existing local market actors such as independent power producers and utilities. We believe that the novelty of the ocean energy industry and uniqueness of our products makes it necessary to offer customers and project investors flexible step in commercial involvement.
An important enabling factor in ongoing sales and project investment activities is public funding in different forms. The renewable energy transition is an area in focus for government grants, green electricity subsidies and soft loans. Our soft funding team is working together with our business development team to target application calls which directly support sales and project finance work. Minesto holds a broad application portfolio targeting programs that will be awarded during 2025.
We have strengthened our commercial team internally and have partnered up with internationally recognized advisory firm EY to support securing project financing and industrial partnerships. Minesto also receives valuable support from Business Sweden in Southeast Asia, via grant-funding from the Swedish Energy Agency.
It is worth noting that the volume of sales activities have significantly increased, driven by the level of maturity of our products and step change in global awareness of our innovation.
An Evolving Team
The collective knowledge, experience and capabilities in the Minesto team is at the core of the value of the company. Our intangible assets, built through technology investments, now reaches around 540 MSEK in accounting terms.
We have strengthened the organization regarding supply chain partnerships, operations in Vestmanna and through integration of product and business development in Sweden.
The management team is more commercially oriented and strengthened.
A ca 30% overall reduction in personnel costs (from 2023 to 2025) has been achieved.
A flexible operations team is in place in Vestmanna for the Faroe Island expansion.
Funding and cash flow
A combination of work streams to fund continued development and product delivery capacity are ongoing. We are not excluding any scenario in seeking the optimal way forward in creating industrial and shareholder value. The range of funding sources are sales of services and electricity, sales of microgrid hardware and installations, project finance with prepayments, soft funding, targeted new strategic investors/owners and issuance of securities.
