| LAS VEGAS--M.O.U.
Signed to Produce Clean Energy, Exclusive Supplier Relationship and Manufacturing
JV with the Government of Indonesia (Including US$13.5 Million Initial
Order)
AFC Energy plc ("AFC Energy" or "the
Company") (LSE-AIM:AFC) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding
("M.O.U.") with the Government of Indonesia, and specifically with the
State Ministry for Development of Disadvantaged Areas of the Republic of
Indonesia.
The M.O.U. relates to the CIUP (Community
Integrated Utility Program) project that aims to provide 32 million households
with the ability to produce electricity and potable drinking water over
the next 10 years. AFC Energy has been appointed as the exclusive fuel
cell supplier to this program, whether with AFC Energy proprietary fuel
cells or as an agent for third party fuel cells.
The M.O.U. contains an initial order
totaling US$13.5 million for three thousand 3.5kW systems at US$4,500 per
system. Supplies are scheduled to begin around the fourth quarter of 2008.
The primary trial of 3,000 units will be in the Nabire-Papua region.
The M.O.U. also confirms that both
parties undertake to enter into a joint venture to establish, within 18
months, a manufacturing facility in partnership with a number of interested
Indonesian corporations. The intention is that over the following 8 - 10
years up to six million 5kW units could be manufactured.
A deposit of US$3.15 million will
be paid within 30 days of the signing of the M.O.U. in order to assist
in financing and accelerating the new project.
It is intended that AFC Energy will
fund the development of the manufacturing facilities required to fulfill
this project with funds provided by a number of high profile public and
private multinational companies. AFC Energy is engaged in early stage discussions
with several parties in this respect.
Ir. Tatag Wiranto MURP, Indonesia's
Deputy Minister for the Development of Disadvantaged Regions said: "We
are pleased to commence this program now that we have identified a low-cost
solution to the fuel cell component of the project."
Howard White, AFC Energy plc's Business
Development director said: "We are delighted to have been chosen exclusively
to supply the fuel cell component for this landmark. The project, developed
by Prof. Dr. Ir. Reginald A. Theijs, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Minister
for Economic & Private Business Development, is groundbreaking in that
it addresses existing shortages of the fundamental commodities in Indonesia,
electricity and potable water.
"The program will utilize bio-mass
and other renewable sources to produce hydrogen for AFC Energy's fuel cell
to convert the hydrogen to electricity, and some of the electricity to
run reverse osmosis potable water production units.
"The program has been designed to
achieve a payback period of between three and five years on the installed
equipment. This would mean that the program is financially self funding
after the initial build up period. This project will be part of the CIUP."
Gerard Sauer, Chief Executive, AFC
Energy said: "This M.O.U. is further evidence of our strategy to develop
and manufacture low-cost high volume fuel cell products working well. There
is ample evidence that the market place will expand if the right commercial
conditions can be created."
Maxi Gunawan, co-chairman of the
IBBC (Indonesian British Business Council) said: "This agreement is a showcase
project that embodies the ideals that were expressed in the joint statement
made between the UK and Indonesian Governments represented by Prime Minister
Tony Blair and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in enhancing bi-lateral
relationships in trade and investment."
The feasibility of the project is
only magnified by the use of no subsidies whatsoever, again proving that
AFC's ultra low cost electrode and technologies will allow for rapid commercialization
and the introduction of a new age of fuel cell technology.
AFC Energy PLC has opened offices
to explore applications in the United States.
"This type of agreement supports
with the call to action by George W. Bush and other world leaders to reduce
global warming by technological advancements," says Stephanie Morgan-Fisher
a Vice President with AFC Energy Inc. "The Indonesian government will be
generating at the completion of this project 32,000 Megawatts of electricity
without one ounce of Carbon Dioxide emitted into the atmosphere." |