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Vita Life Sciences Limited

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FY2018 Annual Report · Vita Life Sciences Limited
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Velocys plc

Annual report and accounts 2018

Contents

Strategic Report ........................................................................................................................................................................2–14
Highlights  ............................................................................................................................................................................2
Chairman’s statement  ........................................................................................................................................................4
CEO’s report  .........................................................................................................................................................................6
Financial review ...................................................................................................................................................................7
Corporate social responsibility ..........................................................................................................................................9
Key performance indicators (KPIs).....................................................................................................................................9
Risks and mitigation..........................................................................................................................................................10

Page

Governance .............................................................................................................................................................................15–32
Corporate governance report ...........................................................................................................................................15
Directors’ report .................................................................................................................................................................20
Directors’ remuneration report .........................................................................................................................................22
Statement of Directors’ responsibilities ..........................................................................................................................26
Independent auditors’ report ............................................................................................................................................27

Financial statements .............................................................................................................................................................33–78
Consolidated income statement ......................................................................................................................................33
Consolidated statement of comprehensive income .......................................................................................................34
Consolidated statement of financial position .................................................................................................................35
Consolidated statement of changes in equity ................................................................................................................36
Consolidated statement of cash flows ............................................................................................................................37
Notes to the consolidated financial statements ............................................................................................................38
Velocys plc statement of financial position ....................................................................................................................69
Velocys plc statement of changes in equity ....................................................................................................................70
Velocys plc statement of cash flows ................................................................................................................................71
Notes to the financial statements for Velocys plc ..........................................................................................................72
Directors, secretary and advisers to the Company ....................................................................................................... IBC

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  1

Highlights

˜˜ Transformed and focused the management team with the appointment of Henrik Wareborn as the new CEO and Andrew 

Morris as the new CFO in November 2018 while eliminating the roles of CCO and COO.

˜˜ Restructured the rest of the Board with the appointment of Philip Holland and Darran Messem as Non-Executive 

Directors (post period end) with Philip taking on the role as Senior Independent Director and Darran as Chairman of 
the Remuneration Committee. Dr Pierre Jungels is announcing his intention to step down as Company Chairman 
towards the end of this calendar year. Velocys has a well prepared succession plan in place for the Board and further 
announcements will be made in due course.

˜˜ Streamlined and de-risked our two advanced biofuel projects focusing on flow sheet standardisation and synergies 

and advancing both projects to FEED-ready stage:

˜˜ Natchez, Mississippi biorefinery: 
-  Completed the Environmental Assessment required under the National Environmental Policy Act.
-  Completed ~1,000 hours of integrated demonstration of wood-chips to fuels with TRI at Durham, North Carolina at 
a rate of four tonnes per day of dry Southern Yellow Pine wood chips allowing us to demonstrate biofuel yields from 
representative feedstock and actual syngas composition. 

-  Completed final product upgrade pilot run over 12 weeks at Haldor Topsoe in Denmark generating final product 

samples for further aviation fuel blending studies with our strategic partners this year. 
Also generated drop-in diesel and blended infrastructure compliant gasoline. 

-  Detailed due diligence and value-added engagement by potential strategic partners continues.
-  The project has been further optimised to achieve negative lifecycle carbon emissions and reduce overall 

environmental impact whilst maintaining 20 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel and gasoline blendstock 
production per year from 2024. 

˜˜

Immingham UK waste to jet fuel biorefinery: 

-  Partner funding of £4.5m secured during the year for current stage of the project, which we are developing 

in collaboration with British Airways and Shell. 

-  Project awarded £434k from the UK Department for Transport under the Future Fuels for Flight and Freight 

Competition (F4C). 

-  A 100 acre site secured on the South Humberside for the project with ideal infrastructure for feedstock 

and utilities supply as well as product off-take.

-  The project has been optimised to produce 15 million gallons per year of sustainable aviation fuel eligible 

for double credits as an advanced development fuel under RTFO.

-  Engagement with the UK Government to secure sufficient and stable policy support continues for the project 

to reach financial close.

˜˜ Red Rock Biofuels, Oregon biorefinery (RRB):
-  Wood chips to sustainable fuel biorefinery commenced construction. Notice to proceed issued to Velocys. £4.5 

million out of a total £9.2m has been received. 

-  Post period end amended contract to accelerate delivery of the first of four reactors and first four charges of 
catalyst, reducing the firm commitment for reactors from six to four but RRB will retain an option to acquire 
reactors 5 and 6 until the end of 2020 at existing contract price.

2  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

˜˜ ENVIA, Oklahoma, FT joint venture: 
-  Generation of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) announced in January 2018, with RINs verified in March 
2018 having provided auditable data of the carbon intensity under the approved pathway whilst running two 
Velocys FT reactors in parallel. 
Independent verification and confirmation that the reactor leak detected in May 2018 was caused by a fault in the 
ancillary coolant system and was not a result of any flaw in the core Velocys technology. 

- 

-  Plant continued to operate on one reactor until September to prove out resilience of the second FT reactor after 

ancillary cooling system had been re-designed.
In September 2018, the JV partners deemed the technology demonstration had been successfully completed. 

- 
-  ENVIA obtained $2.3m insurance settlement in relation to the cooling system damage to the FT reactor in late 2018 

and early 2019.

-  Post period end: A successful conclusion of the ENVIA JV with Velocys reaching agreement with the JV partners on 

rights transfer and payment due to Velocys of £3.26m with £1.66m received on signing agreement and the return of 
the two FT reactors to Velocys for post-demonstration analysis.

˜˜ 2018 Financial results:
-  Revenue of £0.7m (2017: £0.8m). 
-  Operating loss of £18.6m, before exceptional items of £10.1m (2017: £21.4m before exceptional items 

of £29.7m). 

-  Cash* at the year-end £7.0m (31 December 2017: £2.1m). 
-  Fundraises of approximately £18.4m (before expenses) in January 2018 and £6m (before expenses) in July 2018. 
- 

Impairment of £0.8m of the ENVIA investment in associate and an impairment of the ENVIA loan note 
of £10.1m. 

˜˜ The Company confirms that it has adopted the QCA Corporate Governance Code, which highlights its continued 

focus on good governance and maintaining a high degree of trust and transparency with its shareholders and other 
stakeholders.

* Defined as cash and cash equivalents. 

Henrik Wareborn, CEO of Velocys, said:

“Velocys is now in the possession of our two full-scale commercial FT micro-channel reactors with a combined 
cumulative runtime of more than 5,000 hours from the recently concluded ENVIA technology demonstration in 
Oklahoma. These two reactors have operated under a wide range of conditions with a relatively challenging feedstock. 
We have collected a vast amount of performance data from this demonstration allowing us now to further optimise 
for resilience, volume and product quality directly benefiting our two full-scale renewable fuels projects under 
development in Natchez, Mississippi and Immingham, UK as well as our first licensee; Red Rock Biofuels in Oregon.

Furthermore, we have conducted extensive post-operative analysis on the reactors and catalyst from ENVIA at 
our technology centre in Ohio allowing us to demonstrate to partners, such as strategic investors and insurers, the 
robustness of the Velocys technology offering. This also contributes greatly to the de-risking of the Mississippi and 
Immingham projects and supports a broad range of project finance approaches. 

Red Rock Biofuels broke ground in June 2018. In February 2019 we agreed to accelerate deliveries of Velocys FT 
reactors and catalyst which included one reactor and 4 charges of catalyst delivered from inventory and the remaining 
3 reactors are now in the process of being manufactured and delivered during the balance of 2019. 

Velocys is within reach to offer a tangible solution to support decarbonisation of air travel, a critical sector supporting 
the global economy with very stringent fuel criteria and few alternatives to hydrocarbon fuels. The aviation sector 
needs renewable fuels which meet the complex standards of fossil fuels for engine safety and performance reasons.  
I believe Velocys is well positioned to create significant shareholder value already in 2019 from our unique position at 
the cutting edge of fossil-free aviation.

I would like to thank all my colleagues at Velocys for their continued commitment and relentless efforts during the 
intensive phase of technology demonstration and project development during 2018.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Pierre Jungels for his continued support to me and the team 
during the changes that were made to the senior management of the Company and the Board in the last quarter  
of 2018 as well as for his significant contribution to the Company over the last thirteen years.”

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  3

Chairman’s statement

Introduction

Management and Board

Velocys is now an advanced biofuels 
company. This transition was completed 
thanks to the technical proof point 
reached upon completion of the 
commercial scale demonstration runs 
of our two Velocys Fischer-Tropsch (FT) 
reactors at ENVIA, together with the 
strong commercial progress at both the 
Immingham, UK waste to jet fuel plant 
and the Natchez Mississippi biorefinery 
projects, significant fundraising in support 
of the above and an overall strengthening 
of the Executive team as well as the Board.

The ENVIA plant in Oklahoma has shown 
that Velocys’ micro-channel FT reactors and 
catalysts work well in a range of conditions, 
inside the operating envelope, and generate 
high quality renewable fuels with low 
carbon intensity evidenced by the award  
of D3 RIN credits. 

Velocys will now leverage all the learnings 
and experience from running full cycle 
commercial operations at ENVIA into the 
two commercial scale biorefinery projects 
in Natchez and Immingham in collaboration 
with our financial and technology partners. 

The demand for sustainable jet fuel could 
not be more obvious. Velocys is in a unique 
position to offer a de-risked, scalable and 
executable solution to convert solid waste 
feedstocks into sustainable jet fuel with a 
minimal carbon intensity both in the US and 
in the UK subject to continued shareholder 
and strategic partner support.

In November 2018, we were delighted to 
welcome Henrik Wareborn as Velocys’  
new CEO and Executive Director.  
Henrik’s expertise includes capital  
markets advisory, commodities trading, 
fund raising and commodity finance from 
Goldman Sachs, BP Plc and Natixis SA.  
Henrik holds an MBA from INSEAD and  
a BA in economics from the Stockholm 
School of Economics. The Board considers 
that his skill set and experience and his 
knowledge, background and approach, are 
exactly what is demanded as Velocys moves 
into the financing and commercialisation of 
both the project in Mississippi and the UK 
waste to jet fuel project in Immingham.

In addition, we were pleased that Andrew 
Morris, who had been a Non-Executive 
Director and Chairman of the Company’s 
Audit and Risk Committee since June 2017, 
accepted the position as Velocys’ full time 
Chief Financial Officer, remaining on the 
Board as an Executive Director. Andrew 
has considerable experience in the power 
and renewable energy, energy from waste 
and biofuels sectors, and has significant 
involvement in financing and business 
development for AIM companies, SMEs 
and private equity backed organisations. 
Andrew’s appointment as Velocys’  
Chief Financial Officer has assisted  
the Board significantly in managing  
the Company’s finances.

We were also pleased to announce the 
appointment of two new independent Non-
Executive Directors to the Board with effect 
1 January 2019. Philip Holland and Darran 
Messem both have significant experience 
in industries, companies and projects with 
direct relevance to Velocys. Philip has been 
appointed as a member of the Audit & 
Risk, and Remuneration and Nomination 
Committees, and has also been appointed 
as Senior Independent Director, and 
Darran has been appointed as Chairman 
of the Remuneration Committee, and as a 
member of the Audit & Risk and Nomination 
Committees. The Board has already been 
able to benefit from their respective 
contributions in the relatively short time 
since their appointments.

David Pummell and Paul Schubert resigned 
as Directors in December 2018 and John 
Tunison stepped down as interim Chief 
Financial Officer in September 2018.  
On behalf of the Board I thank them all  
for their contributions to the Company.

On behalf of the Board, I want to express 
our deep gratitude to Julian West who 
stepped down from the Board as a  
Non-Executive Director in February  
2018 after several years of dedicated 
service to Velocys as Senior NED.

In line with recent Corporate Governance 
linked to the tenure of Chairmen, I am 
announcing that, since I have served as 
Chairman of Velocys from 2006, I plan to 
step down as Company Chairman towards 
the end of this calendar year. Velocys has a 
well prepared succession plan in place for 
the Board and further announcements will 
be made in due course after appropriate due 
diligence and shareholder consultations.

Fundraising

In January 2018, approximately £18.4m 
(before expenses) was raised through a 
Placing and Open Offer, principally to help 
fund the development of our Mississippi 
biorefinery project, and to secure strategic 
investment into it. We included an open 
offer element in this fundraising round 
to enable all eligible shareholders an 
opportunity to participate. Our existing 
major shareholders again demonstrated 
their considerable support, but at the same 
time we were pleased by our ability to 
extend our shareholder base.

4  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
We completed a further fundraise of 
£6m (before expenses) in July 2018, 
primarily through the support of existing 
shareholders, who we thank for their 
continued support. Net proceeds of the 
Placing were used predominantly to: (i) 
strengthen the Company’s balance sheet; 
(ii) fund our portion of the pre-Front End 
Engineering Design (“FEED”) development 
costs for the Immingham UK waste to jet 
fuel project; (iii) allow us to complete our 
commercial scale reactor demonstration 
run at ENVIA; and (iv) support the process for 
on-boarding one or more strategic investors 
to provide development funding for our 
biorefinery projects.

In November 2018, we served conversion 
notices to the holders of the £9 million 
nominal convertible loan notes which had 
been issued on 1 June 2017, converting 
these plus accrued interest into an 
aggregate of 20,100,000 new ordinary 
shares at a conversion price of £0.50  
per share.

The Board recognises that additional 
funding is required to reach final close for 
both our biorefinery projects. Further details 
are given in the Financial review and note 2.

Outlook

Velocys has transformed from its research 
and development (R&D) focus to providing 
a solution for supplying advanced biofuels 
at commercial scale using abundant 
feedstocks causing no land-use change.

The Velocys team in Harwell (UK), Ohio 
and Texas (US) has driven this pivot into 
advanced biofuels with an unyielding 
commitment to quality, safety and 
excellence. Our biorefinery technology 
integration is designed to perform over 
many years at high yields in order to offer  
a sound return to investors and a significant 
decarbonisation impact.

The next phase of the business during 
2019 will be to conclude all pre-Front End 
Engineering Design (FEED) for our two 
projects and reach final agreements with 
our strategic partners on the funding of the 
two-phase FEED to allow both projects to 
reach Financial Close during 2020.

Dr. Pierre Jungels, CBE
Chairman
14 May 2019

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  5

CEO’s report

2018 was the year investors grasped the  
full opportunity of decarbonisation.  
After many years of chronic oversupply 
and low prices, the European Emissions 
Allowance market sprung back to life. 
The EUA credits were among the best 
performing financial assets in the world  
in 2018, as the imperative need  
of decarbonisation finally started to dawn 
on corporate risk managers as well as 
financial investors. 

During the year, we undertook a rigorous 
evaluation of a range of suitable sites for our 
Immingham UK project which concluded in 
the announcement of the site in November. 
The site scored very high on all our criteria 
such as feedstock supply, rail, road, port and 
pipeline access as well as its location in the 
“Energy Estuary” of the South Humberside 
with a wealth of highly skilled workers in 
this field. We have commenced the planning 
and permitting process with a public 
consultation opening shortly.

Velocys is on the cusp of providing a 
scalable decarbonisation solution for the 
challenging sector of high energy density 
renewable fuels such as sustainable jet 
fuel for aviation, road diesel for heavy goods 
transport, and marine fuels for the global 
shipping industry.

The Natchez, MS biorefinery project 
completed planning, permitting and 
pre-FEED engineering successfully and is 
currently under due dilligence by strategic 
partners invited to the formal funding 
process for the final FEED stage.

Our two biorefinery projects under 
development in Immingham, UK and 
Natchez, US will each process over 300 
thousand tonnes of dry solid waste 
feedstock per year (from municipal/
commercial & industrial waste and forest 
residues respectively), converting them into 
60-80 million litres of renewable fuels per 
year with a carbon intensity between zero 
and 30% of that of comparable fossil fuels. 

The two projects have benefitted from the 
application of a standardised technical 
flow sheet as far as possible given the 
slightly different nature of the feedstock 
and other local conditions. The volume of 
dry feedstock, liquid products produced 
and expected returns are therefore now 
very similar for both projects thanks to the 
similar level of aggregate policy support 
afforded to each project. 

Velocys takes the safety and well-being 
of its employees very seriously and has 
created a passionate and holistic culture 
of safety, health and environmental 
responsibility that extends from the 
CEO to all employees. Each employee is 
encouraged to actively participate in and 
take responsibility for their own safety 
and health by participating in Job Safety 
Analyses (JSA), Process Hazard Analyses 
(PHA), and Design and Process Failure Mode 
and Effects Analyses (DFMEA/PFMEA) with 
the goal to proactively prevent incidents. To 
this end, Velocys has only had one lost-time 
accident since September 2000, which 
occurred in July 2018. In 2018, two near 
misses were reported and investigated and 
one more near miss occurred in early 2019.

I want to conclude by thanking our 
shareholders, employees and public sector 
stakeholders for all the determined support 
during these years of research and product 
development required to launch such a 
transformational technology in support of 
the global cause of decarbonising aviation 
and heavy duty land and sea transports.

Henrik Wareborn 
Chief Executive Officer
14 May 2019

The pathway from gasification of solid 
waste feedstocks, through synthesis gas 
clean-up and Velocys’ Fischer Tropsch 
synthesis into FT liquids for final upgrading 
to ultra clean fuels is compatible with 
existing infrastructure and using well 
proven upgrading technology. The Velocys 
FT reactors completed a commercial scale 
production run in Oklahoma during the  
year, producing in total 1.6 million litres  
of fuels, which means that all components 
of our biorefinery technology integration  
in Immingham and Natchez have now  
been demonstrated and financed at 
commercial scale.

If global policymakers are serious about the 
Paris Agreement targets, a rising price on 
carbon is inevitable. The limited capacity in 
the atmosphere to store more CO2 without 
adverse effects is the ultimate scarce 
resource and will be priced accordingly. 
The economics of our US biorefinery 
project benefit from strong policy support, 
especially in California via the Low Carbon 
Fuel Standard incentivising decarbonisation 
of road and aviation fuels. Likewise, our UK 
biorefinery project benefits from the new 
Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates for 
development fuels, awarding double credits 
for advanced sustainable aviation fuels 
from waste feedstocks.

We are grateful for all the strategic and 
technical support we have received during 
the year from British Airways and Shell 
as we work to prove this new sustainable 
pathway for scalable advanced biofuels 
which do not induce land use change. 

We are also pleased to be supporting Red 
Rock Biofuels (RRB) as technology licensors 
for their biorefinery project in Oregon 
converting woody biomass to sustainable jet 
fuel and diesel. RRB announced FID in early 
2018 and gave Velocys notice to proceed to 
deliver four FT reactors and four charges of 
catalyst for their project to be delivered in 
2019. Velocys has provided a site-licence to 
RRB to operate up to six Velocys FT reactors 
at the site and we offer engineering services 
for the FT island including commissioning 
and start-up services in due course.

It was also very satisfying to instigate 
the repurposing of the ENVIA plant into 
a Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) plant 
as recently announced, post-period. For 
this purpose, one of our JV partners has 
acquired a number of assets from ENVIA 
for a payment of $4.15 million to Velocys 
and the two Velocys FT reactors have 
been transferred back to Velocys upon 
the completed demonstration run at that 
site. In return, Velocys has agreed to lift its 
liens on all ENVIA assets. Velocys will also 
receive any surplus cash from ENVIA post 
decommissioning as well as any potential 
additional payments from the sale of 
remaining assets from ENVIA not required 
for the RNG repurposing.

6  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
There has been no change in the Board’s 
assessment of the long-term potential of 
the assets. The impairments made, except 
for Goodwill, could be reversed in future if 
there is a change in the estimates used to 
determine the asset’s recoverable amount, 
particularly in relation to the share price of 
the parent Company. At 31 December 2018, 
the Board did not consider there has been  
a change in circumstances that would 
justify reversal of the impairments  
recorded in 2017. 

The parent Company has both equity and 
debt investments in its subsidiaries, which 
are compared to the recoverable amount. 
On this basis, the impairment assessment 
indicated that the carrying value of the 
investments in subsidiaries was higher than 
the recoverable amount in 2017, determined 
by fair value less costs of disposal. As a 
result, an impairment of £33.3m (2017: 
£57.3m) was recognised. This impairment 
was eliminated on consolidation.

ENVIA

The loans and investment into ENVIA have 
been impaired in this year’s accounts due  
to the suspension of activities at the site 
and the laying off of nearly all the staff.  
The Company completed negotiations 
in April 2019 with one of the remaining 
partners and the landfill gas supplier to 
sell some of the assets and remove the 
Company’s liens associated with its loans 
to ENVIA from the Company and release the 
site to the landlord so that they can pursue 
their own business from the site in return for 
a payment of £3.26m. This will be referred 
collectively as the ENVIA settlement and is 
considered a best outcome from the loans 
made of £15.8m and the positive results 
from the activity with ENVIA including all  
the operating and management data 
secured from the operations.

Financial review

Revenues 

Assets and cash

Velocys plc is managed as a single 
operation and referred to as “the Company” 
throughout the strategic report. “Company” 
results represent the Consolidated results 
and Velocys plc results are for the parent 
Company only. The Company recognised 
revenue of £0.7m (2017: £0.8m). The revenue 
was primarily the result of the lease of 
catalyst related to the ENVIA project.  
Gross Profit was flat at £0.4m (2017: £0.4m).

On 1 January 2018, the Company adopted 
IFRS 15. In accordance with guidance 
in IFRS 15, the revenues from Red Rock 
Biofuels will be recognised in future periods, 
as discussed in notes 6 to the accounts. 

Operating losses were £18.6m, before 
exceptional items of £10.1m related 
to impairments (2017: £21.4m before 
exceptional items of £29.7m).  
The reduction of the operating loss 
is principally the result of reducing 
administrative expenses as set out below. 

Expenses and income 

Administrative expenses before exceptional 
items reduced to £19.1m and £29.1m after 
exceptional items (2017: £21.9m before 
and £53.4m after exceptional items). The 
reduction before exceptional items comes 
from a number of elements including the 
lower number of staff employed by the 
Company after the closure of the UK R&D 
facility which was completed in June 2017 
and the completion of the work on the 
project development of the Mississippi 
project in Q3 2018. 

The reduction in administrative expenses 
after exceptional items is largely due to the 
scale of the impairment taken in 2017 which 
has meant that no further impairment is 
required in 2018, other than for the loan to 
ENVIA, our associate company. The Board 
of ENVIA decided to suspend operations 
in September 2018 (see Impairment on 
assets and investments below), as a result 
of this decision there is little chance of the 
Company receiving repayment of the loan, 
so it has been fully impaired by £10.1m 
(2017: £nil).

Other income before exceptional items 
during the year consisted of the sale of 
assets and a return on deposit adding to 
£0.04m, (assets sold in 2017 associated 
with the closure of the UK R&D facility 
provided other income of £0.2m). No further 
income was recorded in 2018. Exceptional 
items were recorded in 2017 of £1.75m 
relating to the increased equity share and 
voting rights in ENVIA following the exit 
of NRG. No such exceptional items were 
recorded in 2018. 

The net assets of the Company were £5.4m 
which is down from the £14.7m in 2017. This 
decrease was largely due to the impairment 
of the Company’s loan and investment in 
ENVIA of £10.9m and the operating loss 
before exceptional items of £18.6m off-set 
by the £22.4m (net of expenses) raised  
from share issuances in January and  
August 2018. 

The cash inflow to the Company in 2018 
was £4.3m (2017: £16.0m cash outflow) 
principally being the net receipts of 
£23.0m after the two fund raises that were 
successfully completed during the year, less 
£6.3m cash used in investing activities and 
£12.4m used in operating activities. The 
Company continues to carefully manage its 
underlying cost base and spend prudently 
on strategy implementation.

The Company incurs much of its expenses 
in US dollar and has exposure to the US 
dollar exchange rate. This is hedged to the 
extent possible by holding cash reserves in 
US dollars. In addition, the majority of the 
Company’s income is invoiced in dollars. 

Impairment on assets and investments

In September 2018 the Board of Directors of 
ENVIA decided to suspend operations and 
undertake a review of strategic alternatives 
at the ENVIA plant. As a result of this 
decision there is little chance of us receiving 
full repayment of the loan. The Company 
recorded an impairment of £10.1m with 
respect to the loan to ENVIA and £0.9m 
with respect to the investment as a result 
of an increase in the credit risk arising from 
the Board of Directors of ENVIA’s decision. 
In addition, the company analyised the 
total value of the Company’s equity as at 
31 December 2018 and determined that 
despite a decrease in share issue price, no 
further impairment was warranted on top  
of the impairment recorded in 2017.

With respect to the impairment assessment 
in 2017, the recoverable amount was 
determined based on the fair value less 
costs of disposal (“fair value”), by reference 
to the total value of the parent Company’s 
equity (i.e. market capitalisation). For 2017 
the Company recorded an impairment of 
£31.5m against a range of assets, including 
goodwill and in-process technology. 
The Board has assessed whether any 
additional impairment is required in 2018 
and based on consideration of operational 
performance and market capitalisation 
at 31 December 2018, we do not consider 
there to be any impairment required in 2018.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  7

Financial review (continued)

Fundraises

Future funding 

In January 2018 Velocys raised a total of 
approximately £18.4m (before expenses) 
via a firm placing and open offer. Both 
funding elements were strongly supported 
by existing major shareholders. Over half of 
the firm placing shares were placed with 
the Company’s existing shareholders and 
the rest with a number of significant new 
shareholders.

In July 2018 Velocys secured additional 
funding of £6.0m (before expenses). The net 
proceeds of both capital raisings have been 
used predominantly for: 
˜˜

strengthening the Company’s balance 
sheet, providing for working capital and 
central operating costs; 
funding the Company’s portion of the 
pre-FEED development costs for its 
Immingham UK waste to jet fuel project; 
funding the continuing development 
costs for the Natchez, Mississippi 
biorefinery project before securing one 
or more strategic investors. 

˜˜

˜˜

Via our two placings, we have seen a mix 
of both strong support from our existing 
shareholders, for which we are grateful, as 
well as investment from new shareholders 
who demonstrated significant support for  
our strategy. 

The financial statements have been 
prepared on the going concern basis, 
which assumes the Company will have 
sufficient funds available to enable it to 
continue to trade for the foreseeable future. 
The cash forecast includes the following 
assumptions: (i) the receipts from the 
ENVIA settlement; (ii) the completion of 
the current stage of the UK waste to jet 
fuel project prior to securing funding for 
the next stage of development to financial 
close; (iii) the completion and delivery of 
reactors to our customer Red Rock Biofuels; 
(iv) the continued process of on-boarding 
one or more strategic investors to provide 
the final stages of development funding for 
the Mississippi biorefinery project; (v) the 
current overhead cost run rate. 

The Company’s plan is to secure investment 
by one or more strategic partners into either 
or both of the UK Immingham project and 
the Mississippi project in the second half 
of 2019. The Company will assess its cash 
requirements from these activities and 
determine at what stage it needs to raise 
additional funding during the second half  
of 2019 or early 2020. 

This funding may be achieved from one or a 
combination of a capital raising (including 
the possibility of a placement of ordinary 
shares within the next 12 months) or 
the realisation of certain assets; selling 
additional technology licences (such as the 
licence recently sold to Red Rock Biofuels); 
and selling non-core intellectual property.

The Board will be proposing a Special 
Resolution at the forthcoming Annual 
General Meeting to approve the 
disapplication of the pre-emption rights 
equal to 15% of the issued share capital, 
compared to the level of 10% which has 
been approved by shareholders in previous 
years. This may assist the Company in 
securing additional working capital in the 
year to come. 

Following financial close of one or both 
of the projects in late 2020 or early 2021, 
the Company’s funding requirements will 
depend on the final structure of each of 
the biorefinery project consortiums and 
on the Company’s strategy to develop and 
fund other projects. Risks and uncertainties 
regarding the two projects are detailed on 
pages 10 to 13. 

As such, these conditions indicate the 
existence of a material uncertainty that 
may cast significant doubt on the Company 
and Velocys plc’s ability to continue as a 
going concern.

The financial statements do not include 
the adjustments that would arise if the 
Company and Velocys plc were unable to 
continue as a going concern.

Andrew Morris
Chief Financial Officer 
14 May 2019

8  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
Key performance indicators (KPIs)  
and milestones

The Company adjusted its business strategy 
in 2017 to one which concentrates on the 
development of biorefineries to exploit the 
use of its core technology, micro-channel 
Fischer-Tropsch reactors, to produce 
renewable fuels. In 2018 the key milestones 
for the Company were as follows:
1.  Capitalise the business to progress the
business strategy throughout the year 
and beyond.

2.  Continue the operation of the ENVIA 
plant into long-term operations. 
3.  Secure one or more strategic investors

into the Natchez, Mississippi project.

4.  Secure second stage consortium 

funding for the Immingham, UK waste 
to jet fuel project.

Financial results were reviewed on a regular 
basis by Directors. Careful monitoring of the 
Company’s cash and cash commitments is 
undertaken to ensure that all the fiduciary 
responsibilities and commitments of the 
Directors are met.

The performance of the Company against 
these milestones is expanded upon in the 
CEO’s report on page 6. The financial results 
are outlined in the Financial Review on 
pages 7 to 8.

Corporate social responsibility and KPIs

Employees

Velocys strives to be a good employer and 
endeavours to train staff well, to pay them 
fair market value and to maintain a safe 
environment in which they can work. Velocys 
is committed to equal opportunities for all 
its employees. Of the 35 global employees 
working for Velocys at 31 December 2018, 
26% were female (2017: 33%). At the end of 
2018, one of the four members of the Board 
was female (2017: one of six members). The 
percentage of female employees broken 
down by areas of the business was as 
shown below. 

Gender diversity

Scientific & engineering

23%

17%

Sales, finance, HR & admin

56%

35%

77%

2017

83%

2018

44%

2017

65%

2018

Women

Men

Velocys takes the safety and well-being 
of its employees seriously. As an example, 
in October 2016 the Columbus, Ohio site 
successfully renewed for an additional 
three years its Safety and Health 
Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) 
certification with the US Department of 
Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration. SHARP certification 
recognises Velocys’ exemplary injury and 
illness prevention programme. Velocys 
has created a culture of safety, health, 
and environmental responsibility and 
continuous improvement that extends from 
the CEO to all employees. Each employee 
is encouraged to actively participate in, 
and take responsibility for, their own safety 
and health through various opportunities, 
such as by providing suggestions for 
improvement, participating in safety and 
environmental training and site meetings. 

Holding leadership positions on the  
site’s Safety Committee or serving on  
an investigation team that performs root 
cause analysis of potential hazards or near 
misses at the site is actively encouraged. 
Velocys maintains detailed records that 
are required for regulatory compliance, and 
also ensures safety policy, programme and 
hazard communication documents are 
available to all staff.

Velocys’ dedication for continuous 
improvement, understanding root 
causes and implementing corrective and 
preventative actions is evidenced after the 
Company experienced its first Lost-Time 
Accident (LTA) in late July 2018 at the Ohio 
location. A contractor, working under the 
direction of Velocys, suffered a broken 
foot when an unsupported heavy table fell 
on the worker’s foot, impacting above the 
steel-toed protection of the worker’s boot. 
All staff took part in a lessons-learned 
session, with a focus on identification and 
prevention of hazards. Relevant staff were 
retrained on several safety topics that led 
to the accident. An elevated level of rigour 
is placed on completing thorough job safety 
analyses before work on a new or unfamiliar 
task begins. 

Since the July accident, the Velocys sites  
in the US have logged over 28,400 operating 
labour hours without an LTA. The UK site 
continues to operate without any lost time, 
bringing the total number of operating 
labour hours without an LTA to over  
392,300 in the United Kingdom.

Environment

Velocys recognises that as an advanced 
biofuels company it has a duty to limit the 
environmental impact of its own operations. 
As such, the Company is careful to monitor 
the environmental impact of its operations. 
Air travel and buildings operation have been 
identified as two of the major factors in the 
Company’s direct CO2 emissions. 

Steps being taken to reduce direct CO2 
emissions in Velocys’ operations include 
permitting business class travel only on 
overnight long-haul flights, replacing travel 
for face-to-face meetings with telephone 
and video calls where practical, measuring 
and minimising direct energy consumption 
though efficient use of energy-using assets 
and minimising waste production and  
on-site water consumption. 

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  9

Risks and mitigation

The principal risks and uncertainties that are considered to have a potentially material  
impact on the Company’s long-term performance and delivery of its strategy are set out  
in the following table. 

Risk description and impact

Risk management strategy

Risks specific to Natchez, Mississippi biorefinery project 
Any risk or combination of risks listed here has the potential of preventing the project from reaching Financial Close, which would 
prevent Velocys from extracting value from its development activities.

Technology wrap not secured by EPC contractor
Back-to-back guarantees with each of the licensors still leaves 
a significant risk/liability gap that needs to be filled by the EPC 
contractor, a strategic partner and/or an insurance product.
Inability to provide the necessary performance guarantees 
required to support the financing could result in delays to  
the project. 

Development Capital Funding
Velocys will need to secure strategic project investment for 
development capital costs to progress the Mississippi biorefinery 
project to Financial Close. If this is not secured or is delayed this 
would adversely affect the project timeline and may impact the 
financial status of the Company. 

Independent Engineer’s report
As part of the suite of due diligence documents for the project 
the completion of a technical review by an Independent Engineer 
is needed. A favourable report is a pre-requisite for reaching 
Financial Close for the project.

Capital expenditure and operational expenditure required
There remains uncertainty regarding the expenditure required 
to build and operate the biorefinery as well as the scope and 
strength of the EPC wrap and the credit worthiness of the 
EPC. Capex or opex could be higher than desired, which could 
negatively impact plant economics and financing.

Performance of and integration with other licensors’ technology
Syngas production, syngas clean-up or product upgrading 
technology, supplied by other licensors, may not function as hoped 
or may not integrate as envisaged with Velocys technology, which 
could cause the plant to operate sub-optimally.

The Company will review other alternative risk and insurance 
options. Consideration will be given to a revised execution 
approach of traditional FEED and then identification of a potential 
wrap partner, once a strategic partner is on board and a +/-10% 
cost estimate is available. 

The Company is continuing with its process to select and 
on-board one or more strategic and/or financial investors to 
support financing the remaining project development capital 
requirements for the Mississippi project. A financial adviser, 
appointed by Velocys, is managing the process of due diligence, 
deal construction and closure.

Velocys has engaged the Independent Engineer early in the 
process to ensure we understand their requirements and 
provide the information needed by them at the time required. 
The performance data from the ENVIA plant is a key mitigation to 
ensuring quality information reaches the Independent Engineer. 

Completion of the FEED package will reduce the uncertainty 
surrounding plant capital expenditure. The project will optimise 
plant capital cost, operating costs, carbon intensity and the total 
returns from the project. Velocys has engaged an estimating 
advisor to validate the FEED package provided by the EPC. These 
risks are normal for this stage of the project. Going forward, risks 
will be mitigated and reduced as the project continues. 

Velocys works with technology companies that have proven 
track records of commercial operation. Velocys and its 
technology partner TRI have collaborated on a joint technology 
demonstration. The demonstration has completed 800 hours 
of successful performance indicating good performance of 
the FT system operating on biomass-generated syngas. This 
outcome significantly reduces but not eliminates the technology 
integration risks associated with the development of the 
biorefinery.

Carbon intensity threshold
Due to process constraints Velocys may not be able to meet  
cost-effectively the required carbon intensity threshold needed  
to maximise the LCFS credits it could obtain in California. Failure 
to do so would limit revenues from plant operations.

Velocys has actively factored into the engineering design the 
carbon intensity impacts to provide the maximum product 
revenue that is economically viable. 

10  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

Risk description and impact

Risk management strategy

Site considerations
The site is adjacent to the Mississippi River and a catastrophic 
flooding event could impact the site and plant itself. If the 
levee constructions were not completed by the local economic 
development agency, project delays and additional costs  
could arise.

During construction, start-up/commissioning and operations of 
the biorefinery, hurricanes, tornadoes and forest fires could also 
adversely affect timelines, operability or costs.

The biorefinery will be protected by a levee, currently under 
construction, which puts the site outside the 100-year flood plain. 
Velocys will monitor the levee construction progress and take 
appropriate action for mitigation if required. During the build of 
the biorefinery Velocys will have the necessary flood insurance  
in place.

The design of the facility is incorporating the relevant codes 
for the potential weather conditions for the safe start-up and 
shutdown in adverse weather situations. The team will also put in 
place an emergency response plan prior to start of construction 
and start-up that will align with local and state emergency 
plans for emergency situations that includes adverse weather 
conditions.

Changes to the local demand for woody biomass or ability of 
the existing forestry industry infrastructure to transport RFS 
qualifying feedstock to the plant could increase the cost of supply 
or increase complexity by increasing the distance over which 
feedstock has to be sourced. 

Velocys has engaged a consultant with experience of the forestry 
industry around Natchez and has had preliminary discussions 
with multiple potential suppliers. The Company is confident that  
it can cost-effectively source RFS-qualifying feedstock. 

Risks specific to the Immingham, UK waste to jet fuel project

UK policy
There could continue to be a lack of clarity on future waste policy, 
including maintaining the UK landfill tax and/or policy uncertainty 
around waste for large-scale capital-intensive schemes. In 
addition, there are risks around the future policy support for 
development fuel Road Transport Fuel Certificates (dRTFC’s).

Project partnership and economics
There are no guarantees that the project will proceed through 
successive development phases. Existing project partners may 
not be willing to fund the project to Financial Close. Capex, opex 
and revenue estimates derived during engineering studies, 
combined with views on risk, may make the project unattractive 
to other investors and lenders. 

Risk of securing partner/debt financing to proceed based  
on project returns/structure
The inability to secure a financeable return or a financeable 
EPC relationship/contract/wrap could lead to delays in reaching 
Financial Close.

Operation of the Feedstock Conditioning Facility  
is not as expected
Design and operation of waste handling facilities is not a Velocys 
core competency and could lead to suboptimal design of this 
important part of the project.

The project partners are engaging with the UK government to 
provide input to policy decisions related to the project. Velocys 
has expanded relevant UK stakeholder engagement, e.g. by 
becoming a member of the UK Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership.  

The experienced Velocys project team is managing the completion 
of the engineering feasibility study, reducing uncertainty on 
project economics, and is validating all the key economic 
assumptions. Regular meetings with the partners have driven 
alignment on project requirements and timeline to making 
investment decisions. 

Velocys has developed an engagement strategy with targeted 
EPCs by using a financing approach to address the potential for 
cost over-runs, which would affect project returns. Additional 
strategies with our partners are under development that will 
provide credible pathways to maintain strong project returns. 

The UK Velocys development team has been strengthened by 
experts from the waste sector and has also contracted expert 
organisations in the UK waste industry to advise and assist with  
a robust design. We have also added significant over-capacity  
to this part of the plant to maintain availability of feedstock for 
the process.

Early cost estimates
There is the potential with early cost estimates that as they are by 
definition estimates and they can have significant error margins, 
which at a later stage in the project life can increase the cost of 
the project reducing expected returns.

Velocys is working towards obtaining an early capital cost 
estimate which can be risk assessed to allow for mitigating 
measures against higher costs.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  11

 
Risks and mitigation (continued)

Risk description and impact

Risk management strategy

Risks specific to the Immingham, UK waste to jet fuel project (continued)

Plant’s availability is less than designed
The reliability of all of the individual process elements and 
therefore the up time experienced by the whole plant can 
adversely impact the project returns if the reliability is  
worse than expected.

Velocys has undertaken an availability study in the current  
engineering stage to initiate good practice. This will be revisited 
in the next stage of the engineering work as greater definition is 
available. In particular we will be concentrating on the perceived 
risk areas of the process to ensure we understand all of the 
potential opportunities for downtime events and how to mitigate 
against them.

Risks specific to ENVIA

Velocys having completed an agreement to successfully close out 
the ENVIA JV has a risk that the conditions of the agreement to 
ensure the site is clear of the unwanted assets is not completed 
within the allotted time.

ENVIA, in agreement with Velocys, has engaged the services of a 
professional demolition firm to take the unwanted assets from 
the site within the schedule set in the agreement.

Other operational risks

Supply chain delays
Unplanned complications with equipment suppliers in our 
manufacturing supply chain could lead to delays in our projects 
and those of our customers. This can lead to Liquidated Damages

Loss of intellectual property (IP) protection
It is possible that through the projects unauthorised third 
parties may receive or obtain confidential information about our 
core technology, thereby exposing the Company to competitors 
obtaining this information and gaining a competitive advantage. 

Performance of Velocys’ technology
Velocys’ core technology may not produce the quantity and/or 
quality of product expected.

By working with proven experts in the field of manufacturing  
of our type of equipment is the main way to mitigate against  
the potential for problems to lead to delays in our supply chain. 
Also by building in inventory equipment we can mitigate against 
delays in manufacture. A robust quality assurance programme  
is followed for the supply of commercial catalyst and reactors.

Ultimately the protection against this type of risk is mitigated 
by having the core technology protected by Patents and the law 
supporting protection of Intellectual Property rights. Over the 
years Velocys has spent significant effort in pursuing patents 
and IP protection for our designs and inventions, for which we 
vigorously defend all our entrenched rights. 

The Company has rigorously tested its technology in the lab,  
at pilot plant scale, and at commercial scale at the ENVIA plant.  
It has modelled steady state and upset operations under 
conditions that will be experienced at future commercial plants. 

Supporting technologies at a biorefinery may not operate 
according to specification, preventing the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) 
section of a plant from functioning optimally. This could introduce 
costs and delays to the project inducing delays or reductions 
in the revenues possible from sales of fuels and environmental 
credits.

At ENVIA Velocys’ core technology performed during start up and 
steady state operations in line with requirements at a commercial 
scale and meets the performance expectations according to 
models based on lab and pilot studies. Velocys’ technology has 
been able to meet both quantity and quality expectations for 
finished products.

Inexpert operation of the plant may produce poorer than 
predicted performance.

Velocys works closely with other technology licensors and EPC 
companies on plant integration requirements, including the 
protection of Velocys’ FT technology from potential malfunctions 
in process units other than the central FT units. Velocys’ strategy 
is to de-risk its future projects by selecting commercially  
proven technologies and piloting significant components  
of the flowsheet. 

Velocys’ team includes qualified employees and management 
with significant expertise in the operation of petrochemical and 
gas-to-liquids plants. For its projects, Velocys is focused on 
engaging operators who are fully qualified and well-trained in 
the operation of such plants. Velocys’ predictions of performance 
are conservatively based on the personnel and management 
resources that it has on hand and plans to obtain as its projects 
proceed to implementation. 

12  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

Risk description and impact

Risk management strategy

Health, safety and/or environmental issues at a plant
An accident or other incident might occur at a plant incorporating 
Velocys’ technology, resulting in injury to personnel or their 
exposure to hazardous conditions. 

An environmental incident might occur at a plant; emissions 
could exceed the permitted level.

Employee retention and recruitment
Velocys may not be able to scale the organisation to deliver its 
biorefinery projects. 

The Company has an excellent in-house safety record.  
All relevant employees are trained according to OSHA 
requirements for handling hazardous substances and the 
Company’s HSE procedures and practices are outlined on page 9. 
Velocys intends to provide significant input into training materials 
and operating manuals for its future plants. Velocys will provide 
operational management services to support future biorefineries 
that the Company, as well as third party developers, develop.

All Velocys plants are carefully designed from inception to 
account for expected upset conditions and to continue to operate 
within the environmental and regulatory framework even if 
problems arise. Plant personnel are trained in procedures that 
identify issues that could lead to adverse environmental effects 
and to act accordingly. 

Velocys provides competitive compensation to attract and retain 
staff. The Company has the required governance and processes 
within key functions that will be operational when the Company 
needs to scale up its activities for the development, construction 
and operation of plants. 

Market risks

Low oil prices
Oil prices could track the US Energy Information Administration’s 
(EIA’s) Annual Energy Outlook 2018 low oil price case (that 
assumes a price of Brent crude in 2017 of $52 per barrel by 2050).

Velocys’ target market is renewable fuels in the UK and the US. 
Expected revenues from gate-fees and environmental credits 
mitigate fully any underlying price volatility in fossil fuel prices. 

Future of renewable fuels credits
Renewable fuels credits (such as RINs under the Renewable Fuel 
Standard, RFS in the USA or the development fuel Renewable 
Transport Fuel Certificates (dRTFC’s) in the UK) could be 
withdrawn (or their value reduced). 

Renewable fuels credits such as those issued under the Low 
Carbon Fuel Standard in California or dRTFC’s in the UK could be 
withdrawn. The economics of Velocys’ biorefineries are dependent 
on the receipt of these renewable credits to maintain revenues 
above operational costs.

Competing technology
Existing technologies that are economically-competitive with 
Velocys technology in specific applications are in the process  
of being deployed in the field. 

The RFS is important to many states with large agricultural 
economies, to energy security, and to jobs. Velocys engages 
actively with law makers in Washington and works with industry 
bodies to ensure its voice is heard. The RFS continues to see 
strong support from a wide range of stakeholders. In the UK 
the development team along with our partners representatives 
actively engage with the senior managers in the Department for 
Transport to ensure that the dRTFC program is maintained and 
enhanced by the UK government.

California is proposing to expand the LCFS programme to include 
jet fuel. Carbon pricing is stable in California and the state is 
considering extension of the mandate for carbon reductions. 
Velocys engages actively with California regulators, through 
industry groups, to ensure its voice is heard. Similar LCFS 
requirements are in place in Oregon. The UK RTFO has been 
strengthened under our current Government and so we consider 
that this risk is mitigated with the attitude of both the current 
Government and any alternative Government that could come  
to power.

Velocys and its partners continue to invest in plant integration 
optimisation and modularisation, with the aim of significant 
reductions in cost on a per barrel basis. Such advances take time 
to develop and provide Velocys with a significant competitive 
advantage beyond its core Fischer-Tropsch technology capability. 
In addition, the Company believes that the market is large enough 
to support multiple suppliers.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  13

Risks and mitigation (continued)

Risk description and impact

Risk management strategy

Market risks (continued)

Brexit
There is uncertainty around the impact of the UK leaving the 
European Union.

Velocys does not expect to have significant exposure to the 
European market in the short and medium terms. The effect on 
the UK waste market could have a positive effect on gate fees 
which would be a positive outcome for Velocys’ UK project.

Financial risks 
The potentially material financial risks associated with a multinational business, including foreign exchange are presented below. All 
other financial risks assessed by the Company are included in note 25.

Company financing
The Company’s cash usage is significant versus prospective 
future cash flows (particularly in the short term) and Velocys 
continues to be reliant on the support of a small group of major 
shareholders. 

Exchange rates
As the Company operates in US dollars and pounds sterling it may 
be impacted by fluctuations in exchange rates.

The Board recognises that further funding will be needed to 
reach Financial Close for its two projects. Note 2 to the financial 
statements discusses uncertainties surrounding the extent and 
composition of future funding. The Company believes that equity 
remains the preferred structure to support the business as a 
going concern in the near term but will keep this under review. 
Velocys continues to take measures to preserve cash in order  
to protect against unforeseen events. 

Based on regularly updated cash flow forecasts the required 
currency mix is identified and foreign exchange contracts taken 
out accordingly. A number of brokers are used to give a balanced 
market view. Financial risks are expanded upon in note 25.

Approved by the Board and signed on its behalf by:

Henrik Wareborn
Chief Executive Officer
14 May 2019

14  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

Corporate governance report

Introduction
Companies whose securities are traded on the Alternative Investment Market (‘AIM’) of the London Stock Exchange are not required to 
comply with the principles and provisions of the UK Corporate Governance Code 2018 (‘Code’). For example, the Company does not  
comply with:
˜˜ FCA Listing Rule 9.8.6R (which includes the ‘comply or explain’ requirement);
˜˜ FCA Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules (DTR) Section 7.2 (which set out certain mandatory disclosures);
˜˜ Competition and Markets Authority’s Final Order 1 (for UK incorporated FTSE 350 companies only).

The Directors recognise the value and importance of good corporate governance and are committed to drawing upon best practice and 
maintaining high standards. Further to the amendment to AIM Rule 26 with effect 28 September 2018, the Board has determined to follow 
the QCA Code, published by the Quoted Companies Alliance, which sets out a minimum best practice standard for small and mid-size 
quoted companies, particularly AIM companies.

The following information is provided to describe how the Company applies the principles of the QCA Code and explain any departures 
from the specific provisions of that code. 

The QCA’s Ten Principles of Corporate Governance
The ten principles of corporate governance set out under three headings – Deliver Growth, Maintain a Dynamic Management Framework, 
and Build Trust – in the QCA Code and applied by the Company are as follows:

Deliver Growth
1. Establish a strategy and business model which promote long-term value for shareholders.
The Board is responsible to shareholders for setting the Company’s strategy and overseeing its execution, and for the overall management, 
control and performance of Velocys’ business. Velocys’ strategy and business model can be found in the Chairman’s and CEO’s reports on 
pages 4 to 6, respectively.

2. Seek to understand and meet shareholder needs and expectations.
The Board considers effective communication with shareholders to be very important and encourages regular dialogue with investors.

At the Company’s Annual Meeting, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are available before and after the meeting for further 
discussions with shareholders. The Chief Executive Officer attends meetings with shareholders and analysts on various occasions during 
the year, primarily following the Company’s Annual Results and Interim Results announcements. Relevant feedback from shareholder 
discussions is advised to the Board. The Board considers that their policy on shareholder engagement has resulted in the considerable 
support demonstrated by major shareholders since the Company was originally admitted to AIM in 2006.

The Board responds promptly to questions received, which may be sent to info@velocys.com.

3. Take into account wider stakeholder and social responsibilities and their implications for long-term success.
Velocys is committed to being a good employer and endeavours to train staff well, to pay them fair market value and to maintain a safe 
environment in which they can work. We are also committed to equal opportunities for all our employees. In addition, as an advanced 
biofuels Company, we have a duty to limit the environmental impact of our own operations and are careful to monitor and improve their 
environmental impact. Further information on our corporate social responsibility and KPIs can be found on page 9.

There is an ongoing dialogue with our technology partners, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders which is continuously fed back 
into our knowledge base in relation to projects under development and, where relevant, integrated into the Company’s strategy and 
business model.

4. Embed effective risk management, considering both opportunities and threats, throughout the organisation.
The Company employs Directors and senior personnel with the appropriate knowledge and experience for a business active in its field of 
operations and undertakes regular risk assessments and reviews of its activities.

The Audit & Risk Committee reviews all of the Company’s principal risk management policies and the ongoing development of a Company 
risk register. Further information on Risk Management can be found pages 10 to 14.

The principal risks and uncertainties that are considered to have a potentially material impact on the Company’s long-term performance 
and delivery of its strategy are set out page 10 to 14.

Maintain a Dynamic Management Framework
5. Maintain the board as a well-functioning, balanced team led by the chair.
The Board comprises a Chairman and three part-time Non-Executive Directors with relevant experience to complement the two full-time 
Executive Directors and to provide an independent view to the Executive Directors. Details of the Board can be found in the Directors’ 
Report on page 20. A time commitment of up to four days a month is expected of the Non-Executive Directors. 

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  15

Corporate governance report (continued)

Attendance at Board and Committee meetings

Number of meetings held in 2018 

Attendance* by: 
Pierre Jungels 

David Pummell 

Paul Schubert 

Sandy Shaw 

Julian West 

Andrew Morris 

Henrik Wareborn 
* 

Scheduled 
Board 
meetings 

7 

100% 

100% 

100% 

100% 

– 

100% 

100% 

Special 
Board 
meetings 

7 

100% 

100% 

100% 

100% 

100% 

100% 

– 

Audit & Risk 
Committee 

Remuneration 
Committee 

Nominations
Committee 

4 

– 

– 

– 

100% 

– 

100% 

– 

5 

– 

– 

– 

100% 

– 

100% 

– 

6

100%

–

–

100%

–

100%

–

 The attendance percentage relates only to applicable meetings (for example, percentages do not include meetings held prior to appointment or following the 
resignation of particular Directors). 

At the time of Pierre Jungels’ appointment as Chairman, he met the independence criteria set out in the UK Corporate Governance Code. 
Thereafter the test of independence is not appropriate in relation to the Chairman. Pierre Jungels has served more than four consecutive 
three-year terms of office. The Board regards each of the other Non-Executive Directors as being fully independent.

The roles of the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer are separated, with clear written guidance to support the division  
of responsibilities. The role of the Senior Independent Director is also clearly set out.

The Chairman is principally responsible for leadership and effectiveness of the Board, for corporate governance matters, setting the Board 
agenda, ensuring adequacy of information flow to the Board, that due consideration is given to strategic issues, and promoting a culture  
of openness of debate at Board level, and between Directors and the Executive Committee. 

The Chief Executive Officer is primarily responsible for the management of the business and implementation of the Company’s strategy and 
policies, maintaining a close working relationship with the Chairman, and leading the Executive Committee. Philip Holland was appointed 
Senior Independent Director on 1 January 2019, in place of Julian West who held this position until his resignation on 6 February 2018.

6. Ensure that between them the Directors have the necessary up-to-date experience, skills and capabilities.
The Board includes individuals with a deep knowledge of markets worldwide and relationships at the highest level of industry. The Board 
believes that, as a whole, it contains the necessary mix of experience, skills, personal qualities (including gender balance) and capabilities 
to deliver the strategy of the Company for the benefit of the shareholders over the medium to long term. This is an area which is maintained 
under constant review. 

Name Dr. Pierre Jungels, CBE
Role Chairman
Skills and experience
Pierre is an oil industry veteran, with over 40 years’ experience – over 25 of which were spent at main Board level, which included 
appointments as Chairman of Rockhopper Exploration plc, Chief Executive of Enterprise Oil plc, Executive Director of PetroFina, and 
Managing Director of British Gas. Pierre is a certified engineer and has a PhD in geophysics and hydraulics from the California Institute  
of Technology. He was twice President of the Institute of Petroleum.

Name Philip Holland 
Role Senior Independent Director
Skills and experience
Philip was appointed as Senior Independent Director of Velocys in January 2019. Philip holds a BSc in Civil Engineering from Leeds 
University and a MSc in Engineering and Construction Project Management from Cranfield School of Management. He has extensive 
experience in managing large-scale oil and gas projects around the globe. In 1980, he joined Bechtel Corporation and managed major oil 
and gas projects in a wide range of international locations. In 2004, he joined Shell as vice president of projects, Shell Global Solutions 
International. In 2009, Philip became Executive Vice President Downstream Projects in Shell’s newly formed projects and technology 
business and in 2010 he was appointed as Project Director for Shell’s Kashagan phase 2 project in Kazakhstan, and subsequently the  
Shell/QP Al Karaana petrochemicals project. Since 2013, he has operated as an independent project management consultant. Philip  
joined the Board of Enquest plc in August 2015, where he chairs its Risk Committee and is a member of its Remuneration Committee. 

16  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Name Henrik Wareborn
Role Chief Executive Officer
Skills and experience
Henrik was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director in November 2018, having acted as a consulting adviser to the 
Company and provided services equivalent to those of a Chief Commercial Officer since March 2017.

Henrik was formerly a Managing Director with Natixis S.A. (both in the UK and North America), and previously Global Head of Crude Oil 
Sales and Trading at BP PLC. His experience prior to this included roles as Executive Director at Hess Energy Trading Ltd, and Executive 
Director at Goldman Sachs International, London. His expertise includes investment banking, commodities trading, fund raising, and 
commodity finance. Henrik has an MBA from INSEAD and graduated from the Stockholm School of Economics with a BA in finance  
and economics.

Name Andrew Morris
Role Chief Financial Officer
Skills and experience
Andrew was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director in November 2018. He was formerly a Non-Executive Director  
of the Company and Chair of Velocys’ Audit Committee and has been on the Board since June 2017. 

Andrew has extensive experience as Chairman, CEO, CFO and Group Finance Director with significant involvement in financing and 
business development for AIM companies, SMEs and private equity backed organisations. He has considerable experience in the power 
and renewable energy, energy from waste and biofuels sectors. Until November 2018, he acted as CEO of Envirofusion, a company with 
nascent technology in the waste-to-energy and biomass-to-power sector. For six years he acted as Commercial & Finance Director for 
Advanced Plasma Power Limited, a private equity funded company that owns gasification and plasma waste treatment technology.  
He began his career at Price Waterhouse in London, is a qualified accountant and graduated from the University of Newcastle with  
a BSc in agricultural and economics.

Name Sandy Shaw
Role Non-Executive Director
Skills and experience
Sandy was appointed to the Board of Velocys in October 2012 and chairs the Audit & Risk Committee. Sandy has nearly 40 years of 
experience in the oil and gas industry. From 2008 until its take-over in 2013 Sandy was an Executive Director Corporate & Commercial, 
and Company Secretary of Valiant Petroleum PLC, a company of which she was a founder and initially a Non-Executive Director. She has 
held senior executive positions as group legal counsel and/or commercial director for numerous companies including Consort Resources, 
LASMO PLC (where she was also inter alia President of LASMO USA), Esso Petroleum, Marathon Oil and Mobil. Sandy has extensive oil 
and gas M&A experience, has overseen numerous material private equity subscriptions and led a £200m trade sale through to final 
negotiations. She has worked as a consultant to several oil and gas companies, as well as two UK law firms. 

Name Darran Messem
Role Non-Executive Director
Skills and experience
Darran was appointed to the Board of Velocys in January 2019 and chairs the Remuneration Committee. Darran has 30 years of 
commercial experience in energy, transport and sustainable development, with particular focus on renewable energy and low-emission 
transport. He has served as Managing Director Certification and International Director at the Carbon Trust, Vice President Fuel 
Development at Shell, and General Manager Market Development at British Airways. At Shell he worked on the removal of lead and 
sulphur from fuel in the UK, new business models in the US, and the development of Shell’s global biofuel business, where he worked  
on a number of biofuel technologies including gasification and Fisher-Tropsch synthesis. He was Shell’s nominated Director, and 
subsequently elected Chair, of Iogen Energy. Since 2014 he has been Chair of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, a UK public-private 
partnership that works to accelerate the deployment of low carbon vehicles and fuels. 

Internal Advisory Responsibilities
The Company Secretary, through the Chairman, is responsible for advising the Board on governance matters, and for ensuring that Board 
procedures are followed and that applicable rules and regulations are complied with. All Directors have access to the advice and services 
of the Company Secretary. An agreed procedure exists for Directors in the furtherance of their duties to take independent professional 
advice. During 2018, no Director sought independent legal advice pursuant to the policy.

The Company regularly reviews the ongoing training requirements of Directors as part of the annual Board evaluation process. Directors 
keep their personal skillsets up to date through a combination of industry contact, reading of relevant material and, where appropriate, 
training courses.

There is a process for ensuring that any new Director receives advice, including from the Company’s nominated adviser and external 
lawyers where appropriate, on his/her responsibilities as a Director of an AIM company. The Board ensures that any new appointee 
benefits from an induction programme.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  17

Corporate governance report (continued)

7. Evaluate board performance based on clear and relevant objectives, seeking continuous improvement.
An annual evaluation of the Board and its committees is carried out by the Company Secretary, taking the form of comprehensive 
questionnaires which provide all Directors with an opportunity to score (1=Dissatisfied; 5= Satisfied) their opinion on a series of  
questions in relation to inter alia the constitution, execution and performance of the Board and the three committees, and to comment  
on procedures or any relevant matters. Average scores for each question are measured against the relevant score in the previous two 
years to help identify trends and are also assessed in absolute terms. Written comments, on an unattributed basis, are assimilated into  
a written report.

A performance evaluation of the Chairman is carried out, led by the Company Secretary, and takes into account the views of all Directors. 
As in previous years, the results of the evaluation are considered by the Board and each committee in open session and, where 
appropriate, actions arising from such reviews are implemented. 

Actions have resulted in improvements to timing and quality of management information; the provision to the Board of more detailed 
information on individual projects, including presentations by senior management; and improvements to the structure and workings  
of committees.

Succession planning at Board and Committee level is formally reviewed on an annual basis. During 2018, the Board reviewed  
its succession plan for all Board members and senior management. In accordance with best practice, all Directors are proposed for 
re-appointment at the Annual General Meeting, and due consideration is given by the Nomination Committee as to whether individual 
Directors are recommended for re-election.

8. Promote a corporate culture that is based on ethical values and behaviours.
The Board believes that the business culture is consistent with the Company’s objectives, strategy and business model as set out  
in the strategic report and the description of principal risks and uncertainties.

The Board ensures that the Company has the means to determine that ethical values and behaviours are recognised and respected 
through the adoption of appropriate policies, including an Anti-Bribery and Corruption and Anti-Modern Slavery Policy; a Whistleblowing 
Policy; and a Policy on Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity. 

In addition, in response to the Market Abuse Regulations (MAR) which came into force on 3 July 2016, and which apply to AIM companies, 
the Company has adopted a Share Dealing Policy and Dealing Code which apply to all Directors and employees of the Company.

9. Maintain governance structures and processes that are fit for purpose and support good decision-making by the board.
The Board meets at least seven times a year with a formal schedule of matters reserved for its decision. The Board has also established 
a schedule of delegated authorities, which are reviewed to ensure they are commensurate with the level of the Company’s development. 
The governance structure in place is considered to be appropriate for the foreseeable future but will be evolved in line with the Company’s 
plans for growth.

Board Committees
The minutes of the Audit & Risk, Remuneration and Nomination & Governance Committees are circulated to the Board. The Committee 
chairs also report to the Board on the outcome of committee meetings at the subsequent Board meeting. The Committees have the 
following roles.

Audit & Risk Committee
The members of the Audit & Risk Committee with effect 1 January 2019 are Sandy Shaw (Chair), Philip Holland and Darran Messem. 
Meetings are held not less than four times a year and are based on the work programme set out in the Audit Committee Guide published 
by the QCA.

Under its Terms of Reference, which can be found on the Company website, the Audit & Risk Committee reviews inter alia the Company’s 
audit planning, risk management systems and processes and effectiveness of internal controls, accounting policies and financial 
reporting, provides a forum through which the external auditors report, and reviews and monitors their independence and the provision  
of additional services. At least once a year it meets with the external auditors without Executive Directors present.

Financial information
The Company prepares detailed budget and working capital projections, which are approved annually by the Board and are maintained 
and updated regularly throughout the year. Detailed management accounts and working capital cash flows are prepared on a monthly 
basis and compared to budgets and projections to identify any significant variances.

The Audit & Risk Committee has considered the integrity of the Company’s 2018 financial statements and reviewed the appropriateness 
of its critical accounting policies and the judgements made in applying them. The year-end financial statements were reviewed and 
discussed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. In addition, the interim financial statements were reviewed by the committee.  

The committee considered, among others, the following specific matters:
˜˜ Going concern.
˜˜ Valuation of intangibles (consolidated company) and investment in subsidiaires (Velocys plc)
˜˜ Valuation of investment in associate ENVIA, and valuation of loan receivable from ENVIA (consolidated company)

18  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

Audit review
The Audit & Risk Committee has discussed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s audit process and has reviewed the findings from the 
audit of the 2018 financial year as well as the effectiveness of the external audit process. The committee reviewed the quality 
and cost effectiveness of the external audit, and the independence and objectivity of the auditors. It obtained confirmation from 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP that their independence and ethics policies complied with FRC requirements, and that they remain 
independent and maintain internal safeguards to ensure their objectivity. No contractual obligations exist that restrict the Company’s 
choice of external auditor and the committee is satisfied that the external auditor remains independent. 

The committee has established policies determining the non-audit services that the external auditors can provide and the procedures 
required for approval of any such engagement. Further details of fees paid to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for both audit and non-audit 
work can be found in note 11 to the financial statements.

Remuneration Committee
The members of the Remuneration Committee with effect 1 January 2019 are Darran Messem (Chair), Sandy Shaw and Philip Holland. 
Meetings of the Committee take place not less than three times a year. Due regard is paid to the Investment Association Principles of 
Remuneration.

The committee reviews, inter-alia, the performance of Executive Directors and senior managers setting the scale and structure of 
their remuneration and the basis of their service agreements, having due regard to the interests of shareholders. The committee also 
determines the allocation of share options to Executive Directors and senior managers. No Executive Director has a service agreement 
notice period exceeding one year. 

The remuneration of the Non-Executive Directors is a matter for the Chairman and the Company’s Executive Directors. 

Under its Terms of Reference, which can be found on the Company website, no Director is permitted to participate in decisions concerning 
his or her own remuneration.

Nomination & Governance Committee
The members of the Nomination & Governance Committee are Pierre Jungels (Chair), Sandy Shaw, Philip Holland and Darran Messem.  
The committee meets at least twice a year, and among its duties it reviews the composition of the Board and its succession planning,  
the Board evaluation process and the findings from recent evaluations, Director performance and recommendations for re-elections  
at the AGM, and considerations of Director independence under the corporate governance code. The Terms of Reference can be found  
on the Company website.

Build Trust 
10. Communicate how the Company is governed and is performing by maintaining a dialogue with shareholders  
and other relevant stakeholders.
The Board considers effective communication with shareholders to be very important and encourages regular dialogue with investors. 
Directors regularly attend meetings with shareholders and analysts throughout the year, and the Board responds promptly to questions 
received. Shareholders will be given at least 21 days’ notice of the Annual General Meeting, at which they have the opportunity to discuss 
the Company’s developments and performance. Further information is shown under QCA Principle 2 above.

Copies of the Annual Report and Financial Statements are issued to all shareholders and copies are available on the Company’s website 
www.velocys.com, which provides information to shareholders and other interested parties. The website contains full details of the 
Company’s business activities, press releases and links to the London Stock Exchange website for share price information, share trading 
activities and graphs, as well as Regulatory News Service (RNS) announcements. The Company Secretary also deals with shareholder 
correspondence and may be contacted at info@velocys.com.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  19

Directors’ report
The Directors present their report and the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2018

Company
Velocys plc is the parent of the Company. It is a public limited Company listed on AIM and incorporated and registered in the United 
Kingdom. The registered office address is given on the information page inside the back cover of this document.

Future developments
The Board aims to pursue its corporate strategies as detailed in the Strategic report on pages 2 to 14.

Dividends
The Directors do not recommend any dividend for the year ended 31 December 2018 (2017: nil).

Research and development
The Company’s R&D activity now relates primarily to the development of first-of-its-kind biorefinery projects in the UK and the USA. 
However, some limited research is being undertaken to establish lessons learned from the experience at ENVIA both from an operational 
point of view but also from a technical assessment of the results from the plant operations. Details of R&D expense and capitalised R&D  
are in note 10.

Donations
The Company made no political donations during 2018 (2017: nil).

Post-balance sheet events
Additional funds have been brought into the Company from the settlement of the outcome from activities at ENVIA and was announced on 
29 April 2019. This is described in the Strategic report on page 2 and in note 32 along with other post-financial position events.

Directors
The Directors of Velocys plc who were in office during the year and up to the date of signing the financial statements, unless otherwise 
stated, were as follows.
˜˜ Pierre Jungels (Non-Executive Chairman)
˜˜ Henrik Wareborn (Chief Executive Officer) – appointed 13 November 2018
˜˜ Andrew Morris (Chief Financial Officer)
˜˜ Sandy Shaw (Non-Executive Director)
˜˜ David Pummell (Chief Executive Officer) – resigned as Director 3 December 2018
˜˜ Paul Schubert (Chief Operating Officer) – resigned as Director 4 December 2018
˜˜

Julian West (Senior Independent Director) – resigned 6 February 2018
˜˜ Philip Holland (Senior Independent Director) – appointed 1 January 2019
˜˜ Darran Messem (Non-Executive Director) – appointed 1 January 2019

While the Company’s Articles of Association require that all Directors are subject to election by shareholders at the first opportunity after 
their appointment, and to re-election thereafter at intervals of not more than three years, the Directors have decided that, in line with best 
corporate governance practice, at the 2019 Annual General Meeting all of the Directors will again retire and offer themselves for re-election, 
as they did in 2018.

Directors’ interests
The Directors who held office at 31 December 2018 had the following interests in the shares of parent Company undertakings  
(as recorded in the Register of Directors’ Interests and including those of the spouse or civil partner and children under 18).

Pierre Jungels 
Sandy Shaw 
Andrew Morris 
Henrik Wareborn 

Velocys plc ordinary shares

31 December 
2018 

31 December
2017

423,031 
117,758 
100,000 
1,000,000 

223,031
17,758
–
–

The following Board members purchased shares as part of the January 2018 fundraise during the year (as recorded in the Register of 
Directors’ Interests and including those of the spouse or civil partner and children under 18): Pierre Jungels (200,000), Sandy Shaw (100,000) 
and Andrew Morris (100,000). In December 2018, Henrik Wareborn purchased 1,000,000 shares.

Directors’ share options and service contracts are detailed in the Directors’ remuneration report.

Directors’ qualifying third-party indemnity provision
The Company maintains Directors’ qualifying third-party indemnity insurance to provide cover for legal action against its Directors.  
This has been in place throughout the year and remains in place at the date of this report.

Financial instruments
The Company’s financial instruments are detailed in note 25. 

Financial risk management
Financial risks, and exposure and risk management policies and objectives are detailed in the Strategic Report on page 14, and in note 25.

20  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Substantial shareholdings
The Company has been notified of the following holdings of 3% or more of the issued share capital of Velocys plc as at 7 March 2019.

Ervington Investments Limited  
Lansdowne Partners  
CQS Asset Management Limited  
Janus Henderson Investors  
Invesco Perpetual Asset Management  
Hargreaves Lansdown Asset Mgt  
Jarvis Investment Management  

Number of  
shares held 

91,189,110 
86,846,353 
60,000,000 
37,982,359 
23,600,000 
19,389,601 
13,170,446 

Percentage
of issued
share capital

22.22%
21.16%
14.62%
9.25%
7.14%
4.72%
3.21%

Going concern
The financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis, which assumes that the Company and Velocys plc will have 
sufficient funds available to enable them to continue to trade for the foreseeable future. 

The Company expects to develop its projects, in particular, the Mississippi biorefinery and UK waste to jet fuel projects, which will require 
significant development and capital expenditure. The Company will also complete the supply of its Fischer-Tropsch reactors to its customer 
Red Rock Biofuels with its project in Oregon, USA.

The nature of the Company’s strategy means that the timing of milestones and funds generated from developments are difficult to predict 
at this stage. The Directors have prepared financial forecasts to estimate the likely cash requirements of the Company and Velocys plc over 
the next 12 months from the date of approval of the financial statements.

The forecasts show that the Company and Velocys plc require additional external funding within the 12-month forecast period to be able 
to continue as a going concern. The Directors anticipate that this will come from one, or a combination of, the following sources, with 
agreements being actively sought from third parties:
˜˜ Placement of Company ordinary shares, which may occur within the next twelve (12) months.
˜˜ Additional third-party licence sales, such as the Red Rock Biofuels project.
˜˜

The realisation of certain assets and the selling of non-core intellectual property.

˜˜ Strategic investment of development capital into either or both of Immingham, UK project and the Natchez, Mississippi biorefinery 

project, which are expected during the second half of 2019.

The Directors are confident that the funding required for the Company and Velocys plc to continue as a going concern will be secured  
within a period of 12 months from the date of approval of the financial statements and have therefore prepared the financial statements  
on a going concern basis.

However, as at the date of approval of the financial statements no additional funding is committed. Should additional funding not be secured 
within the 12 months from the date of approval of these financial statements, the Company and Velocys plc would not be a going concern. 
As such, these conditions indicate the existence of a material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt on the Company and Velocys plc’s 
ability to continue as a going concern.

The financial statements do not include the adjustments that would arise if the Company and Velocys plc were unable to continue as a 
going concern.

Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at the Milton Park Innovation Centre, 99 Park Drive, Milton Park, Oxfordshire  
OX14 4RY on Wednesday 12 June 2019.

Auditors and disclosure of information to auditors
Each of the persons who is a Director at the date of approval of this report confirms that:
˜˜ So far as the Director is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Company’s auditors are unaware.
˜˜

The Director has taken all the steps that he/she ought to have taken as a Director in order to make himself/herself aware of any relevant 
audit information and to establish that the Company’s auditors are aware of that information.

This confirmation is given and should be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of s418 of the Companies Act 2006.

Corporate governance
The Company’s statement on corporate governance is available on pages 15 to 32.
Approved by the Board and signed on its behalf by:

Henrik Wareborn
Chief Executive Officer
14 May 2019

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  21

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ remuneration report

Introduction
The Remuneration Committee is resolute in maintaining high standards of corporate governance and has taken steps to comply with 
the principles of best practice in so far as they can be applied practically given the size of the Company. The Company is listed on AIM 
and is therefore not required to comply with the following regulations: disclosure requirements of the Directors’ Remuneration Report 
Regulations 2013; the UKLA Listing Rules; Schedule 8 of the Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) 
Regulations 2008. The content of this report is unaudited unless stated. Consequently, certain disclosures contained in these regulations 
are not included below.

Remuneration Committee
The following served as members of the Committee throughout the year ended 31 December 2018 (unless otherwise specified):
˜˜ Sandy Shaw (Chair – until January 2019)
Julian West – resigned 6 February 2018
˜˜
˜˜ Andrew Morris – resigned 13 November 2018

Darran Messem and Philip Holland were appointed as members of the Remuneration Committee with effect 1 January 2019, and  
Darran Messem was appointed Chair of the Committee on that date.

Save for the period 13 November 2018 to 31 December 2018 when there was only one member of the committee, the Committee’s 
constitution and operation has been compliant with the provisions of the QCA Code, published by the Quoted Companies Alliance, which 
sets out a minimum best practice standard for small and mid-size quoted companies, particularly AIM companies. In determining 
remuneration policy for Executive Directors, the Committee takes into consideration both the QCA Code and the guidelines published  
by The Investment Association Principles of Remuneration (formerly the Association of British Insurers).

Remuneration policy for Executive Directors
The remuneration policy has been designed to ensure that Executive Directors receive incentives and rewards appropriate to their 
performance, responsibility and experience. In making its assessment, the Remuneration Committee seeks to align the policy with the 
interests of the shareholders.

Key features of the policy are:
˜˜ Setting salaries to be competitive relative to the experience of the individual and the nature, complexity and responsibilities of their 

work in order to attract and retain management of the required quality.
Linking individual remuneration packages to the Company’s performance through bonus schemes and long-term share-based plans.

˜˜

˜˜ Providing employment and post-retirement benefits in accordance with standard policies of the Company.

The following chart illustrates the proportion of fixed and variable elements in the remuneration package.

Target 

Minimum 

Base 

Bonus 

LTIP 

0 

50 

100 

150 

200 

250 

As % of base salary

Remuneration of Executive Directors
Executive Directors’ remuneration is considered annually. In addition, the Remuneration Committee undertakes periodically a 
comprehensive review using external advisers. Current remuneration is based on the following principles. 

Base salary
The base salary is reviewed annually at the beginning of each year. The review process undertaken by the Remuneration Committee 
considers the ongoing development of the Company, the contribution of the individual, the need to retain and motivate employees, and 
benchmark remuneration information from comparable organisations.

22  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
Annual performance incentive
All Executive Directors are eligible, at the discretion of the Remuneration Committee, for an annual bonus. The target bonus award for 
each individual is based on a percentage of base salary, which, for the year commencing 1 January 2018, was 75%. The Remuneration 
Committee sets performance targets for bonus awards at the beginning of each year. Awards are determined by both the performance 
of the individual and the Company as a whole at the end of each year. The performance targets for the Company comprise measures of 
financial, technical and business development goals. For 2018 performance, none of the Executive Directors remain in the Company and 
therefore no bonus is due. However, the new Executive Directors who were appointed in November 2018 may be paid a bonus in 2019 
(post-period end) but this will be at the discretion of the Remuneration Committee and will depend on the success of the Company and 
the level of liquidity within the Company. At the date of signing of the Annual report and accounts no bonus has been paid. 

Long-term Incentive Plan (LTIP)
The committee believes that the LTIP scheme should provide to Executive Directors and other senior managers the appropriate 
incentivisation, focus and reward for achievement that is aligned with shareholder interests. The last LTIP scheme that the Company put 
in place was in 2014 and due to other changes in the business during 2018, the Remuneration Committee decided not to make an award 
under this scheme during the year. Instead, the committee intends to make a new equity-based incentive award in 2019. It may, in the 
allocation of such awards, take into consideration the fact that no awards were made in 2016 through 2018.

As part of this process, the Company has consulted with major shareholders to seek their views on the proposed 2019 LTIP Scheme 
(‘Scheme’), which is consistent with the LTIP rules agreed by the Board and approved by Shareholders in 2015. 

The Scheme, which applies to all Velocys staff except Non-Executive Directors, subject to grade, and runs for three years, has been 
reviewed and endorsed by external remuneration consultants, who have confirmed that they believe the scheme is reasonable and in 
line with market practice. The Scheme represents a potential maximum dilution of current shareholders’ interests of 12.54% taking into 
account historic awards outstanding (0.74%), new awards (6.4%) and 2019-2021 LTIP (5.4%). There will be no nil-cost options in the 
proposed Scheme. The committee believes the proposed Scheme is necessary to compensate for the absence of a share scheme in  
recent years, and to motivate and retain expert staff who are essential to the success of Velocys over the crucial next three years.

Pensions and other benefits
The Company contributes to individuals’ defined contribution pension plans in line with the Company-wide schemes in place. For UK-
based employees, the Company contributions are 7% of base salary. For US-based employees, the contributions are 3% of pensionable 
pay (which includes bonus) up to the maximum allowable under US pensions law.

Other benefits provided are life insurance, private medical insurance and relocation allowances where applicable, in line with the 
Company’s standard policies. 

Directors’ service contracts
Each of the Executive Directors has a service contract with a notice period of six months. 

Remuneration policy for Non-Executive Directors
The remuneration of Non-Executive Directors is determined by the executive members of the Board in consultation with the Chairman, 
based on a benchmark review of current practices in similar companies. The Non-Executive Directors are paid a fixed fee and do not 
receive any pension payments, bonus or other benefits. 

Non-Executive Directors are appointed for an initial three-year term and typically expected to serve for two three-year terms. Either the 
Non-Executive Director or the Company can terminate the contract with three months’ written notice. The Chairman’s appointment is on 
the same terms and the notice period is also three months. The Company may invite a Non-Executive Director to serve for further periods 
after the expiry of two three-year terms subject to a particularly rigorous review of performance and considering the need for progressive 
refreshing of the Board. Under the Company’s Articles of Association, all Directors are required to stand for re-election by shareholders on 
appointment and thereafter at least once every three years. However, in line with best practice, the Company has decided to put all Non-
Executive Directors up for re-election at its Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Fees paid to Non-Executive Directors
The aggregate amount of Non-Executive Directors’ fees, as set out in the Company’s Annual report and accounts for the years ended  
31 December 2018 and 2017 is as follows.

Aggregate fees paid to Chairman and Non-Executive Directors  

2018 
£ 

2017
£

154,195 

225,125

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  23

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ remuneration report (continued)

Directors’ remuneration
Aggregate emoluments for current and former Directors in 2018 totalled £771,458 (2017: £1,056,867), and Company pension contributions 
were £23,550 (2017: £24,837). 

The Directors who held office at 31 December 2018 received the following remuneration in relation to the year ended 31 December 2018. 

Name of 
Director 

Salary 
Other 
& fees  benefits 
£ 

£ 

Bonus  Pension 
£ 

£ 

2018 

Total 
£ 

Salary 
Other 
& fees  benefits 
£ 

£ 

Bonus  Pension 
£ 

£ 

2017

Total
£

– 

65,810 

34,295 

Executive 
Henrik 
Wareborn1 
Andrew 
Morris2 
Non-Executive 
Pierre Jungels 
Sandy Shaw 
Aggregate 
emoluments 
and pension
– 
contributions 
1.  For period 13 November 2018 to 31 December 2018.
2. 

72,000 
40,500 

212,605 

– 
– 

– 

– 

– 

– 
– 

– 

– 

– 

– 
– 

34,295 

– 

65,810 

23,625 

72,000 
40,500 

72,000 
40,500 

– 

212,605 

136,125 

– 

– 

– 
– 

– 

– 

– 

– 
– 

– 

– 

– 

– 
– 

–

23,625

72,000
40,500

– 

136,125

 Aggregate salary & fees paid to Andrew Morris includes an amount of £34,945 paid to him in his role as a Non-Executive Director in the period 1 January 2018  
to 13 November 2018. Setley Consultants Limited provided management consultancy services of £30,364 to the Company in 2018. Setley Consultants Limited is 
a company wholly owned and operated by Andrew Morris, the Company’s chief financial officer (CFO). All consulting work was performed prior to Andrew Morris 
becoming CFO and was paid as work in addition to his role as a Non-Executive Director.

Directors’ share options
Aggregate emoluments disclosed above include any amounts paid through the employee benefit trust (EBT) in relation to share options 
exercised. In 2018 no such payments were made to serving or former Directors (2017: £92,000).

Details of all directors’ shareholdings are disclosed on page 20 in the Directors’ report.

No options were held by the acting Directors at 31 December 2018 and no options were exercised by acting Directors during 2018.  
The total charge for share-based payments during the year in respect of former Directors was £32,000.

Shareholding requirements
The Company has not previously had in place share ownership guidelines covering shareholdings of Executive Directors. It is intended that 
the new equity-based incentive award, to be made in 2019, will include such guidelines designed to ensure that Executive Directors retain 
an interest in the Company. 

24  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

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Former Directors
The Directors listed below, who were members of the Board at 1 January 2018 and resigned during the year, received the following 
remuneration.

Name of 
Director 

Executive
David 
Pummell 
Paul 
Schubert 
Non-Executive
Julian 
West 

Salary 
Other 
& fees1  benefits2 
£ 

£ 

Bonus  Pension 
£ 

2018 

Total 
£ 

Salary 
Other 
& fees  benefits 
£ 

£ 

Bonus  Pension 
£ 

2017

Total
£

251,706 

1,175 

261,798 

37,424 

6,750 

– 

0 

0 

– 

17,619 

270,500 

265,000 

850 

99,375 

18,550 

383,775

5,931 

305,153 

252,257 

42,375 

85,809 

6,287 

386,728

– 

6,750 

40,500 

– 

– 

40,500

Aggregate
emoluments
and pension
contributions 
1. 

520,254 

38,599 

0 

23,550 

582,403 

557,757 

43,225 

185,184 

24,837 

811,003

 All salaries and fees are denominated in pounds sterling except for that of Paul Schubert, who is based in the US and paid in dollars. His remuneration has been 
converted from dollars to pounds at the exchange rate on the date of recognition of the cost. The average rate used for his 2018 salary was £1=$1.34 compared to 
£1=$1.29 in 2017. Salary and fees for David Pummell does not include a payment for severance of £350,000 in 2018. Salary and fees for Paul Schubert does not 
include payments for severance in 2019 of £39,012 and pay out of accrued paid time-off £46,963. 
 Other benefits include medical cover for Executive Directors and, in the case of Paul Schubert, costs related to his relocation to Houston. 

2. 

David Pummell resigned on 3 December 2018, Paul Schubert on 4 December 2018 and Julian West on 6 February 2018.

At the time that Mr Schubert left the Company, he held options over the Company’s shares as follows. In accordance with the settlement 
agreement all of these options, whether vested or unvested, shall not be capable of exercise at any time and shall lapse  
or be treated as surrendered on 9 May 2019.

Name of Director 

Paul Schubert
EMI 
ELTIP 2012 
ELTIP 2013 
ELTIP 2013 
ELTIP 2014 
ELTIP 2014 
ELTIP 2015 
ELTIP 2015 
ELTIP 2015 
ELTIP 2015 

Total 

At 31 
December 
2017 

207,894 
119,000 
502,930 
41,911 
336,711 
56,119 
43,344 
144,482 
36,227 
120,758 

1,609,376 

Granted  Exercised 

At 31 
  December 
2018 

Lapsed 

Exercise 
price (£) 

Earliest 
date of 
exercise 

 Exercisable
at 31
Date of  December
2018
expiry 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

207,894 
119,000 
502,930 
41,911 
336,711 
56,119 
43,344 
144,482 
36,227 
120,758 

0.59 
0.49 
1.59 
1.59 
1.64 
1.64 
Nil 
Nil 
Nil 
Nil 

04/10/14  04/10/21 
01/01/15  01/02/22 
01/01/16  12/04/23 
01/01/15  12/04/23 
01/01/17  01/04/24 
01/01/15  01/04/24 
01/01/17  26/02/25 
01/01/17  26/02/25 
01/01/18  26/02/25 
01/01/18  26/02/25 

207,894
119,000
502,930
41,911
336,711
56,119
43,344
–
–
–

–  1,609,376 

  1,307,909

Share price
The market price of the parent Company’s shares as at 31 December 2018 was 4.845p (2017: 32p) and the range during the year was  
3.8p to 31p (2017: 31p to 92p). Details of options and the cost of share-based payments are given in note 15.

Approved by the Board and signed on its behalf by:

Darran Messem
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee
14 May 2019

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  25

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Statement of Directors’ responsibilities 
in respect of the financial statements

The Directors are responsible for preparing the Annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law  
and regulation.

Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the Directors have prepared 
the Company financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as adopted by the European 
Union and parent Company financial statements in accordance with IFRS as adopted by the European Union. Under company law the 
Directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of 
the Company and parent Company and of the profit or loss of the Company and parent Company for that period. In preparing the financial 
statements, the Directors are required to:
˜˜

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
state whether applicable IFRSs as adopted by the European Union have been followed for the Company financial statements and 
IFRSs as adopted by the European Union have been followed for the parent Company financial statements, subject to any material 
departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

˜˜

˜˜ make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
˜˜ prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Company and parent 

Company will continue in business.

The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Company and parent 
Company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and parent Company 
and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 and, as regards the Company financial 
statements, Article 4 of the IAS Regulation.

The Directors are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Company and parent Company and hence for taking reasonable 
steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the parent Company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom 
governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

The Directors consider that the Annual report and accounts, taken as a whole, is fair, balanced and understandable and provides the 
information necessary for shareholders to assess the Company and parent Company’s performance, business model and strategy.

Each of the Directors, whose names and functions are listed in the Corporate governance report confirm that, to the best of their 
knowledge:
˜˜

the parent Company financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union, 
give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and loss of the Company;
the Company financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union, give a 
true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and loss of the Company; and
the Strategic report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Company and 
parent Company, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that it faces. 

˜˜

˜˜

On behalf of the Board

Henrik Wareborn
Chief Executive Officer
14 May 2019

26  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Velocys plc
Report on the audit of the financial statements

Opinion
In our opinion, the Company’s consolidated financial statements and Velocys plc’s financial statements (the “financial statements”):
give a true and fair view of the state of the Company’s and Velocys plc’s affairs as at 31 December 2018 and of the Company’s 
˜˜
consolidated loss and the Company’s and Velocys plc’s cash flows for the year then ended;

˜˜ have been properly prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union 

and, as regards to Velocys plc’s financial statements, as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006; and

˜˜ have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

We have audited the financial statements, included within the Annual report and accounts 2018 (the “Annual Report”), which comprise: 
the Consolidated and Velocys plc statements of financial position as at 31 December 2018; the Consolidated income statement and 
Consolidated statement of comprehensive income, the Consolidated and Velocys plc statements of cash flows, and the Consolidated 
and Velocys plc statements of changes in equity for the year then ended; and the notes to the financial statements, which include a 
description of the significant accounting policies.

Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (“ISAs (UK)”) and applicable law. Our responsibilities 
under ISAs (UK) are further described in the Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We 
believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Independence
We remained independent of the Company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial 
statements in the UK, which includes the FRC’s Ethical Standard, as applicable to listed entities, and we have fulfilled our other ethical 
responsibilities in accordance with these requirements.

Material uncertainty relating to going concern – Company and Velocys plc
In forming our opinion on the financial statements, which is not modified, we have considered the adequacy of the disclosure made in 
note 2 to the financial statements concerning the Company’s and Velocys plc’s ability to continue as a going concern. In order to continue 
as a going concern the Company and Velocys plc need to secure additional external funding within 12 months from the date of approval of 
the financial statements. At the time of the approval of the financial statements no such funding is committed. These conditions, along 
with the other matters explained in note 2 to the financial statements, indicate the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast 
significant doubt about the Company’s and Velocys plc’s ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include 
the adjustments that would result if the Company and Velocys plc were unable to continue as a going concern.

Explanation of material uncertainty
Note 2 to the financial statements details the directors’ disclosures of the material uncertainty relating to going concern. 

The Directors have prepared financial forecasts to estimate the likely cash requirements of the Company and Velocys plc over a period of 
12 months from the date of approval of the financial statements. The forecasts show that the Company and Velocys plc require additional 
external funding within the 12 month forecast period to be able to continue as a going concern. The Directors anticipate that this will 
come from one or more of the potential sources, as set out in note 2 to the financial statements. Given the risks associated with raising 
additional funding, the Directors have drawn attention to this in disclosing a material uncertainty relating to going concern in the basis  
of preparation to the financial statements.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  27

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Velocys plc (continued)
Report on the audit of the financial statements

What audit procedures we performed
In concluding there is a material uncertainty, we examined the Company’s and Velocys plc’s cash flow forecast for the 12 month period 
to 31 May 2020 and agreed that it is based on Board approved budgets. We also requested the Directors to extend their forecast to 
June 2020. The forecast included certain assumptions as set out in note 2 to the financial statements. We tested these assumptions by 
performing the following audit procedures:
˜˜ We tested the mathematical accuracy of the cash flow forecast and we did not identify any material exceptions in these tests.
˜˜ We compared the planned cash outflow to historical actual results and considered management’s assumptions to be supportable.
˜˜ We examined documentation supporting the mitigating actions identified by management to extend the Company’s and Velocys 

plc’s cash position, should additional funding not be achieved in line with forecast. We considered management’s assumptions to be 
reasonable.

˜˜ We held discussions with management to understand the nature of downside risks, to obtain an update on the current status of the 
sources of funding options being sought, as set out in note 2 to the financial statements, including the plan to bring them to fruition, 
and we considered whether there were additional risks that needed to be reflected in the forecasts. We used our understanding of 
the Company and industry to assess the possibility of such risks arising and their potential impact. We considered management’s 
assumptions to be reasonable, however, at the time of the approval of the financial statements, we determined that there are no 
agreements for additional funding in place.

Additionally we considered the adequacy of the disclosure in note 2 to the financial statements and found it to be sufficient to inform 
members about the directors’ conclusions on the appropriateness of using the going concern basis being adopted. 

Our audit approach
Overview

Materiality

˜˜

˜˜

Overall consolidated Company materiality: £1.0 million (2017: £1.0 million), equivalent to 5% of loss before 
income tax, before exceptional items.
Overall Velocys plc materiality: £147,000 (2017: £150,000), based on 1% of total assets.

Scope

˜˜ We identified two financially significant components which were subject to full scope audits.
˜˜ We also performed a full scope audit over the significant components Velocys plc and Velocys Inc as well 

as Velocys Technology Limited for statutory reporting purposes.

˜˜ We performed specified audit procedures at two further components to address specific risk 

characteristics or to provide sufficient overall coverage of particular financial statement line items. 
All audit work was performed by the Company engagement team.
Components where we performed audit procedures accounted for 98% of Company loss before tax and 
95% of Velocys total assets. 

Valuation of Intangible assets (consolidated Company) and Investments in subsidiaries (Velocys plc).
Valuation of Investment in associate, ENVIA (consolidated Company).
Valuation of loan receivable from ENVIA (consolidated Company).
Going concern.

˜˜

˜˜

˜˜

˜˜

˜˜

˜˜

Key audit matters

The scope of our audit
As part of designing our audit, we determined materiality and assessed the risks of material misstatement in the financial statements.  
In particular, we looked at where the directors made subjective judgements, for example in respect of significant accounting estimates 
that involved making assumptions and considering future events that are inherently uncertain. 

As in all of our audits we also addressed the risk of management override of internal controls, including evaluating whether there was 
evidence of bias by the directors that represented a risk of material misstatement due to fraud.

Key audit matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in the auditors’ professional judgement, were of most significance in the audit of the financial 
statements of the current period and include the most significant assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) 
identified by the auditors, including those which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy; the allocation of resources in the 
audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team. These matters, and any comments we make on the results of our procedures 
thereon, were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we 
do not provide a separate opinion on these matters. In addition to going concern, described in the ‘Material uncertainty related to going 
concern’ section above, we determined the matters described below to be the key audit matters to be communicated in our report.  
This is not a complete list of all risks identified by our audit. 

28  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

Key audit matter

How our audit addressed the key audit matter

Valuation of Intangible assets (consolidated Company) and Investments in subsidiaries (Velocys plc)

The carrying value of the Company’s intangible assets is £0.4m 
(2017: £0.8m). The carrying value of Velocys plc’s investments in 
subsidiaries is £12.4m following an impairment loss of £2.0m 
recorded in the current year. The Company’s intangible assets 
and Velocys plc’s investments in subsidiaries are subject to 
impairment testing at least annually or more frequently if events 
or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not 
be recoverable. In assessing whether there was any indication of 
impairment, management considered any changes in operations 
and also compared the carrying amount of the Company’s and 
Velocys plc’s net assets to Velocys plc’s market capitalisation. 
For the assessment of the recoverable amount of the Company’s 
intangible assets and Velocys plc’s investments in subsidiaries, 
the recoverable amount was determined for the cash generating 
unit (‘CGU’) to which the these assets belong. The Company 
has one CGU, being synthetic fuels production. The recoverable 
amount of the CGU was determined based on its fair value 
less costs of disposal (‘fair value’), using Velocys plc’s market 
capitalisation.

We assessed the level at which impairment testing was 
performed. Based on our knowledge of the business, including 
the use of assets and internal reporting, we agreed with 
management’s judgement that, for the assessment of the 
recoverable amount of the Company’s intangible assets, the 
Company has one CGU. 

We evaluated management’s approach to calculating the CGU’s 
recoverable amount, based on its fair value, using Velocys plc’s 
market capitalisation. Management’s assessment considered the 
market capitalisation at 31 December 2018 and also post year 
end up to the date of this report. Management also considered if 
there were any changes in circumstance, whether favourable or 
adverse, that would impact their assessment. There have been 
both positive and negative operational factors in 2018 and we 
accept management’s assessment that these are net neutral 
in consideration of further impairment triggers or reversals. We 
concluded that the application of this market approach was 
appropriate.

IAS 36, also requires that the Group assess at the end of 
each reporting period whether there is any indication that an 
impairment loss recognised in prior periods for an asset other 
than goodwill may no longer exist or may have decreased.

We tested the accuracy of the impairment loss calculated for 
the investment in subsidiaries, by comparing the carrying value 
of assets with their recoverable amount. We did not identify any 
material exceptions in these tests. 

We also assessed the Company’s and Velocys plc’s disclosures 
regarding the significant accounting judgements in assessing 
the impairment required. We consider that these disclosures 
appropriately draw attention to the significant areas of judgement 
that support management’s conclusion.

Management considered the operational performance in 2018 
to be mixed with no clear favourable events or changes in 
circumstances that would indicate the impairment loss no longer 
exists, or has decreased. Management have also considered the 
market capitalisation. The market capitalisation at 31 December 
2018 was £19.9m (2017: £14.7m). Post year end the market 
capitalisation has fluctuated at approximately £16.8m and did 
decrease to £14.1m in February 2019 before recovering. Based 
on no change in circumstance and the market capitalisation 
management concluded there was no adjustment to the 
intangible asset carrying value required.

Our audit focused on the risk that the carrying value of the 
Company’s intangible assets and Velocys plc’s investments in 
subsidiaries could be overstated and further impairments could 
be necessary as well as considering if there was any indicators 
that the previous impairment may be reversed.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  29

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Velocys plc (continued)
Report on the audit of the financial statements

Key audit matter

How our audit addressed the key audit matter

Valuation of Investment in associate, ENVIA (Consolidated Company)

The Company holds an investment in its associate, ENVIA Energy, 
LLC (‘ENVIA’). The investment is subject to impairment testing 
at least annually or more frequently if events or changes in 
circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. 
The carrying value of this investment is nil (2017: £2.6m), following 
an impairment loss of £0.9m recorded in the current year and the 
Company’s share of trading loss of £1.7m. 

Management consider the nil carrying value to be appropriate 
given the suspension of the plant during FY 2018 and that asset 
disposals are not expected to generate sufficient cashflows  
to enable any distribution to equity holders after loans have  
been settled. 

We consider that there remains a significant level of risk and 
uncertainty in respect of the recoverability of the groups’ net 
investment in ENVIA. Management have taken a view, following 
the suspension of operations to impair the full amount of the 
investment and accordingly made appropriate disclosures in the 
2018 financial statements. 

We consider management’s position to be reasonable given the 
latest developments in ENVIA and the history of losses incurred. 

Valuation of loan receivable from ENVIA (Consolidated Company)

The Company holds a £15.8 million loan to ENVIA (2017: £10.3m) 
and have re-assessed the carrying value following ENVIA’s Board 
of Directors decision to suspend operations during 2018.

We have obtained and read the signed settlement agreement with 
ENVIA, confirming that the Company will receive $4.15m (£3.2m) 
in settlement of the £15.8m loan.

As at 31 December 2018 and post year end management have 
been in discussions with the ENVIA board to understand how 
much the assets of ENVIA can be disposed for and, therefore, 
whether the receivable of £15.8m is recoverable.

Based on a signed settlement agreement with ENVIA, the 
Company will receive $4.15m (£3.2m) in settlement of the  
£15.8m loan.

Therefore the Company have impaired the loan in line with  
IFRS 9 based on a weighted outcome by £12.3m to reflect  
the appropriate carrying value at 31 December 2018. 

Management have also implemented IFRS 9 – Financial 
instruments (effective 1 January 2018) and considered the 
carrying value at 1 January 2018 (£10.3m) to be £8.0m based 
upon lifetime expected credit loss model. The model used by 
management utilised a range of probabilities of recovery from nil 
to 40% and an expected lifetime default rate of 28% based on 
Ca-C rated Moodys bond.

As such of the total impairment of £12.3m, management have 
recorded £2.3m as an adjustment to the opening retained profit.

We have re-translated the amount from USD to GBP and 
confirmed the mathematical accuracy of the adjustment 
recorded in the financial statements by comparing the carrying 
value of £15.8m to the amount per the settlement agreement.
We also assessed the Company’s disclosures regarding the 
significant accounting judgements in assessing the impairment 
required. We consider that these disclosures appropriately draw 
attention to the significant areas of judgement that support 
management’s conclusion.

For IFRS 9, we obtained management’s model, which uses a 
weighted average calculation of probability of recovery and 
estimated lifetime default rate. We agreed this model was 
compliant with IFRS 9 methodology. Management have assumed 
that a Ca-C rated bond lifetime default rate provides the best 
objective benchmark for the loan. We have agreed the rate used 
(28%) to Moodys published benchmark for Ca-C rated bond 
and concur this is an acceptable benchmark to use given its 
comparable risk profile.

We tested the mathematical accuracy of the expected credit  
loss calculation. 

We agreed the adjustment recorded in opening equity to the 
calculation and that appropriate disclosures were made in the 
financial statements.

No material exceptions were noted.

30  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
How we tailored the audit scope
We tailored the scope of our audit to ensure that we performed enough work to be able to give an opinion on the financial statements as a 
whole, taking into account the structure of the Company and Velocys plc, the accounting processes and controls, and the industry in which 
they operate.

The Company’s accounting process is structured around a local finance function based in the United States (‘US’). This function maintains 
the accounting records and controls. In establishing the overall Company audit strategy and plan, we determined the type of work that 
needed to be performed at the legal entities (‘entities’) in the Company.

For each entity we determined whether we required an audit of their complete reported financial information (“full scope”) or whether 
specified procedures addressing specific risk characteristics or particular financial statement line items would be sufficient.  
Velocys plc and Velocys, Inc., were determined as individually financially significant because they contributed more than 15% of the 
Company’s loss before income tax, before exceptional items (on a gross basis). In addition we performed a statutory audit for Velocys 
Technologies Limited. We also performed specified procedures on VMH Assets LLC and Velocys (USA Holdings) LLC to address specific 
risk characteristics or to provide sufficient overall coverage. Velocys (USA Holdings) LLC holds the Company’s investment in its associate, 
ENVIA. The Company engagement team conducted all necessary audit procedures. 

In aggregate, the components where we performed audit procedures accounted for 98% of consolidated Company loss before tax and 
95% of Company total assets. This gave us the evidence we needed for our opinion on the financial statements as a whole.

Materiality
The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. We set certain quantitative thresholds for materiality. These, 
together with qualitative considerations, helped us to determine the scope of our audit and the nature, timing and extent of our audit 
procedures on the individual financial statement line items and disclosures and in evaluating the effect of misstatements, both 
individually and in aggregate on the financial statements as a whole. 

Based on our professional judgement, we determined materiality for the financial statements as a whole as follows:

Company consolidated financial statements

Velocys plc parent financial statements

Overall materiality

£1.0 million (2017: £1 million).

£147,000 (2017: £150,000).

How we determined it

5% of Loss before tax, before exceptional items.

1% of Total assets.

Rationale for benchmark 
applied

Based on the benchmarks used in the Annual 
Report, loss before income tax before exceptional 
items, is the primary measure used by the 
members in assessing the financial performance 
of the Company. We consider it appropriate 
to eliminate exceptional items, which are 
considered non-recurring, to preserve the 
link between materiality and the underlying 
performance of the Company.

We believe that total assets is the primary 
measure used by the shareholders in assessing 
the performance and position of the entity and 
reflects the Company’s principal activity as a 
holding Company.

For each component in the scope of our Company audit, we allocated a materiality that is less than our overall Company materiality.  
The range of materiality allocated across components was between £147,000 and £949,050. Certain components were audited to a local 
statutory audit materiality that was also less than our overall Company materiality.

We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to them misstatements identified during our audit above £49,000 (Company 
audit) (2017: £50,000) and £7,000 (Velocys plc audit) (2017: £7,500) as well as misstatements below those amounts that, in our view, 
warranted reporting for qualitative reasons. 

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  31

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Velocys plc (continued)
Report on the audit of the financial statements

Reporting on other information 
The other information comprises all of the information in the Annual Report other than the financial statements and our auditors’ 
report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other 
information and, accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion or, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in this report, any form 
of assurance thereon. 

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider 
whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or 
otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify an apparent material inconsistency or material misstatement, we are required 
to perform procedures to conclude whether there is a material misstatement of the financial statements or a material misstatement 
of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other 
information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report based on these responsibilities.

With respect to the Strategic Report and Directors’ Report, we also considered whether the disclosures required by the UK Companies Act 
2006 have been included. 

Based on the responsibilities described above and our work undertaken in the course of the audit, ISAs (UK) require us also to report 
certain opinions and matters as described below.

Strategic report and Directors’ report
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit, the information given in the Strategic report and Directors’ report 
for the year ended 31 December 2018 is consistent with the financial statements and has been prepared in accordance with applicable 
legal requirements. 

In light of the knowledge and understanding of the Company and Velocys plc and their environment obtained in the course of the audit,  
we did not identify any material misstatements in the Strategic report and Directors’ Report. 

Responsibilities for the financial statements and the audit
Responsibilities of the Directors for the financial statements
As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors’ responsibilities set out on page 26, the directors are responsible for the preparation 
of the financial statements in accordance with the applicable framework and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view. The 
directors are also responsible for such internal control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements 
that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Directors are responsible for assessing the Company’s and Velocys plc’s ability to continue as 
a going concern, disclosing as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the 
Directors either intend to liquidate the Company or Velocys plc or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material 
misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors’ report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high 
level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement 
when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could 
reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. 

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the FRC’s website at: 
www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditors’ report.

Use of this report
This report, including the opinions, has been prepared for and only for Velocys plc’s members as a body in accordance with Chapter 3  
of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and for no other purpose. We do not, in giving these opinions, accept or assume responsibility for  
any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown or into whose hands it may come save where expressly agreed  
by our prior consent in writing.

Other required reporting
Companies Act 2006 exception reporting
Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to report to you if, in our opinion:
˜˜ we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
˜˜

adequate accounting records have not been kept by Velocys plc, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches 
not visited by us; or
certain disclosures of Directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

˜˜

˜˜ Velocys plc’s financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns. 

We have no exceptions to report arising from this responsibility. 

Gareth Murfitt 
(Senior Statutory Auditor)
for and on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors
Reading
14 May 2019

32  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

Consolidated income statement
for the year ended 31 December 2018

2018 
£’000 

2018 
£’000 

2018 
£’000 

2017 
£’000 

2017 
£’000 

2017
£’000

Before  Exceptional 
items 
(note 4) 

  exceptional 
items 

Note 

Before  Exceptional 
items 
(note 4) 

  exceptional 
items 

Total 

664 
(273) 

391 
(19,060) 
36 

– 
– 

– 
(10,067) 
– 

664 
(273) 

391 
(29,127) 
36 

759 
(409) 

350 
(21,930) 
163 

– 
– 

– 
(31,486) 
1,750 

Total

759
(409)

350
(53,416)
1,913

(18,633) 

(10,067) 

(28,700) 

(21,417) 

(29,736) 

(51,153)

(1,717) 

(848) 

(2,565) 

(1,784) 

(2,736) 

(4,520)

(20,350) 
993 
(628) 

365 

(19,985) 
317 

(10,915) 
– 
– 

(31,265) 
993 
(628) 

(23,201) 
730 
(399) 

(32,472) 
– 
– 

(55,673)
730
(399)

– 

365 

331 

– 

331

(10,915) 
– 

(30,900) 
317 

(22,870) 
739 

(32,472) 
– 

(55,342)
739

(19,668) 

(10,915) 

(30,583) 

(22,131) 

(32,472) 

(54,603)

Revenue 
Cost of sales 

Gross profit 
Administrative expenses 
Other income 

Operating loss 
Share of loss of investments accounted  
for using the equity method 

Loss before finance net finance (costs)/income 
Finance income 
Finance costs 

Net finance income 

Loss before income tax 
Income tax credit 

Loss for the financial year attributable  

to the owners of Velocys plc 

Loss per share attributable  

to the owners of Velocys plc

6 

9 

10 

19 

7 
8 

13 

Basic and diluted loss per share (pence) 

16 

(5.75) 

(8.95) 

(15.19) 

(37.47)

The notes on pages 38 to 68 are part of these consolidated financial statements.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  33

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated statement of comprehensive income
for the year ended 31 December 2018

2018 
£’000 

2018 
£’000 

2018 
£’000 

2017 
£’000 

2017 
£’000 

2017
£’000

Before  Exceptional 
items  
(note 4) 

  exceptional 
items 

Before  Exceptional 
items  
(note 4) 

  exceptional 
items 

Total 

Total

Loss for the year 

(19,668) 

(10,915) 

(30,583) 

(22,131) 

(32,472) 

(54,603)

Other comprehensive (expense)/income 
Items that may be reclassified  

to the income statement in subsequent periods 

Foreign currency translation differences 

897 

– 

897 

(4,411) 

– 

(4,411)

Total comprehensive (expense)/income for the year  

attributable to the owners of Velocys plc  

(18,771) 

(10,915) 

(29,686) 

(26,542) 

(32,472) 

(59,014)

The notes on pages 38 to 68 are part of these consolidated financial statements.

34  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated statement of financial position
as at 31 December 2018

Assets
Non-current assets
Intangible assets 
Property, plant and equipment 
Trade and other receivables 
Investment in associate 

Current assets
Inventories 
Trade and other receivables 
Current income tax asset 
Restricted cash 
Cash and cash equivalents 

Total assets 

Liabilities
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables 
Borrowings 
Other liabilities 
Deferred revenue 

Non-current liabilities
Trade and other payables 
Borrowings 
Deferred revenue 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Capital and reserves attributable to owners of Velocys plc
Called up share capital 
Share premium account 
Merger reserve 
Convertible loan/“other” reserve 
Share-based payments reserve 
Foreign exchange reserve 
Accumulated losses 

Total equity 

Note 

17 
18 
20 
19 

21 
20 

22 
22 

23 

28 
29 

24 

29 

26 
26 

2018 
£’000 

357 
1,819 
281 
– 

2,457 

1,438 
4,404 
862 
– 
6,964 

13,668 

16,125 

(3,018) 
(289) 
(2,092) 
(579) 

(5,978) 

(90) 
– 
(4,634) 

(4,724) 

(10,702) 

5,423 

1,913 
182,208 
369 
– 
16,143 
3,551 
(198,761) 

5,423 

(Restated)
2017
£’000

755
1,801
10,284
2,580

15,420

388
416
546
620
2,070

4,040

19,460

(2,898)
(268)
–
(618)

(3,784)

(98)
(273)
(620)

(991)

(4,775)

14,685

1,468
149,964
369
9,421
16,085
2,654
(165,276)

14,685

The notes on pages 38 to 68 are part of these consolidated financial statements. 

The presentation of share premium in the period ended 31 December 2017 has been restated with respect to the convertible loan notes,  
in the amount of £9,000,000 and the interest on convertible loan notes, in the amount of £421,000. In November 2018, these convertible 
loan notes converted into ordinary shares in accordance with the convertible loan note agreement. See Note 26 for further information.

The financial statements on pages 33 to 68 were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 14 May 2019.  
They were signed on its behalf by:

Henrik Wareborn
Chief Executive Officer

Company number 05712187

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  35

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated statement of changes in equity
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Share 
 Called up  premium 

  Convertible  Share-based 

share 
  capital 
£’000 

Note 

account  Merger  loan/’other’ 
reserve 
£’000 

(Restated)  reserve 
£’000 

£’000 

Foreign 
payment  exchange  Accumulated 
losses 
reserve 
 £’000 
£’000 

reserve 
£’000 

Total
equity
£’000

Balance at 1 January 2017 

1,438 

149,275 

369 

Loss for the year 
Other comprehensive expense 
Foreign currency translation differences 

Total comprehensive expense 

Transactions with owners 
Share-based payments – value of  

employee services 
Proceeds from share issues 
Convertible loan notes 
Interest on convertible loan note 

Total transactions with owners 

13 
26 
26 
26 

– 

– 

– 

– 
30 
– 
– 

30 

– 

– 

– 

– 
689 
– 
– 

689 

– 

– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

Balance at 31 December 2017 

1,468 

149,964 

369 

Adjustment on adoption of IFRS 9 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 
– 
9,000 
421 

9,421 

9,421 

– 

15,843 

7,065 

(110,252)  63,738

– 

– 

– 

242 
– 
– 
– 

242 

– 

(54,603)  (54,603)

(4,411) 

(4,411) 

– 

(4,411)

(54,603) 

(59,014)

– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
(421) 

242
719
9,000
–

(421) 

9,961

16,085 

2,654 

(165,276)  14,685

– 

– 

(2,274) 

(2,274)

Balance at 1 January 2018 

1,468 

149,964 

369 

9,421 

16,085 

2,654 

(167,550)  12.411

Loss for the year 
Other comprehensive expense 
Foreign currency translation differences 

Total comprehensive expense 

Transactions with owners 
Share-based payments – value of  

employee services 
Proceeds from share issues 
Convertible loan notes 
Interest on convertible loan note 

Total transactions with owners 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

13 
26 
26 
26 

– 
243 
180 
22 

445 

– 
22,397 
8,820 
1,027 

32,244 

– 

– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 
– 
(9,000) 
(421) 

(9,421) 

– 

– 

– 

58 
– 
– 
– 

58 

– 

(30,583)  (30,583)

897 

897 

– 

897

(30,583)  (29,686)

– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

– 
58
–  22,640
–
– 
–
(628) 

(628)  22,698

Balance at 31 December 2018 

1,913 

182,208 

369 

– 

16,143 

3,551 

(198,761) 

5,423

The notes on pages 38 to 68 are part of these consolidated financial statements.

The presentation of share premium in the period ended 31 December 2017 has been restated with respect to the convertible loan notes,  
in the amount of £9,000,000 and the interest on convertible loan notes, in the amount of £421,000. In November 2018, these convertible 
loan notes converted into ordinary shares in accordance with the convertible loan note agreement. See Note 26 for further information. 

36  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated statement of cash flows 
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Cash flows from operating activities 
Operating loss 
Depreciation and amortisation 
Gain on bargain purchase for ENVIA 
Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment 
Loss on disposal of intangible assets 
Impairment of assets 
Impairment of loan to associate ENVIA 
Impairment of inventory 
Impairment of assets under construction 
Amortisation of leased inventory 
Share-based payments 
Changes in working capital (excluding the effects of exchange  

differences on consolidation) 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 
Other liabilities 
Deferred revenue 
Inventory 

Cash consumed by operations 
Tax credits received 

Net cash used in operating activities 

Cash flows from investing activities 
Purchase of property, plant and equipment 
Purchase of intangible assets 
Loan to associate ENVIA  
Interest received 

Net cash used in investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities 
Proceeds from issues of shares and convertible loan notes 
Costs of issuing shares and convertible loan notes 
Interest paid 
Repayment of borrowings 

Net cash generated from financing activities 

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 
Exchange movements on cash and cash equivalents 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 

Note 

17 
4 
4 

29 

26 

22 

22 

2018 
£’000 

(28,700) 
659 
– 
– 
627 
– 
10,067 
– 
– 
– 
58 

(220) 
(1,125) 
2,092 
5,213 
(1,050) 

(12,379) 
– 

(12,379) 

(509) 
(349) 
(5,531) 
74 

(6,315) 

25,172 
(1,904) 
(13) 
(252) 

23,003 

4,309 
2,070 
585 

6,964 

(Restated)
2017
£’000

(51,153)
2,893
(1,750)
83
152
31,486
–
340
31
92
242

358
914
–
–
–

(16,312)
1,047

(15,265)

(34)
(335)
(9,788)
62

(10,095)

10,160
(443)
(17)
(308)

9,392

(15,968)
18,124
(86)

2,070

The notes on pages 38 to 68 are part of these consolidated financial statements.

The Statement of cash flow for the period ended 31 December 2017 has been restated by the correct the presention of cash moved to 
restricted cash. 

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  37

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements

1.  General information
Velocys plc is a Company incorporated in England and Wales and domiciled in England. It operates through a number of subsidiaries in the 
UK and the US, and collectively they are referred to in the financial statements as the “Company” or “Velocys”, with Velocys plc as “Velocys 
plc” or the “parent Company”. The nature of the Company’s operations and its principal activities are set out in the Strategic report on 
pages 2 to 14. The parent Company financial statements are included on pages 69 to 78. The parent Company’s securities are traded  
on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of The London Stock Exchange under the symbol “VLS”.

2.  Accounting policies
The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements are summarised below.  
The policies have been consistently applied to each year presented unless otherwise stated.

Basis of preparation
The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as 
adopted by the European Union (IFRSs as adopted by the EU, hereafter referred to as ‘IFRS’), IFRS Interpretations Committee (IFRS IC) 
Interpretations and the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies reporting under IFRS. The statements have been prepared under 
the historical cost convention as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities (including derivative instruments) 
at fair value, where relevant.

The preparation of financial statements to conform to IFRS requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates and the exercise 
of management’s judgement in the application of the Company’s accounting policies. Areas involving a higher degree of judgement or 
complexity, and areas where assumptions and estimates are significant to the financial statements are referenced in note 3.

Going concern
The financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis, which assumes that the Company and Velocys plc will have 
sufficient funds available to enable them to continue to trade for the foreseeable future. 

The Company expects to develop its projects, in particular, progressing the Mississippi biorefinery and Immingham UK waste to jet fuel 
projects, which will require significant development and capital expenditure. 

The nature of the Company’s strategy means that the timing of milestones and funds generated from developments are difficult to predict. 
The Directors have prepared financial forecasts to estimate the likely cash requirements of the Company and Velocys plc over the next  
12 months from the date of approval of the financial statements.

The forecasts show that the Company and Velocys plc require additional external funding within the 12-month forecast period to be able 
to continue as a going concern. The Directors anticipate that this will come from one, or a combination of, the following three sources, with 
agreements being actively sought from third parties:
˜˜ Strategic investment of development capital into both the Mississippi and Immingham biorefinery projects, which are expected  

during 2H 2019.

˜˜ Placement of Company ordinary shares, which may occur within the next twelve (12) months.
˜˜ Additional third-party licence sales, such as the Red Rock Biofuels project.

The Directors are confident that the funding required for the Company and Velocys plc to continue as a going concern and have therefore 
prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis.

However, as at the date of approval of the financial statements no additional funding is committed. Should additional funding not be 
secured, the Company and Velocys plc would not be a going concern. As such, these conditions indicate the existence of a material 
uncertainty that may cast significant doubt on the Company and Velocys plc’s ability to continue as a going concern.

The financial statements do not include the adjustments that would arise if the Company and Velocys plc were unable to continue as a 
going concern.

Accounting developments
New and amended standards adopted by the Company 
The Company has applied the following standards and amendments for the first time for the annual reporting period commencing  
1 January 2018:
˜˜

IFRS 9 Financial Instruments
IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers

˜˜

˜˜ Classification and Measurement of Share-based Payment Transactions – Amendments to IFRS 2 
˜˜

Transfers to Investment Property – Amendments to IAS 40
Interpretation 22 Foreign Currency Transactions and Advance Consideration

˜˜

The Company also elected to adopt the following amendments early:
˜˜ Annual Improvements to IFS Standards 2015-2017 Cycle.

38  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

IFRS 9 Financial Instruments
The Company and its subsidiaries adopted International Financial Reporting Standard 9, Financial Instruments (‘IFRS 9’), on 1 January 
2018. IFRS 9 replaces the provisions of International Accounting Standard 39, Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement  
(‘IAS 39’), that relate to the recognition, classification and measurement of financial assets and financial liabilities, derecognition of 
financial instruments, impairment of financial assets and hedge accounting. The Company has elected to apply the limited exemption if 
IFRS 9 related to transition for classification and measurement, and impairment. Accordingly, the Company has not restated comparative 
period in the year of initial application.

IFRS 9 introduces principle-based requirements for the classification of financial assets, using the following measurement categories:
˜˜ Amortised cost
˜˜ Fair value through Other Comprehensive Income (‘OCI’) (‘FVOCI’) with cumulative gains and losses reclassified to profit or loss  

upon derecognition

˜˜ Fair value through profit loss (‘FVPL’)

The classification depends on the Company’s business model for managing the financial assets and the contractual terms of the  
cash flows. 

All financial liabilities are measured at amortised cost, except for financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss.

After initial recognition, an entity cannot reclassify any financial liability.

IFRS 9 also introduces a new impairment model, the expected credit loss (‘ECL’) model. This model applies to debt instruments measured 
at amortised cost or at FVOCI, as well as trade receivables. The Company applies the IFRS 9 simplified approach to measuring estimated 
ECL which uses a lifetime expected loss allowance for all trade receivables, and the general approach to measuring estimated ECL with 
respect to the ENVIA loan.

Under the simplified approach, the Company is not required to track changes in credit risk, but instead is required to recognise a lifetime 
ECL at all times for trade and other receivables that do not contain significant financing components. 

Under the general approach, the Company will recognise a loss allowance on either a 12-month ECL or lifetime ECL. IFRS 9 prescribes three 
stages related to impairments. In stage 1, a 12month ECL is recorded as a result of probability of default are possible within the next 12 
months. In stage 2, a lifetime ECL is recorded if a loans credit risk has significantly increased since initial recognition and is not considered 
low. In stage 3, a lifetime ECL is recorded if a loans credit risk increases to the point where it is considered credit impaired. The changes in 
loss allowance balances are recognised in the income statement as an impairment gain or loss. For credit exposure where there have not 
been significant increases in credit risk since initial recognition, a 12-month ECL is required. For credit exposure where there have been 
significant increases in credit risk since initial recognition, a lifetime ECL is required.

At December 31, 2018, the following balance sheet items were impacted by the adoption of IFRS 9.
˜˜

short-term trade receivables; and
the ENVIA loan.

˜˜

IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers
The Company and its subsidiaries adopted IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers on 1 January 2018 on a full retrospective 
transition method. The comparative figures in the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2017 were  
not required to be restated as a result of the adoption of IFRS 15.

IFRS 15 introduces a five-step model which is applied to determine when to recognise revenue, and at what amount. The five steps consist 
of (i) identifying the customer, (ii) identifying all of the performance obligations within the contract, (iii) determine the transaction price, 
(iv) allocating the price to the performance obligations and (v) recognizing revenue as the performance obligations are fulfilled. Revenue 
is recognised when (or as) a company transfers control of goods or services to a customer at the amount to which the company expects 
to be entitled. Depending on whether certain criteria are met, revenue is recognised either over time, in a manner that best reflects the 
Company’s performance, or at a point in time, when control of the goods or services is transferred to the customer.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  39

 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

2.  Accounting policies (continued)
New standards and interpretations not yet adopted 
Certain new accounting standards and interpretations have been published that are not mandatory for 31 December 2018 reporting 
periods and have not been early adopted by the Company. The Company’s assessment of the impact of these new standards and 
interpretations is set out below.

IFRS 16 Leases
IFRS 16 was issued in January 2016. It will result in almost all leases being recognised on the balance sheet by lessees, as the distinction 
between operating and finance leases is removed. Under the new standard, an asset (the right to use leased item) and a financial liability 
to pay rents are recognised. The only exceptions are short-term and low-value leases.

The Company has reviewed all its leasing arrangements over the last year considering the new lease accounting rules in IFRS 16.  
The standard will primarily affect the accounting for the Company’s operating leases. 

Significant judgements and estimates were used with respect to the incremental borrowing rate, as the Company currently has no 
outstanding significant debt. Also, significant judgement and estimates were used in the calculation of lease term as some leases are 
expected to be extended beyond the stated lease term.

As of 31 December 2018, the Company had non-cancellable operating lease commitments of £1,592,000 (see note 27). Of these 
commitments, approximately £38,000 relate to short-term leases and £5,000 to low value leases, both of which will be recognised on a 
straight-line basis as expense. 

For the remaining lease commitments, on 1 January 2019, the Company expects to recognise right-of-use assets of approximately 
£1,062,000 and lease liabilities of £1,062,000 (after adjustments for prepayments and accrued lease payments recognised as of  
31 December 2018). 

The Company’s activities as a lessor are not material and the Company does not expect any significant impact on the financial statements 
related to lessor activities. However, there may be additional disclosures related to these activities that will be required for 2019 and 
subsequent years.

The Company will apply this standard on the mandatory adoption date of 1 January 2019. The Company intends to apply the simplified 
transition approach and will not restate comparative amounts for the year prior to adoption. Right-of-use assets for property leases will 
be measured on transition as if the new rules had always been applied. All other right-of-use assets will be measured at the amount of the 
lease liability on adoption (adjusting for any prepaid or accrued lease expenses). 

There are no other standards that are not yet effective and that would be expected to have a material impact on the Company in the 
current or future reporting periods or on foreseeable future transactions.

Change in accounting policies
On 1 January 2018, the Company adopted IFRS 9 and performed an analysis of its trade receivables and loan receivables to determine  
if a provision should be recorded. The Company’s loan receivable consisted of a loan to ENVIA. 

Opening balance at 1 January 2018 – IAS 39 
Increase in loan receivable loss allowance recognised in impairment expense 

Closing balance at 1 January 2018 – IFRS 9 

£’000

10,284
(2,274)

8,010

The Company applied the simplified approach to providing an ECL prescribed by IFRS 9, which permits the use of the lifetime expected 
loss allowance for trade receivables. Trade receivables represent assets that are held for collection of contractual cash flows and those 
cash flows represent solely payments of principal and interest. To measure the expected credit losses, trade receivables were grouped 
based on shared credit risk and the days past due. Based on this ECL model, the Company did not record a loss allowance with respect  
to trade receivables.

At 1 January 2018, the Company reviewed its loan to ENVIA in accordance with the recently adopted IFRS 9. The Company considered the 
credit worthiness of ENVIA and determined that the loan would be the equivalent of Ca-C rating using the Moody global long term rating 
scale. The Company considers historical loss rates for each category of customers, and adjusts for forward looking macroeconomic data 
where necessary. This aligns with managements expectation of a high credit risk. Based on this assessment, the Company calculated a 
Stage 3 ECL based on a lifetime probability of default. In the IFRS 9 ECL model, two scenarios were considered and individual weightings 
were assigned based on management’s best estimate of current and future risks of the ENVIA plant. Based on the IFRS 9 ECL model, the 
Company recorded a loss allowance on a lifetime ECL basis of £2,274,000 in the Consolidated income statement.  

In accordance with IFRS9, the Company continued to assess the ENVIA loan for impairment throughout the reporting period. See Note 20 
for the year end ECL position.

Financial risk management policies
Financial risk management policies are set out in the Strategic report on page 10, and in note 25.

Capital management policies
Capital management policies are set out in note 25.

40  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Significant accounting policies
Foreign currency translation
Functional and presentation currency 
Items included in the financial statements of each of the Company’s entities are measured using the currency of the primary economic 
environment in which the entity operates (the functional currency). The consolidated financial statements are presented in sterling (£).

Transactions and balances
Foreign currency transactions are translated into the functional currency using the exchange rates prevailing at the dates of the 
transactions. Foreign exchange gains and losses resulting from the settlement of such transactions and from the translation at year-end 
exchange rates of monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are recognised in the Income statement. Foreign 
exchange gains and losses that relate to borrowings and cash and cash equivalents are presented in the Income statement within  
Finance income or Finance costs. 

The net investment that the Company has in its subsidiary undertakings is its interest in the net assets of that subsidiary. 

The inclusion of long-term loans and receivables (‘Loans to subsidiaries’) as part of the net investment in the subsidiary undertaking 
is determined where settlement is neither planned nor likely to occur in the foreseeable future. All loans to subsidiaries by the parent 
Company meet these criteria. 

On this basis the loans to subsidiaries, being monetary items that are receivable from a foreign subsidiary undertaking, are regarded as 
an extension of the Company’s net investment in that foreign subsidiary undertaking. Exchange differences, arising on a monetary item 
that forms part of the Company’s net investment in a foreign operation that is a subsidiary or associate, are recorded in the consolidated 
financial statements, with exchange differences being recognised initially in a separate component of Other comprehensive income and, 
on disposal of the net investment, in profit or loss.

Entities within Velocys 
The results and financial position of all Velocys entities that have a functional currency different from the presentation currency (none of 
which is of a hyper-inflationary economy) are translated into the presentation currency as follows:
1.  assets and liabilities for each balance sheet presented are translated at the closing rate at the date of that balance sheet;
2. 
3.  all resulting exchange differences are recognised as a movement within other comprehensive income.

income and expenses for each income statement are translated at average exchange rates; and

On consolidation, exchange differences arising from the translation of the net investment in foreign operations are taken to  
shareholders’ equity.

Goodwill and fair value adjustments arising on the acquisition of a foreign entity are treated as assets and liabilities of the foreign entity 
and translated at the closing rate.

Other significant accounting policies are incorporated in the note to which they apply.

3.  Critical accounting estimates and judgements
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates. It also requires 
management to exercise its judgement in the process of applying the Company’s accounting policies. Although these estimates and 
judgements are based on management’s best knowledge of the amount and/or timing, actual results ultimately may differ. These 
estimates and judgements are regularly reviewed and revised as necessary. The areas that involve a higher degree of judgement or 
complexity, or that have the most significant effect on the amounts included in these consolidated financial statements are listed below 
and described in the relevant note.

Items involving a critical estimate 
IFRS 9 critical estimates 
Investment in associate – impairment assessment 
Other receivables – impairment assessment under IFRS 9 
Items involving a judgement 
Revenue recognition under IFRS 15 
Intangible assets – impairment assessment 

Note

2
19
20

6
17

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  41

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

4.  Exceptional items
Items that are significant by virtue of their size or nature, which are considered non-recurring and which are excluded from the underlying 
profit measures used by the Board to monitor and measure the underlying performance of the Company are classified as exceptional 
operating items. Exceptional operating items are included within the appropriate Consolidated income statement category but are 
highlighted separately in the notes to the financial statements. 

The following exceptional items have been included in the Consolidated income statement.

Administrative expenses: 

Intangible assets impairment 
Property, plant and equipment impairment  
Inventories impairment 
Impairment of loan receivable 

Impairment in carrying value of equity accounted associate 
Other income 

Gain on bargain purchase 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

– 
– 
– 
(10,067) 

(10,067) 
(848) 

– 

(848) 

(10,915) 

2017
£’000

(28,760)
(2,185)
(541)
–

(31,486)
(2,736)

1,750

986

(32,472)

Administrative expenses
During 2018, the Board of Directors of ENVIA announced its intentions to suspend operations. As a result of this decision, Velocys impaired 
its loan to associate. The Company has recorded an impairment of its loan to ENVIA of £10,067,000 (2017: nil).

At varying points during 2017, the carrying value of the Company’s net assets exceeded the market capitalisation indicating a potential 
impairment at year end. This conclusion was supported by the fundraise in January 2018, which was discounted to 10p per share, and 
which prompted the share price to drop to 10p immediately afterwards. As a result, an impairment of £31.5 million was recorded against 
a range of assets, as described in note 17. The assets impacted by the impairment were Intangible assets, Inventories and Property, plant 
and equipment. Critical estimates and judgements are included in note 17.

Impairment in carrying value of equity accounted associate
The Company is required to assess, at the end of each reporting period, whether there is any indication that an asset may be impaired. 
If any such indication exists, the entity shall estimate the recoverable amount of the asset. During 2018, the Board of Directors of ENVIA 
announced its intentions to suspend operations. As a result of this decision, Velocys impaired its loan to associate (detailed above) and 
the investment in associate account. The Company has recorded an impairment of its investment in associate in the amount of £848,000 
(2017: £2,736,000).

Other income
In September 2017, Velocys increased its equity share and voting rights at ENVIA following the exit of NRG from the joint venture, for no 
consideration. The voting rights for the three remaining joint venture members, including Velocys, were accordingly increased to 33% each. 
The increased interest in the associate has been acquired through an increase in an existing stake. Velocys applied the ‘cost approach’, 
whereby there is a requirement to assess the fair value of both the consideration and the net assets being acquired. The fair value of the 
net assets being acquired was determined by its value in use, assessed by the estimated future cash flows discounted to their present 
value using an appropriate pre-tax discount rate model. The Company has recorded a gain on bargain purchase of £1,750,000 in respect 
of this step acquisition during 2017 and no change has occurred with the Velocys shareholding in ENVIA during 2018. See note 19 for more 
information.

5.  Segmental information
The Company’s chief operating decision-maker is the Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer reviews the Company’s internal 
reporting in order to assess performance and allocate resources and has determined the operating segments based on these reports.

The Chief Executive Officer considers that the business comprises a single activity, which is the design, development, marketing and  
sale of technology for the production of synthetic fuels. This includes facilitating project development by putting together partnerships 
with technology licensors, engineers, feedstock suppliers, offtakers and financing entities. The Chief Executive Officer reviews the 
Company’s profit or loss and its cash flows, assets and liabilities on a Company-wide basis. In carrying out these reviews, the Chief 
Executive Officer considers all material items of income and expenditure that are directly attributable to individual commercial projects 
and development programmes. The internal management reports do not allocate assets and liabilities or shared overheads to individual 
products or projects.

The business has one segment on the basis that the key end use market is that of synthetic fuels production. At this stage, the synthetic 
fuels segment represents 100% of the business and therefore represents the only material segment. Based on management’s judgement, 
all products and services offered within the operating segment have similar economic characteristics. 

42  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Internal and external reporting is on a consolidated basis, with purchases and sales between subsidiaries eliminated on consolidation. 
Therefore, the segmental and financial information is the same as that set out in the financial statements.

The Chief Executive Officer assesses the performance of the operating segment based on a measure of operating loss.

The Company’s operating segment operates in three main geographical areas. Revenue is allocated based on the country in which the 
customer is located.

Europe 
Americas 
Asia Pacific 

Total revenue  

2018 
£’000 

– 
652 
12 

664 

2017
£’000

142
591
26

759

Revenues during the year originated predominantly in the United States, with immaterial revenue from feasibility studies elsewhere  
in the world.

The total amount of revenue recognised from customers where revenue comprises 10% or more of Company revenue is as follows:

Customer 1 
Customer 2 
Customers less than 10% 

Total revenue  

Non-current assets held in the United States are as follows:

Intangible assets 
Property, plant and equipment 
Trade and other receivables 
Investment in associate 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

508 
144 
12 

664 

2018 
£’000 

175 
1,701 
281 
– 

2,157 

2017
£’000

484
–
275

759

2017
£’000

415
1,782
10,284
2,580

15,061

All other non-current assets were held in the United Kingdom and amounted to £223,000 (2017: £359,000).

6.  Revenue 
The Company adopted IFRS 15 on 1 January 2018, using the full retrospective transition method. The comparative figures in the 
Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2017 were not required to be restated as a result of the adoption 
of IFRS 15.

The Company generates revenue through contracts in which it (i) sells Fischer-Tropsch reactors, (ii) leases or sells Fischer-Tropsch 
catalyst, (iii) provides license agreements and (iv) performs engineering services. In general, contracts with the Company provide a license 
agreement for the use of its intellectual property associated with the catalyst, which is used in specifically designed reactors. The majority 
of the Company’s revenue is derived from a small number of significant commercial customers and development partners.

Determining whether the services provided are considered distinct performance obligations can require significant judgment. The 
Company’s agreements, in some instances, could have a single performance obligation which would result in the deferral of revenue 
until the performance obligation is satisfied. This is the case when the entity promises an integrated package of services and where the 
customer is receiving a combined output (for example, an engineering service that results in operational technology at a particular site).  
In other instances, there will be no integration service and each good or service will be considered separately. 

When there are multiple performance obligations, revenue is allocated to the respective performance obligations based on relative 
transaction prices and is recognised as services are delivered to the customer or in some instance, as when the catalyst is leased, revenue 
is recognised over the estimated life of the catalyst. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration expected to be received in 
exchange for the services delivered. 

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  43

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

6.  Revenue (continued)
Revenue is recognised when the Company satisfies a performance obligation by transferring promised goods or services to a customer. 
In 2018, there was no reactor or licence fee revenue. In instances in which catalyst is leased to the customer, sales income is recognised 
monthly over the term of the arrangement. Otherwise, the sales income related to sales of catalyst will be recognised as the performance 
obligations are satisfied. Revenue from engineering services is earned on a time and materials basis and is recognised as the work  
is performed. 

If the entity is providing a single performance obligation in the form of an integrated set of activities, each contract is assessed to 
determine if it meets the criteria for recognition over time. This would require the contract to either transfer control of the combined 
output over time or for the entity to have an enforceable right of payment for the performance completed to date for activities that do not 
create an asset with alternative use. In 2018, there is one contract that has been assessed as a combined performance obligation and it 
was determined that none of these criteria are met. As such, all consideration received has been deferred and revenue will be recognised 
when the final project is completed and control is transferred to the customer.

Contract modifications are accounted for prospectively or as a cumulative catch-up adjustment depending on the nature of the change. 
Revenue from engineering services is recognised as services are delivered to the customer.

FT reactor, catalyst and licence 
Engineering services 

Total  

2018 
£’000 

508 
156 

664 

FT reactor, catalyst and license revenue in the amount of £508,000 for the year ended December 31, 2018 consisted of lease revenue 
related to the ENVIA agreement (2017:£484,000).

7.  Finance income

Interest income on bank deposits 
Interest on loan to associate 
Foreign exchange gains 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

76 
732 
185 

993 

In 2018, the Company stopped recognising interest on loan to associate as a result of the impairment of the investment in ENVIA.

8.  Finance costs

Interest on finance leases 
Interest on borrowings 
Net fair value losses on forward foreign exchange contracts 
Foreign exchange losses 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

– 
628 
– 
– 

 628 

Included in interest on borrowing in 2018 is the interest associated with the convertible loan note and other loans.

2017
£’000

484
275

759

2017
£’000

61
669
–

730

2017
£’000

1
16
61
321

399

44  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9.  Other income
Other income consists of items such as sales of fixed assets, contractual and legal settlements and any other operating income 
recognised outside of commercial activities. Other income derived from sales of fixed assets and non-commercial activities is recognised 
on an accruals basis. Legal settlements are recognised as income when a final judgement is received. 

Before exceptional items: 
Return on deposits 
Sale of fixed assets 

Total other income before exceptional items 

Exceptional items (see note 4): 
Gain on bargain purchase 

Total other income exceptional items 

Total 

10. Expenses by nature 

Employee benefit expense (see note 12) 
Sub-contractor and consultant costs 
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment: owned (note 18) 
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment: leased (note 18) 
Amortisation of intangible assets (note 17) 
Impairment of inventory 
Impairment of assets under construction 
Operating lease expense – plant and machinery 
Operating lease expense – other 
Patent and other IP costs 
Materials expense 
Services 
Legal 
Travel 
Other expenses 

Total cost of sales and administrative expenses before exceptional items 

Exceptional items – impairment of investment in associate/assets (note 4) 

Total cost of sales and administrative expenses 

2018 
£’000 

22 
14 

36 

– 

– 

36 

2018 
£’000 

6,282 
3,888 
581 
– 
96 
– 
– 
– 
470 
88 
735 
5,041 
720 
958 
201 

19,060 

10,067 

29,127 

2017
£’000

–
163

163

1,750

1,750

1,913

2017
£’000

9,022
2,364
1,101
35
1,757
340
31
71
808
225
972
2,181
872
942
1,618

22,339

31,486

53,825

Included in administrative expenses were research and development costs of £1,849,000 (2017: £11,064,000). The decrease in research 
and development costs is the result of the Company’s pivot to developing projects. The increase in services in 2018 is the result of the 
Company’s use of third-party service providers to assist in the development of projects. 

11.  Auditor’s remuneration

Payable to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and its associates: 
For the audit of the parent company and consolidated  
financial statements in respect of the current year 
For the audit of the parent company and consolidated  
financial statements in respect of the prior year 
For the audit of the financial statements of subsidiaries  
of the parent company in respect of the current year 
For the audit of the financial statements of subsidiaries  
of the parent company in respect of the prior year 

Other services: 
Audit-related assurance services 
Taxation advisory services in respect of the current year 

Total 

www.velocys.com

2018 
£’000 

2017
£’000

100 

44 

25 

12 

7 
– 

188 

94

35

25

–

7
10

171

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  45

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

12. Employee benefit expense
Short-term employee benefits
Accruals are included to reflect the cost of short-term compensation to employees for absences such as paid leave.

Pensions
The Company operates various defined contribution pension schemes for its employees. The Company has no legal or constructive 
obligations to pay further contributions if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefit derived from the 
current and prior periods.

The amount charged to the Income statement in respect of pension costs and other post-retirement benefits is the contributions payable 
in the year. Differences between contributions payable and contributions actually paid are accrued. The Company has no further payment 
obligations once the contributions have been paid.

The average monthly number of Company employees (including Executive Directors) was as follows.

Research, design and development 
Administration 

Total average headcount 

Their aggregate remuneration comprised the following items.

Wages and salaries 
Social security costs 
Other pension costs 
Severance expense 
Share-based payments granted to Directors and employees (note 15) 

Total remuneration 

2018 
number 

21 
18 

39 

2018 
£’000 

5,053 
349 
433 
389 
58 

6,282 

2017
number

37
23

60

2017
£’000

7,787
519
232
242
242

9,022

Details of Directors’ remuneration are given in the audited information in the Directors’ remuneration report on pages 22 to 25, which forms 
part of these financial statements.

During 2017 a number of employees were made redundant due to the scaling down of R&D activities. Redundancy payments, including 
payments in lieu of notice and holiday totalled £389,000 in 2018 (2017: £242,000). 

13. Income tax
Current tax, including UK corporation tax and foreign tax, is provided for at the amount expected to be paid (or recovered) based on the tax 
rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date.

Current tax: 
R&D tax credit relating to prior years 
R&D tax credit relating to current year 

Current tax total 

Income tax total 

2018 
£’000 

133 
(450) 

(317) 

(317) 

2017
£’000

(193)
(546)

(739)

(739)

Due to the availability of losses incurred in the year, there is no charge to corporation tax. The Company recognised £317,000 for R&D tax 
credits (2017: £739,000). The credit relating to the current year is on an accruals basis, which is an estimate of the amount to be claimed 
from HMRC based on the activity level and significant R&D costs of the current year compared to previous years. The debit relating to prior 
years is the difference between the brought forward accrual and the settlement from HMRC.

The accrual for the current year, which is the majority of the credit, is based on an assessment of the Company’s projects, to determine 
which ones qualify under HMRC’s rules, and to estimate the level of allowable cost within each, based on the nature of costs.

46  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The actual tax credit for the current and previous year is lower (2017: lower) than the theoretical amount that would arise using the 
weighted average tax rate applicable to the results of the consolidated entities, for the reasons set out in the following reconciliation.

Loss before income tax after exceptional items 

Tax calculated at domestic tax rates applicable to losses in the respective countries  

Tax effects of: 

Expenses not deductible for tax purposes 
Impairment loss not deductible for tax purposes 
Unutilised tax losses for which no deferred tax asset is recognised 
R&D tax credit 

Income tax total 

2018 
£’000 

(30,900) 

(5,779) 

215 
2,292 
3,272 
(317) 

(317) 

2017
£’000

(55,342)

(18,004)

20
8,696
9,288
(739)

(739)

In the table, Impairment loss not deductible for tax purposes, in both 2018 and 2017, removes the tax impact of the In-process technology 
and Goodwill impairments (see note 17). Goodwill created from a stock purchase such as that of Velocys Inc.is not deductible for US tax 
purposes. Goodwill created from purchasing the assets of the Company (such as Velocys Project Solutions LLC) is tax deductible.

The weighted average applicable tax rate was 21% (2017: 32.5%).

The standard rate of corporation tax in the United Kingdom changed from 20% to 19% with effect from 1 April 2017. The applicable tax rate 
for 2018 is therefore 19%. Legislation to reduce the rate to 17% from 1 April 2020 was enacted on 15 September 2016. Unrecognised UK 
deferred tax balances have been measured at 17% (recognised: £nil).

In December 2017 the US Congress voted to reduce the tax rate to 21%. Unrecognised US deferred tax balances have been measured at 
21% (recognised: £nil).

14. Deferred tax
Deferred tax is recognised, using the liability method, on temporary differences arising between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and 
their carrying amounts in the consolidated financial statements. Deferred tax is not accounted for if it arises from initial recognition of 
an asset or liability in a transaction other than a business combination that at the time of the transaction affected neither accounting 
nor taxable profit or loss. Tax amounts are determined using tax rates (and laws) that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the 
balance sheet date and are expected to apply when the related deferred income tax asset is realised, or the deferred income tax liability  
is settled.

Deferred tax assets are recognised only to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profit will be available against which the 
temporary differences can be utilised. Deferred tax is provided on temporary differences arising on investments in subsidiaries except 
where the timing of the reversal of the temporary difference is controlled by the parent Company and it is probable that the temporary 
difference will not reverse in the foreseeable future.

There was no recognised deferred tax in the year or the comparative period.

Unrecognised 
Deferred tax assets 
Trading losses 
Equity settled options 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

(37,418) 
– 

(37,418) 

2017
£’000

(24,720)
(54)

(24,774)

At 31 December 2018, the Company had a net unrecognised deferred tax asset of £37,418,000 (2017: £24,720,000) arising from trading 
losses since incorporation. No recognition (2017: £nil) of the net deferred tax asset has been made at 31 December 2018 on the grounds 
of uncertainty over its recoverability in light of the Company’s nascent revenue streams and commitment to continued investment in the 
development of its biorefineries, and therefore there is no impact on the current or prior year income statement.

Of this unrecognised deferred tax asset £19,306,000 (2017: £12,035,000) is anticipated to remain available indefinitely to offset against 
future taxable trading profits of the entities in which the losses arose. The remainder has expiry dates between 2024 and 2038  
(2017: 2023 and 2037).

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  47

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

15. Share-based payments
Velocys plc issues share options to employees of its subsidiaries that are accounted for as equity settled. There are a number of schemes 
covering employees, executives and external consultants; most are based on a service period, but some include performance conditions, 
both market based and non-market based.

Options are measured at fair value (excluding the effect of non-market-based vesting conditions) at the date of grant. For executive 
options with market performance conditions attached, the Monte Carlo pricing model is used. All other options apply the  
Black-Scholes model.

The basic assumptions that feed into both models are volatility of the share price, annual risk-free rate and dividend yield. Volatility 
is estimated using the average daily share price from the previous five years, the risk-free rate is based on the Bank of England’s yield 
curve tables, and it is assumed no dividend will be paid over the life of the option. Additionally, for the Monte Carlo model, expected life is 
assumed to be the earliest point at which the shares may vest. This has been adjusted, using management’s best estimate, for the effects 
of non-transferability, exercise restrictions and behavioural considerations. 

At the end of each reporting period, the Company revises its estimates of the number of options that are expected to vest, based on 
historical satisfaction of non-market vesting and service conditions. It recognises the impact of the revision to original estimates in the 
Income statement, recorded in Administrative expenses, with a corresponding adjustment to equity.

When options are exercised, the Company issues new shares; proceeds received, net of attributable transaction costs, are credited to 
share capital and premium. The Company does not hold any treasury shares.

The number of options outstanding at 31 December 2018 and the expense recognised in the profit or loss for these schemes, along with 
bonus shares and other schemes, are as follows. 

Scheme 

Employees UK/US 
ELTIP (Executives) 
Velocys, Inc. 
Bonus shares 
Other 

Total 

2018 

Income 
statement 
£’000 

12 
44 
– 
– 
2 

58 

Options 
outstanding 

2,036,100 
7,597,733 
63,570 
79,760 
212,625 

9,989,788 

2017

Income
statement
£’000

105
91
–
–
46

242

Options 
outstanding 

1,767,100 
4,922,741 
63,570 
79,760 
212,625 

7,045,796 

Employees UK/US
This scheme covers all employees of the Company and was previously referred to as the EMI scheme; however, the Company ceased  
to qualify for EMI status due to the value of its gross assets. 

Options are granted to employees when they join the Company, which vest three, four or five years from the date of joining, subject  
to the employee completing a corresponding service period, and expire after ten years. The exercise price is the mid-market value of 
Velocys plc’s ordinary shares on the day prior to grant. Options are fair valued at grant date using the Black-Scholes model, and expensed 
over the vesting period.

Non-market performance options that were granted to certain employees in 2015 did not meet the target conditions and did not  
vest in 2017.

Movements in the number of options outstanding and their related weighted average exercise prices are as follows.

At 1 January 
Granted 
Forfeited 
Exercised 

At 31 December 

Weighted  
average 
 exercise price 

117.95p 
– 
89.31p 
– 

129.45p 

2018 

Number of 
 options 

2,036,100 
– 
(269,000) 
– 

1,767,100 

Weighted  
average 
 exercise price 

121.26p 
48.97p 
67.90p 
– 

117.95p 

2017

Number of
 options

3,228,566
160,000
(1,352,466)
–

2,036,100

Of the 1,767,100 options outstanding at 31 December 2018, 1,550,431were exercisable (2017: 1,484,764). The weighted average exercise 
price of the exercisable shares was 129.62p (2017: 43.88p).

48  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Options outstanding at the end of the year have the following expiry dates and exercise prices.

2018 

2017

Year of expiry 

2018 
2019 
2020 
2021 
2022 
2023 
2024 
2025 
2026 
2027 

Total 

Range of  
exercise price 

– 
159p 
68.32p 
51–72.25p 
69.89p 
187.72–206.53p 
202.61–293.23p 
60.47–174.66p 
29.24–39.26p 
– 

Weighted 
Number of 
 options 

average 
exercise price 

– 
62,893 
24,352 
739,855 
10,000 
460,000 
160,000 
240,000 
70,000 
– 

– 
159.00p 
68.32p 
44.74p 
69.89p 
198.36p 
236.74p 
154.18p 
30.67p 
– 

129.45p 

Weighted
Number of 
 options 

62,893 
– 
24,352 
774,855 
80,000 
484,000 
200,000 
240,000 
70,000 
100,000 

2,036,100 

average
exercise price

159.00p
–
64.49p
62.57p
73.32p
184.38p
218.38p
145.53p
28.95p
43.73p

117.95p

29.24 – 293.23p 

1,767,100 

No options have been granted in 2018; the weighted average fair value of options granted in 2017 was 22.49p per option. The significant 
inputs into the model were as follows.

Weighted average share price at grant date 
Weighted average exercise price 
Expected volatility 
Weighted average annual risk-free rate 
Dividend yield 
Weighted average expected life 

2018 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

2017

48.97p
48.97p
61%
0.3%
0%
4.0 years

Total expense recognised in the income statement for share options granted to directors and employees was £12,000 (2017: £105,000).

Executive options
Executive options (also referred to as ‘ELTIP’ in the Directors’ remuneration report, and ‘ELTIP’ and ‘NELTIP’ in the 2015 Annual report  
and accounts) are awarded to Executive Directors and senior managers of the Company.

The fair value of options is recognised from the start of the relevant service period to the end of the vesting period.

Executive options granted up to and including 2014, are exercisable at a price of 1p or at a price equal to the mid-market value of the 
parent Company’s ordinary shares on the day prior to the grant. Options vest immediately or after a period of one, two or three years from 
grant, they expire after ten years and are forfeited if the employee leaves the Company before the options vest.

Options, including Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), awarded after 2014 were divided into those with a service period and those with  
market performance conditions. Except for a former executive, service period options represented 23% of the award; they vest two years 
after the conclusion of the period over which performance is measured; the market performance conditions on which the rest of the award 
was based pertain to the compound annual growth rate of the Company’s market capitalisation excluding fund raising subsequent to  
1 January 2015; market performance options are measurable after three years from the start of the service period, with a possible final 
re-measurement in 2019; options are subject to the discretion of the Board if the employee leaves the Company before the options vest.

The Remuneration Committee intends to introduce a new equity-based incentive scheme for executives following shareholder 
consultation in 2019, and, in the allocation of such awards, may take into consideration the fact that no 2017 or 2018 awards were made. 

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  49

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

15. Share-based payments (continued)
Executive options (continued)
Movements in the number of options outstanding and their related weighted average exercise prices are as follows. 

At 1 January 
Granted 
Forfeited 
Exercised 

At 31 December 

Weighted  
average 
exercise price 

89.85p 
– 
63.10p 
– 

97.02p 

2018 

Number of 
 options  

7,597,732 
– 
(2,674,991) 
– 

4,922,741 

Weighted  
average 
exercise price 

84.92p 
46.01p 
4.76p 
32.03p 

89.85p 

2017

Number of
 options 

8,166,548
100,000
(385,310)
(283,506)

7,597,732

Of the 4,922,741 options outstanding at 31 December 2018, 4,822,741 were exercisable (2017: 7,244,534). The weighted average exercise 
price of the exercisable shares was 90.55p (2017: 94.22p).

Share options and RSUs outstanding at the end of the year have the following expiry dates (RSU latest exercise dates) and exercise prices.

Year of expiry 

Range of  
exercise price 

Number of 
 options 

2018 
2019 
2020 
2021 
2022 
2023 
2024 
2027 

Total 

– 
Nil–1.00p 
Nil 
1.00–58.00p 
49.00p 
159.00p 
153.00–163.50p 
1.00p 

Nil–163.50p 

– 
517,369 
171,407 
550,000 
970,503 
1,456,694 
1,156,768 
100,000 

4,922,741 

2018 

Weighted 
average 
exercise price 

– 
0.31p 
Nil 
17.52p 
49.00p 
159.00p 
163.05p 
1.00p 

97.02p 

2017

Weighted
average
exercise price

Nil
0.31p
Nil
39.05p
49.00p
159.00p
163.13p
1.00p

89.85p

Number of 
 options 

225,172 
335,541 
194,769 
1,175,000 
2,313,178 
1,841,837 
1,412,235 
100,000 

7,597,732 

No options have been granted in respect of 2018; the weighted average fair value of options granted in 2017 was 47.00p per option.  
The significant inputs into the model were as follows.

Weighted average share price at grant date 
Weighted average exercise price 
Expected volatility 
Weighted average annual risk-free rate 
Dividend yield 
Weighted average expected life 

2018 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

2017

47.00p
47.00p
61%
0.3%
0%
3.0 years

Total expense recognised in the income statement for executive options granted to Directors and employees was £44,000 in 2018  
(2017: £91,000). 

At the time of exercising share options, executives of the Company may apply to an employee benefit trust managed by Oxford Catalysts 
Trustees Limited for a distribution in respect of the exercise value of their options. The trustees, at their discretion, then request a 
contribution from the Company in respect of the grant made. The total value of funds distributed to executives by Oxford Catalysts 
Trustees Limited during the year in respect of the relevant executive options was £ nil (2017: £ 92,000).

50  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Velocys, Inc. scheme 
The Velocys, Inc. Stock Compensation Plan (‘Pre-Acquisition Scheme’) was acquired as part of the acquisition of Velocys, Inc. by  
Velocys plc, formerly Oxford Catalysts Group PLC, on 20 November 2008. The scheme was started in 2001 and covers all US-based 
employees. Prior to the acquisition, Velocys, Inc.’s Board of Directors granted non-qualified share options to employees with expiry ten 
years from grant date. The options’ exercise price was equal to the stock’s fair market value at the date of grant. Options are forfeited  
if an employee leaves the Company. Generally, options vest as follows.

After one year of service from vest start date: 
Each month subsequent to one year of service: 

25% of grant
1/48th of grant

Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the acquisition of Velocys, Inc., each vested and unvested Pre-Acquisition Scheme option existing 
on the acquisition date was converted into 0.3659 of a Velocys plc, formerly Oxford Catalyst Group PLC, option (the ratio of the value of 
one share of Velocys, Inc. stock to one share of Velocys plc, formerly Oxford Catalyst Group PLC stock) with a corresponding increase to the 
exercise price. Share options are exercisable in US dollars.

During 2011, the Company reviewed employee incentives and concluded that the Pre-Acquisition Scheme options did not provide the 
intended incentive or retention value for its employees due to significant shifts in the market price since the original grants. Consequently, 
holders of these options were offered the opportunity to forfeit their options and have new options issued. All such new issues vest in 
three years and expire ten years from date of grant.

Details of the share options outstanding under the Velocys, Inc. scheme are as follows.

At 1 January 
Forfeited 
Exercised 

At 31 December 

Weighted  
average  
exercise price 

$0.93 
– 
– 

$0.93 

2018 

Number of 
 options 

63,570 
– 
– 

63,570 

Weighted  
average  
exercise price 

$1.10 
$0.93 
– 

$0.93 

2017

Number of
 options

83,248
(19,678)
–

63,570

Of the options outstanding presented above, 63,570 (2017: 63,570) were exercisable as of 31 December 2018. The weighted average share 
price of the exercisable shares was $0.93 (2017: $0.93).

Share options outstanding at the end of the year have the following expiry dates and exercise prices.

Year of expiry 

2021 

Total 

Exercise price 
per share 

Number of 
options 

$0.93 

$0.93 

63,570 

63,570 

2018 

Weighted 
average 
exercise price 

$0.93 

$0.93 

2017

Weighted
average
exercise price

$0.93

$0.93

Number of 
options 

63,570 

63,570 

Total expense recognised in the income statement for share options granted under the Velocys, Inc. plan was £nil (2017: £nil).

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  51

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

15. Share-based payments (continued)
Bonus shares
The Company previously maintained two bonus share schemes for certain executives: one in respect of employees of Velocys Technologies 
Limited and one in respect of employees of Velocys, Inc. Under both schemes, the value of the bonus was based upon the executive’s salary 
as well as the Company and the executive achieving certain targets throughout the year. No awards were, or will be, made under these 
schemes during, or in respect of, 2018 and 2017.

The Velocys Technologies Limited bonus share scheme awarded nominal value share options (1p) that were issued subsequent to the end 
of previous financial years. The awards vested on the date of grant and expire 10 years thereafter. Details of the bonus shares outstanding 
under the Velocys Technologies Limited bonus share scheme are as follows.

At 1 January 
Exercised 

At 31 December 

Exercise 
price 

1.00p 
– 

1.00p 

2018 

Number of 
 options 

79,760 
– 

79,760 

Exercise 
 price 

1.00p 
– 

1.00p 

Velocys Technologies Limited bonus share options outstanding at the end of the year have the following expiry dates.

Year of expiry 

2019 
2021 

Total 

Exercise 
price 

1.00p 
1.00p 

1.00p 

2018 

Number of 
options 

42,105 
37,655 

79,760 

2017

Number of
 options

79,760
–

79,760

2017

Number of
options

42,105
37,655

79,760

The Velocys, Inc. bonus share scheme consists of deferred shares awarded subsequent to year end at a nominal price of 1p. 20% of the 
award is due to be granted on each anniversary of the date of award. Shares remaining to be granted in future years totalled 16,418. 

No bonus share grants were made for either scheme in 2018 (2017: nil). All expense has been recognised prior to 2018. 

Other share options
The Board has approved the granting of share options to a small number of consultants (non-employees) who provide a strategic service 
to the business.

Options are granted either in respect of a completed service period, in which case they vest immediately, or in respect of a future service 
period, in which case they vest over periods of up to three years. They expire after ten years. Exercise prices range from £nil to the mid-
market value of Velocys plc’s ordinary shares on the day prior to grant. Options are fair valued at grant date using the Black-Scholes model 
(which is not the fair value of goods and services received). For a completed service period, fair value is expensed over the service period 
plus the vesting period, for a future service period, fair value is expensed over the vesting period.

Movements in the number of consultants’ share options outstanding and their related weighted average exercise prices are as follows.

At 1 January 
Granted 
Exercised 

At 31 December 

Weighted 
average  
exercise price 

104.15p 
– 
– 

104.15p 

2018 

Number of 
options 

212,625 
– 
– 

212,625 

Weighted 
average  
exercise price 

87.39p 
1.00p 
1.00p 

104.15p 

2017

Number of
options

253,879
81,000
(122,254)

212,625

Of the options outstanding at 31 December 2018, 212,625 were exercisable (2017: 172,625). The weighted average exercise price of the 
exercisable shares was 104.15p (2017: 103.89p). 

52  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Share options outstanding at the end of the year have the following expiry dates and exercise prices.

Year of expiry 

2023 
2024 
2025 

Total 

Range of  
exercise price 

1.00–53.10p 
145.25p 
105.25–143.50p 

1.00–145.25p 

2018 

2017

Weighted 
Number of 
 options 

29,500 
21,375 
161,750 

212,625 

Average 
exercise price 

53.10p 
145.25p 
108.03p 

104.15p 

Weighted
Number of 
 options 

29,500 
21,375 
161,750 

212,625 

Average
exercise price

53.10p
145.25p
108.03p

104.15p

In 2016 an award was made to Jan Verloop, who resigned from the Board of Velocys plc in September 2016, in respect of consultancy 
services thereafter performed in 2016; these options were granted in 2017. Two further awards were made in 2017 and subsequently 
granted. The number of options was determined by the average share price in the quarter prior to the service period, and the options 
vested immediately.

No options have been granted in respect of 2018; the weighted average fair value of options granted in 2017 was 57.59p per option.  
The significant inputs into the model were as follows.

Weighted average share price at grant date 
Weighted average exercise price 
Weighted average expected volatility 
Weighted average annual risk free rate 
Dividend yield 
Weighted average expected life 

2018 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

2017

48.88p
1.00p
61%
0.0%
0%
0 years

The share-based payment expense for the year includes a cost of £2,000 (2017: £46,000) relating to options granted to consultants.

Share-based payments charge
The total charge for share-based payments during the year was £58,000 (2017: £242,000) of which £32,000 (2017: £46,000) relates  
to options granted to Directors and the remainder to other employees.

16. Loss per share
The basic loss per share is calculated by dividing the loss attributable to owners of the parent Company by the weighted average number 
of ordinary shares in issue during the year.

Loss attributable to owners of Velocys plc (£’000s) 
Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue 

Basic and diluted loss per share (pence) 

2018 

(30,583) 
341,867,109 

(8.95) 

2017

(54,603)
145,729,727

(37.47)

Diluted loss per share is calculated by adjusting the weighted average number of shares in issue to assume conversion of all potential 
dilutive shares. Share options have not been included in the number of shares used for the purpose of calculating diluted loss per 
share since these would be anti-dilutive for the period presented. At the end of 2018 and 2017 there were no other potentially dilutive 
instruments (see note 26). Details of share options are given in note 15.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  53

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

17.  Intangible assets 
Significant accounting policies
Cost or valuation and amortisation
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquisition over the fair value of the Company’s share of the identifiable assets acquired 
and liabilities and contingent liabilities assumed at the date of acquisition. Goodwill is not amortised. In the balance sheet at 1 January 
2017, £5,445,000 of the Goodwill balance related to the acquisition of Velocys, Inc. in 2008 and £2,668,000 to the acquisition of Velocys 
Project Solutions, LLC (VPS) in 2014. The Goodwill balance was written down to nil in 2017 (see Impairment below).

In-process technology 
In-process technology consists of purchased intangibles and capitalised development costs and arose from the acquisition of Velocys, Inc. 
and Velocys Project Solutions, LLC (VPS).

In respect of intangible assets acquired as part of a business combination, the Company recognises these as distinct from Goodwill 
provided, they are separable or arise from contractual or other legal rights, and their fair value can be measured reliably. Intangible assets 
are initially recognised at fair value, which is regarded as their cost. They are subsequently held at cost less accumulated amortisation 
and impairment losses. 

Prior to 2017, amortisation was charged using the units-of-production method based on useful economic lives of the assets projected  
over future sales of 1,400 four-core reactors. Amortisation began in 2015 based on the manufacture of the first commercial reactors.  
From 1 January 2017, following an update to the Company’s business model, whereby it is concentrating on the development of 
biorefineries rather than the licensing of technology to third parties, the expected pattern of consumption of the future economic benefits 
has been revised. The Company estimates that the total useful economic life of the asset is 20 years, from the completion of the first two 
reactors in August 2015. Amortisation is charged on a straight-line basis over the remaining estimated useful economic life of the asset, 
being 18.7 years from 1 January 2017 resulting in an increase of the amortisation charge for the year of £1,577,000. Subsequently in 2017, 
the Company fully impaired the In-process technology asset, as a result there was no amortisation charge in 2018.

Research costs are recognised as an expense in the Income statement as they are incurred. 

Development costs, where the related expenditure is separately identifiable and measurable, and management are satisfied as to the 
ultimate technical and commercial viability of the project and that the asset will generate future economic benefit based on all relevant 
available information, are recognised as an intangible asset. Capitalised development costs are carried at cost less accumulated 
amortisation and impairment losses. Amortisation is charged over periods expected to benefit, typically up to 20 years, commencing  
with launch of the product. Development costs not meeting the criteria for capitalisation are expensed as incurred.

Patents, licences and trademarks
Patents and trademarks are recorded at cost less accumulated amortisation and impairment losses. Amortisation is charged on a 
straight-line basis over a period of 20 years, which is their estimated useful economic life. Residual values and useful lives are reviewed 
annually and adjusted if appropriate. The Company decided to abandon certain non-core patents in 2018 and 2017. This resulted in a loss 
on disposal of patents of £627,000 (2017: loss of £152,000).

Customer contracts
Customer contracts are carried at cost less impairment losses. The customer contract value that had been fully impaired in 2015 related 
to an expected project development fee negotiated during the acquisition of VPS in 2014. Its value was contingent on achieving a final 
investment decision on the Ashtabula project in 2015, which did not happen. The customer contracts were written off in 2017.

Software
Purchased software is recorded at cost less accumulated amortisation and impairment losses. Amortisation is charged on a straight-line 
basis over its estimated useful life of three years. 

54  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

Impairment 
Intangible assets are reviewed for impairment annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate their carrying value 
may not be recoverable. To the extent carrying value exceeds recoverable amount, the difference is recognised as an expense in the 
income statement. The recoverable amount used for impairment testing is the higher of value in use and fair value less costs of disposal. 
For the purpose of impairment testing, assets are generally tested individually or at a Cash Generating Unit (CGU) level which represents 
the lowest level for which there are separately identifiable cash inflows that are largely independent of cash inflows from other assets 
or groups of assets. The Company has one CGU on the basis that the key end use market is that of synthetic fuels production. At this 
stage, the synthetic fuels segment represents 100% of the business and therefore represents the only material segment. Based on 
management’s judgement, all products and services offered within the operating segment have similar economic characteristics. 

An impairment loss in respect of Goodwill is not reversed. An impairment loss in respect of intangible assets (excluding Goodwill) is 
reversed if the subsequent increase in recoverable amount can be related objectively to an event occurring after the loss was recognised, 
or if there has been a change in the estimate used to determine the recoverable amount. A loss is reversed only to the extent that the 
asset’s carrying amount does not exceed that which would have been determined, net of depreciation or amortisation, if no impairment 
loss had been recognised.

Were the fair value of the business to change in the coming 12 months, due to an increase or further decrease in the market capitalisation 
of Velocys plc, the impairment disclosed in this note would be reversed or the Company’s assets would be further impaired accordingly. 
Upon analysis performed at 31 December 2018, the Company determined that no reversal of prior year impairments was required or 
additional impairment required. This assessment also considered the operating performance of the Company during 2018 which included 
the ENVIA plant shutting down but progress being made on other projects, new funding obtained and customer agreements signed.  
This 2018 performance, including both negative and positive factors, was also not considered indicative of incremental impairment  
or reversal of previous impairment. 

Critical estimates and judgements
In assessing whether there is any indication that an asset may be impaired, an entity shall consider, as a minimum, a number of indicators 
of potential impairment. In 2018, the Company considered:
˜˜ At varying points during 2018, if the carrying amount of the Company’s net assets exceeded Velocys plc’s market capitalisation;
˜˜ Significant decreases in the market price of the asset; and
˜˜ Significant adverse changes in the extent or manner in which an asset is being used.

Based on the 2018 analysis, the Company concluded that no impairment or reversal of previous impairment was required.

To assess the recoverability of the intangible assets, the recoverable amount is calculated at a CGU level, which represents the lowest 
level for which there are separately identifiable cash inflows that are largely independent of cash inflows from other assets or groups of 
assets. As detailed in the accounting policy set out above, the Company is considered to operate as a single CGU. Due to the early stage of 
the Company’s strategy, its biorefinery development plans are still at too early a stage to provide reliable revenue forecasts for long-term 
discounted cash flow analysis. Consequently, the CGU’s recoverable amount has been determined based on its fair value less costs of 
disposal (fair value), by reference to the total value of the parent Company’s equity based on the AIM-listed shares of the parent Company, 
consistent with the impairment assessment performed in the prior year. 

In 2017, the Company recorded an impairment of its intangibles. The Company considered that using a fair value less cost of disposal 
value of £33.1 million, based on the share price of 10p from the equity raised on 15 January 2018 to the enlarged share capital, for  
the 31 December 2017 impairment assessment would imply that the combined business would be in excess of this at the date of the 
fundraise in January 2018, following the cash injection. The assessment reflected the decrease in the share price resulting from  
the January 2018 fundraise, and applied a per share value of 10p to the number of shares in issue at 31 December 2017. This gave  
a valuation of £14.7 million and, a control premium was not applied, as most of the Company’s significant investors were participating  
in the January 2018 fundraise at the discounted price. As a result of this fair value assessment, the Company recorded an impairment 
charge of £31.5 million in 2017.

The method of allocation of the impairment in 2017 was as follows:
˜˜ Write down Goodwill to nil, resulting in an impairment of £7,398,000.
˜˜

The other assets in the CGU on a pro rata basis, based on the carrying amount of each asset in the CGU. However, within this allocation 
framework, each asset is reduced only to the highest of: 
(i)   Its fair value less costs of disposal, if measurable.
(ii)   Its value in use, if this can be determined.
(iii)  Nil.

This resulted in the following impairment allocation in 2017: 
˜˜

In-process technology £20,610,000.

˜˜ Patents, licence and trademarks £752,000.
˜˜ Property, plant and equipment £2,185,000.
˜˜

Inventories £541,000.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  55

Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

17.  Intangible assets (continued)
Significant accounting policies (continued)
Cost or valuation and amortisation (continued)
Critical estimates and judgements (continued)

2018 

Cost 
At 1 January 2018 
Additions 
Disposals 
Foreign exchange movement 

At 31 December 2018 

Accumulated amortisation and impairment 
At 1 January 2018 
Charge for the year 
Disposals 
Foreign exchange movement 

At 31 December 2018 

Net book amount 
At 31 December 2018 

2017 

Cost 
At 1 January 2017 
Additions 
Disposals 
Write-off of customer contracts 
Foreign exchange movement 

At 31 December 2017 

Accumulated amortisation and impairment 
At 1 January 2017 
Charge for the year 
Disposals 
Write-off of customer contracts 
Impairment 
Foreign exchange movement 

At 31 December 2017 

Net book amount 
At 31 December 2017 

Patents,   

Goodwill 
£’000 

In-process  Licence and 
technology  trademarks 
£’000 

£’000 

Software 
£’000 

Total
£’000

7,398 
– 
– 
– 

7,398 

7,398 
– 
– 
– 

7,398 

23,681 
– 
– 
– 

23,681 

23,681 
– 
– 
– 

23,681 

2,159 
349 
(956) 
28 

1,580 

1,404 
96 
(329) 
52 

1,223 

– 

– 

357 

96 
– 
– 
– 

96 

96 
– 
– 
– 

96 

– 

33,334
349
(956)
28

32,755

32,579
96
(329)
52

32,398

357

In-process 
Goodwill 
£’000 

Patents,
licence and 
Customer 
technology  trademarks 
£’000 

£’000 

Contracts 
£’000 

Software 
£’000 

Total
£’000

8,113 
– 
– 
– 
(715) 

25,942 
– 
– 
– 
(2,261) 

7,398 

23,681 

– 
– 
– 
– 
7,398 
– 

7,398 

1,628 
1,577 
– 
– 
20,610 
(134) 

2,248 
335 
(282) 
– 
(142) 

2,159 

678 
144 
(130) 
– 
752 
(40) 

23,681 

1,404 

– 

– 

755 

1,473 
– 
– 
(1,473) 
– 

– 

1,473 
– 
– 
(1,473) 
– 
– 

– 

– 

101 
– 
– 
– 
(5) 

96 

63 
36 
– 
– 
– 
(3) 

96 

37,877
335
(282)
(1,473)
(3,123)

33,334

3,842
1,757
(130)
(1,473)
28,760
(177)

32,579

– 

755

56  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18. Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment is stated at historical cost, net of depreciation and any provision for impairment. Cost includes the original 
purchase price of the asset and the costs attributable to bringing the asset to working condition for its intended use. Depreciation is 
provided on all property, plant and equipment at rates calculated to write off the cost, less estimated residual value, of each asset on  
a straight-line basis over its expected useful life, which for plant and machinery is three to ten years. No depreciation is provided on  
land or assets under construction. 

Residual values and useful lives are reviewed annually. Values are estimated using benchmark prices at the balance sheet date; useful 
lives are estimated based on management expectations of future project requirements and operational assessment of the state of assets.

Assets are reviewed for impairment annually and also whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate their carrying value may not 
be recoverable. To the extent the carrying value exceeds the recoverable amount, the difference is recorded as an expense in the Income 
statement. The recoverable amount used for impairment testing is the higher of the value in use and fair value less costs of disposal. 
For the purpose of impairment testing, assets are generally tested individually or at a CGU level, which represents the lowest level for 
which there are separately identifiable cash inflows, which are largely independent of cash inflows from other assets or groups of assets. 
Property, plant and equipment were included in the list of items to which an impairment was applied subsequent to the impairment review 
(see note 17). The value of the impairment was £nil (2017: £2,185,000).

Expenditure funded by research partners is only capitalised where there are no significant rights acquired by the third party over the asset 
and the asset has a clear enduring use beyond the specific funding project, these are regularly reviewed.

2018 

Cost  
At 1 January 2018 
Additions 
Disposals 
Transfers to plant and machinery 
Foreign exchange 

At 31 December 2018 

Accumulated depreciation and impairment 
At 1 January 2018 
Charge for the year 
Disposals 
Foreign exchange 

At 31 December 2018 

Net book amount 
At 31 December 2018 

Assets under  
construction 
£’000 

51 
476 
(4) 
(16) 
25 

532 

31 
– 
– 
2 

33 

499 

Land 
£’000 

1,212 
– 
– 
– 
73 

1,285 

666 
– 
– 
40 

706 

579 

Plant and 
machinery 
£’000 

8,731 
33 
(1,492) 
16 
553 

7,841 

7,496 
563 
(1,466) 
507 

7,100 

Total
£’000

9,994
509
(1,496)
–
651

9,658

8,193
563
(1,466)
549

7,839

741 

1,819

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  57

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

18. Property, plant and equipment (continued)

2017 

Cost 
At 1 January 2017 
Additions 
Disposals 
Transfers to plant and machinery 
Foreign exchange 

At 31 December 2017 

Accumulated depreciation and impairment 
At 1 January 2017 
Charge for the year 
Disposals 
Impairment 
Foreign exchange 

At 31 December 2017 

Net book amount 
At 31 December 2017 

Assets under  
construction 
£’000 

104 
18 
– 
(64) 
(7) 

51 

– 
– 
– 
31 
– 

31 

20 

Land 
£’000 

1,330 
– 
– 
– 
(118) 

1,212 

– 
– 
– 
666 
– 

666 

546 

Plant and 
machinery 
£’000 

12,200 
16 
(2,545) 
64 
(1,004) 

8,731 

7,997 
1,136 
(2,462) 
1,519 
(694) 

7,496 

Total
£’000

13,634
34
(2,545)
–
(1,129)

9,994

7,997
1,136
(2,462)
2,216
(694)

8,193

1,235 

1,801

As at 31 December 2018, the Company had entered into contractual commitments for the acquisition of property, plant and equipment 
amounting to £nil (2017: £2,000).

19. Investment in associate
This investment relates solely to Velocys’ holding in ENVIA Energy, LLC (ENVIA), located at 1021 Main Street, Suite 1000 Houston, TX 77002. 
ENVIA is a US company and is the holding company for the project located in Oklahoma (the ENVIA project). The Company first invested in 
ENVIA in 2014 as entry into a joint venture to develop GTL plants in the US using a combination of renewable biogas (including landfill gas) 
and natural gas. The first of these plants, ENVIA Oklahoma City produced its first product in 2017. 

Associates are all entities over which the Company has significant influence but not control, generally accompanying a shareholding 
of between 20% and 50% of the voting rights. In January 2016, Velocys entered into a financing arrangement with ENVIA under which 
it contributed additional equity finance of $2.6m and committed to provide loan finance of up to $9.3m. As a result of the new funding 
arrangement, Velocys increased its ownership share and was awarded additional voting rights, taking its share of voting rights from 9% 
to 28%. The investment has since been recognised as an Investment in associate, reflecting the significant influence that Velocys holds 
in ENVIA, including voting rights exceeding 20% and a seat on ENVIA’s board. The Company recorded the transaction as a step acquisition 
under the equity method in 2016. 

Investments in associates are accounted for using the equity method of accounting from the date on which it becomes an associate. 
Under the equity method, a cost approach is followed whereby the cost of all purchases are accumulated, including transaction costs, 
to determine the amount of the investment. The notional purchase price allocation, including Goodwill arising on the purchase of the 
additional stake, is calculated using fair value information at the date when the additional interest is acquired. Goodwill is calculated as 
the excess of the cost of the investment over the Company’s share of the net fair value of the investee’s identifiable assets and liabilities 
and included in the carrying amount of the investment. During 2017 Velocys committed to a series of extensions to the loan, which 
increased the facility to $13.8m (£10.3m) (see note 20), however these extensions did not result in a change in the Company’s ownership 
interest or voting rights. In September 2017, one of the joint venture partners, NRG, withdrew its interest and assigned its ownership and 
voting units to the remaining partners such that each was left with voting rights of 33%. No consideration was given in respect of this 
transfer. The Company recorded the transaction as a step acquisition under the equity method in 2017. 

The Company’s share of post-acquisition profit or loss is recognised in the Income statement based on its economic interest. There are 
no post-acquisition movements in Other comprehensive income in the Company’s investments in associates. Distributions received from 
an associate reduce the carrying amount of the investment. The carrying amount of the investment is adjusted to recognise the investor’s 
share of the change in net assets of the investee after the date of acquisition. 

Gains and losses resulting from upstream and downstream transactions between the Company and its associate are recognised in the 
financial statements only to the extent of unrelated investors’ interests in the associates. Unrealised losses are eliminated unless the 
transaction provides evidence of an impairment of the asset transferred. Accounting policies of associates have been changed where 
necessary to ensure consistency with the policies adopted by the Company. There have been no dilution gains and losses arising in 
investments in associates.

The Company determines at each reporting date whether there is any objective evidence that the investment in the associate is impaired. 
If this is the case, the Company calculates the amount of impairment as the difference between the recoverable amount of the associate 
and its carrying value and recognises the amount adjacent to share of profit/(loss) of associates in the income statement. 

58  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

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Critical estimates and judgements
For 2017 Change in ownership rights – fair value assessment of ENVIA’s net assets
In September 2017 Velocys increased its equity share and voting rights at ENVIA following the exit of NRG from the joint venture, for no 
consideration. The voting rights for the three remaining joint venture members, including Velocys, were accordingly increased to 33% 
each. The increased interest in the associate was acquired through an increase in an existing stake. There is an accounting policy choice 
available for the acquisition of an associate in stages (step acquisition). Velocys applied the ‘cost approach’, whereby there is a requirement 
to assess the fair value of both the consideration and the net assets being acquired. The fair value of the net assets being acquired was 
determined by its value in use, assessed by the estimated future cash flows discounted to their present value using an appropriate pre-
tax discount rate model, which requires the use of a number of key assumptions. The Company recorded a gain on bargain purchase of 
£1,750,000 in 2017 in respect of the step acquisition.

Impairment of the investment in ENVIA
The calculations use projections derived from cash flow forecasts developed by Velocys, covering the two-year period from 2018 to 2019, 
and subsequently extrapolated to 2037, which is considered to be the economic life of the asset, using the estimated long-term growth 
rate. The cash flow forecast relies on the intimate working knowledge of the plant that Velocys has gained since the beginning of the 
start-up process. Ongoing uncertainties, for example, with the availability and price of RINs, are taken into account by using a number of 
different scenarios in the model. IAS 36 requires that when performing an impairment review that risk is incorporated into the impairment 
model. This can be done either in the cash flows or through the discount rate. The Company has incorporated risk through the cash flow 
forecasts by assessing a number of potential outcomes and assigning a probability of the likelihood of each of these outcomes occurring. 
The range of the value in use based on these potential outcomes is significant, which reflects the early stage nature of the venture. The key 
assumptions included in calculating the recoverable amount are set out below.

(i)  Sales volume
The plant capacity is 250 barrels per day (bpd) production and the model assumes 200 bpd average actual production at the plant due 
to varied reduction in availability due to time out for catalyst regeneration, catalyst change out or other maintenance. It assumes that a 
large majority of the product will qualify for RINs. There are offtake agreements in place for all products that exceed five years for 100% 
of products produced and there is a six-month contract in place for all of the available RIN credits generated; therefore, the sales volume 
risk is solely based on operational availability. As indicated above, sensitivity analysis reveals that a decrease to 186 bpd from the 200 
bpd modelled availability (which is over 25 bpd below operating plan) would be required in order to generate a material change in the cash 
flows. The impact of aggressive sensitivity modelling of RIN availability does not have a material impact on cash flows.

(ii)  Sales price/RIN credits
The model is based on an oil price (WTI) of $57.50 per barrel and a RIN price of $2.40 per gallon until October 2018 and then $3.05 per 
gallon, with scenarios looking at an increase or reduction in these prices of 10%. The prices of diesel, naphtha and wax are all indexed to 
the oil price and/or rack pricing that is highly correlated to the price of oil. Although volatility of oil price could significantly vary revenues, 
the price has been relatively stable for the past 12 months and, based on current WTI futures, is projected to trade in this range for the 
remainder of 2018. There is a possibility within the range of modelled scenarios for RIN pricing to result in a material impact on cash flows, 
but not on a risk-adjusted basis, as the current forward outlook shows price recovery. 

(iii) Long-term growth rates
A long-term growth rate of 2% was used to extrapolate the cash flows for the period from 2020 to 2037. This is based on the US long-term 
GDP growth rates, the principal country in which ENVIA operates, and in preference to an industry average rate, given the early stage of 
development in the industry and resulting uncertainty. A reduction in the growth rate to 0% would not result in a material reduction in the 
gain on bargain recorded, or to the impairment recognised.

(iv) Discount rate
The discount rate is based on an estimate of ENVIA’s weighted average cost of capital (WACC) being the average rate of return ENVIA 
expects to compensate all its investors. ENVIA has both equity and debt capital in the form of the loan from Velocys. At September 2017 
(step acquisition) and December 2017 (impairment assessment) a post-tax discount rate (‘discount rate’) of 10.95% was applied to the 
model. It is a reasonable assumption that the discount rate might vary in a range up to 12.7%; this would not result in a material change to 
the value of ENVIA’s net assets.

Impairment assessments
In September 2018, the Board of Directors of ENVIA announced its intentions to suspend operations at the Oklahoma City plant and to 
undertake a review of strategic alternatives in order to preserve the value inherent in the facility. This decision was driven by financial 
circumstances following a leak at the plant, which was established not to be caused by Velocys’ FT technology, as announced on 15 May 
2018. ENVIA’s investigation into the leak identified the ancillary coolant system as the root cause, which was independently verified 
through a third-party insurance company. Based on the Board of Directors of ENVIA decision to suspend operations, the Company 
determined that its investment in ENVIA should be fully impaired. As a result, the Company recorded an impairment of £848,000 in 2018. 

During 2017 the first saleable products using Velocys’ reactors and catalyst had been produced to customer specification and the 
offtakers had begun taking delivery of the waxes, diesel and naphtha. Despite these milestones, ENVIA’s recoverable amount, based  
on its value in use, calculated using a discounted cash flow model, had decreased significantly, predominantly driven by a lower revenue 
forecast based on a revision of product and RIN pricing produced by the Company. The recoverable amount of the investment was 
determined by its value in use, assessed by the estimated future cash flows discounted to their present value using an appropriate  
pre-tax discount rate model, which required the use of a number of key assumptions. These are included in the ‘Change in ownership 
rights – fair value assessment of ENVIA’s net assets’ section above. The Company recorded an impairment of £2,736,000 in 2017.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  59

 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

19. Investment in associate (continued)
Critical judgements
Share of ENVIA’s identifiable assets and liabilities and its share of profit and loss 
Under the equity method the profit or loss of the investor includes its share of the profit or loss of the investee. The Company bases the 
calculation of its share of ENVIA’s identifiable assets and liabilities and its net losses on a value distribution model developed by ENVIA 
that uses the LLC agreement agreed with each of the other parties that hold ownership units. The resulting percentage share differs to 
both the Company’s proportion of ownership units held in ENVIA and its proportion of voting units. This value distribution is considered a 
more appropriate measure of the Company’s economic interest in ENVIA.

Investment in associate  
At 1 January 
Gain on bargain purchase 
Share of loss 
Impairment 
Foreign exchange 

At 31 December 

2018 
£’000 

2,580 
– 
(1,717) 
(848) 
(15) 

– 

2017
£’000

5,865
1,750
(1,784)
(2,736)
(515)

2,580

Summarised financial information for ENVIA
Set out below is the unaudited summarised financial information for ENVIA. The information below reflects the amounts presented in 
the financial statements of ENVIA adjusted for differences in accounting policies between the Company and ENVIA. ENVIA financial 
statements are not prepared under IFRS but management does not consider US GAAP to be materially different from IFRS for this 
purpose. The unaudited amounts below represent the book values and exclude any fair value adjustments that may be required.

ENVIA Energy, LLC 

Summarised balance sheet 
Non-current assets 
Current assets 
Current liabilities 
Non-current liabilities 

Net assets 

Summarised statement of comprehensive loss 
Revenue 
Loss from continuing operations 

Total comprehensive loss 

2018 
(unaudited) 
£’000 

2017
(unaudited)
£’000

55,823 
2,609 
(242) 
(17,231) 

40,959 

445 
(12,282) 

(12,282) 

57,667
2,978
(435)
(10,966)

49,244

409
(7,851)

(7,851)

20. Trade and other receivables
Trade receivables represent assets that are held for collection of contractual cash flows and those cash flows represent solely payments 
of principal and interest. Other receivables consist of vendor deposits and deferred costs associated with an ongoing project. Loan 
receivable represent the outstanding loan and related interest associated with the loan to ENVIA. The interest receivable associated with 
the ENVIA loan is calculated using the effective interest rate method. The Company’s trade receivables and loan receivable are classified 
and measured at amortised cost.

Trade and other receivables – non-current 
Trade and other receivables – current 
Loan receivable 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

281 
930 
3,474 

4,685 

2017
£’000

–
416
10,284

10,700

The Company applies the IFRS 9 simplified approach to measuring ECL which uses a lifetime expected loss allowance for trade 
receivables. To measure the expected credit losses, trade receivables have been grouped based on shared credit risk characteristics and 
the days past due. As part of the ECL analysis, it was noted that trade receivables are considered to be both short term and low credit risk 
and as such any provision would be trivial.

60  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

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Under the general approach, the Company recognises a loss allowance on either a 12-month ECL or lifetime ECL. IFRS 9 prescribes 
three stages related to impairments. In stage 1, a 12month ECL is recorded as a result of probability of default are possible within the 
next 12 months. In stage 2, a lifetime ECL is recorded if a loans credit risk has significantly increased since initial recognition and is not 
considered low. In stage 3, a lifetime ECL is recorded if a loans credit risk increases to the point where it is considered credit impaired. 
The changes in loss allowance balances are recognised in profit loss as an impairment gain or loss. For credit exposure where there have 
not been significant increases in credit risk since initial recognition, a 12-month ECL is required. For credit exposure where there have 
been significant increases in credit risk since initial recognition, a lifetime ECL is required.

As required by IFRS 9, the Company assessed the expected credit loss on the ENVIA receivable at 1 January 2018 to be credit impaired 
(stage 3) based on management’s view of the current and expected circumstances. Two scenarios were considered relevant at 1 January 
2018 - the Upside scenario with a probability weighting of 25% and a Downside scenario with a probability weighting of 75% and applied 
to the determined LGD (loss given default). In calculating the expected credit loss rates, the Company determined the probability of default 
using historical loss rates, and adjusted (where necessary) for forward looking data and information. Overall this resulted in an adjustment 
of £2,274,000 to reflect the lifetime expected credit loss against this receivable. 

In September 2018, the Board of Directors of ENVIA announced its intentions to suspend operations at the Oklahoma City plant and to 
undertake a review of strategic alternatives in order to preserve the value inherent in the facility. At year end a further review of the IFRS 9 
ECL analysis for its loan with ENVIA was performed, updating for the key inputs mentioned above. Based on the year end ECL analysis, the 
Company recorded an additional impairment on a lifetime ECL basis of £10,067,000. The outstanding balance of the loan at 31 December 
2018 is therefore £3,474,000. The loan agreement with ENVIA resulted in a total committed limit of £15, 815,000 and was terminated  
in May 2019.

The loss allowance provision related to loan receivables as at 31 December 2018 reconciles to the opening loss allowance for that provision 
as follows:

1 January 2018 – IAS 39 
Increase in loan receivable loss allowance recognised in impairment expense 

Opening allowance at 1 January 2018 – IFRS 9 

Increase in loan receivable loss allowance recognised in impairment expense 

At 31 December 2018 – IFRS 9 

Presented below is a roll forward of the loan receivable balance as at 31 December 2018.

1 January 2018 – IAS 39 
Increase in loan loss allowance recognised in impairment expense 

Opening balance at 1 January 2018 – IFRS 9 

Drawdowns on loan during 2018 
Increase in loan loss allowance recognised in impairment expense 

31 December 2018 – IFRS 9 

  Loss allowance provision
£’000

–
2,274

2,274

10,067

12,341

Amortised Costs
£’000

10,284
(2,274)

8,010

5,531
(10,067)

3,474

Impairment losses are presented in administrative expense in the Consolidated income statement. 

21. Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realisable value less provision for impairment. Cost is determined on a first-in, first-out 
basis and includes transport and handling costs. In the case of manufactured products, cost includes all direct expenditure including 
production overheads. Where necessary, provision is made for obsolete, slow-moving and defective inventories. Items purchased for use 
in externally funded research and development projects are expensed to that contract immediately. Items held for the Company’s own 
development are also expensed when acquired. Items purchased for ongoing commercial sale are held in inventory and expensed when 
used or sold. 

Raw materials and consumables 
Finished goods 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

1,043 
395 

1,438 

2017
£’000

31
357

388

Raw material and consumables consist primarily of material that will be consumed in the manufacturing of reactors and catalyst.

There were no impairments recorded with respect to inventory in 2018. In 2017, the Company impaired £340,000 of inventory which was 
primarily the value of a remaining inventoried reactor and an immaterial amount of catalyst. The Company impaired the reactor as a 
reflection of the fact that it is unlikely the Company will find a buyer for this reactor due to subsequent advances in the reactor design.  
As part of the impairment allocation described in note 4 the Company impaired £541,000 of inventories in 2017.

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Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  61

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

22. Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash
Cash and cash equivalents includes cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks and other short-term highly liquid investments with 
original maturities of three months or less. 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Restricted cash 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

6,964 
– 

6,964 

2017
£’000

2,070
620

2,690

Restricted cash related to a letter of credit provided to ENVIA under the first amendment to the loan agreement. This was determined to 
be restricted on the basis that for a certain period the funds could only be accessed by ENVIA. In September 2018, the Company received 
notice that ENVIA filed the required paperwork to draw down the standby letter of credit. In October 2018, the standby letter of credit was 
drawn down by ENVIA.

Cash and cash equivalents is denominated in pound sterling and US dollars, and restricted cash is denominated in US dollars, as follows.

Cash and cash equivalents 

pound sterling denominated 
US dollar denominated 
Euro denominated 

Restricted cash 

US dollar denominated 

Total 

23. Trade and other payables: current

Trade payables 
Other taxation and social security 
Accruals 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

5,130 
1,733 
101 

– 

6,964 

2018 
£’000 

853 
395 
1,770 

3,018 

2017
£’000

1,245
825

620

2,690

2017
£’000

604
52
2,242

2,898

Due to their short maturity, the fair value of trade and other payables is not considered to be materially different to their carrying values, 
based on discounted cash flows.

All trade payables are due in 60 days or less (2017: 60 days or less). 

24. Trade and other payables: non-current

Accruals 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

90 

90 

2017
£’000

98

98

The fair values of trade and other payables are not considered to be materially different to their carrying values.

62  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

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25. Financial instruments
On 1 January 2018, the Company adopted IFRS 9. IFRS 9 replaces the provisions of International Accounting Standard 39, ‘Financial 
Instruments: Recognition and Measurement’ (‘IAS 39’), that relate to the recognition, classification and measurement of financial assets 
and financial liabilities, derecognition of financial instruments, impairment of financial assets and hedge accounting. 

Financial assets
Financial assets are classified upon initial recognition and the classification based on the guidance in IFRS 9. In accordance with IFRS 
9, the Company classifies its financial assets as at amortised cost only if both of the following criteria are met: (i) the asset is held within 
a business model with the objective of collecting the contractual cash flows and (ii) the contractual terms give rise on specified dates to 
cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest on the principal outstanding. 

The Company holds cash, trade receivables and loan receivables at amortised costs in accordance with IFRS 9. 

The Company’s principal financial asset is Cash and cash equivalents. From time to time it also holds short-term investments, which are 
cash deposits on fixed terms of interest for more than three months. It last held short-term investments in 2015.

Loans and receivables also includes Trade receivables and Other receivables (see note 20) which are classified as both non-current  
assets and current assets, and the loan to ENVIA (see notes 10, 19 and 20), which was classified as non-current as its maturity is more 
than 12 months from the balance sheet date in 2017. The loan to ENVIA was impaired in 2018, see note 20. 

Financial liabilities
Financial liabilities are classified in accordance with IFRS 9. The financial liabilities of the Company are measured at amortised cost. 

Financial liabilities at amortised cost
Financial liabilities at amortised cost includes Trade payables, all of which are current liabilities (see note 23), Borrowings and Finance 
leases. Trade payables are stated at fair value and subsequently held at amortised cost using the effective interest method. Under 
Borrowings, interest-bearing loans and overdrafts are initially recorded at the fair value of proceeds received net of direct issue costs,  
and thereafter at amortised cost. Finance charges, including premiums payable on settlement or redemption and direct issue costs,  
are recognised in the income statement using the effective interest method and are added to the carrying amount of the instrument  
to the extent that they are not settled in the period in which they arise.

Financial risks
The Company’s exposure to various risks associated with the financial instruments is discussed below. 

Liquidity
The Company’s cash usage is significant versus prospective future cash inflows (particularly in the short term) and Velocys is reliant on 
the support of a small group of major shareholders. The timing of cash flows is difficult to predict given the long development time and 
reliance on external parties. The Board recognises that further funding will be needed. Note 2 discusses uncertainties surrounding the 
extent and composition of future funding. The Company is targeting strategic project investment during the middle of 2019, at which point 
financing optionality is created. 

The fundraise in May 2017 included the issue of loan notes that are convertible into equity. In management’s view, they have the key 
characteristics of equity (see note 26). Velocys continues to take measures to preserve cash in order to protect against unforeseen events.

Equity forms the basis of the Company’s capital. Its objectives when managing this capital are: 
˜˜

To secure its ability to continue as a going concern. 
To keep its cost of capital low through an optimised capital structure.
To preserve sufficient funds to protect it against unforeseen events and risks.
To be in a position to take advantage of opportunities that can deliver a return to shareholders.

˜˜

˜˜

˜˜

The Company’s revenue stream relies on projects incorporating its technology securing project finance. The Company’s strategy is to take 
a proactive role in this process. It is actively engaging with banks and financial advisers with high levels of expertise in project financing to 
support the financing plans for the types of projects it is developing. 

Cash flow forecasts are regularly reviewed, cash balances are held immediately available as necessary, and surplus funds are placed on 
time deposits of varying duration. The Company maintains sufficient cash balances to meet anticipated requirements, however, additional 
funding is required for the Company to remain a going concern. The forecasts show that the Company and Velocys plc require additional 
external funding within the 12-month forecast period to be able to continue as a going concern. The directors anticipate that this will come 
from one, or a combination of, the following three sources, with agreements being actively sought from third parties:
˜˜ Strategic investment of development capital into both the Mississippi and Immingham biorefinery projects,  

which are expected during 2H 2019.

˜˜ Placement of Company ordinary shares, which may occur within the next twelve (12) months.
˜˜ Additional third-party licence sales, such as the Red Rock Biofuels project.

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Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  63

Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

25. Financial instruments (continued)
Exchange rates
A significant proportion of commercial activity and development costs are US-dollar denominated. Where possible, revenue is receipted  
in US dollars to act as a natural hedge against this exposure. Additionally, a proportion of liquid assets is held in US dollars. 

The use of financial derivatives is governed by Company policies, which are approved by the Board of Directors, and which provide a set  
of written principles for the management of these risks.

The table below illustrates the Company’s sensitivity to changes in the US dollar exchange rate at the balance sheet date. The analysis 
covers only financial assets and liabilities.

GBP:USD exchange rate +/- 10% 

Income  
statement 
£’000 

84 

2018 

Equity 
£’000 

(242) 

Income  
statement 
£’000 

98 

2017

Equity
£’000

1,162

Credit
The Company’s credit risk is primarily attributable to its trade receivables, which are concentrated in a small number of high value 
customer accounts. This risk is managed by carrying out relevant financial checks on customers, and where necessary, requiring letters  
of credit or advance payments.

The credit risk of liquid funds is limited through a Company treasury policy, maintained to ensure that liquid assets are only placed with 
highly rated institutions, and that the spread of such assets restricts exposure to any one counterparty. Risk is assessed using an external 
credit rating agency’s long-term ratings.

The maximum exposure to credit risk at the end of the reporting period is the carrying amount of each class of financial assets mentioned 
above. Refer to Note 20 for credit risk disclosures relating to the ENVIA loan.

Interest rates
Variations in interest rates affect only Velocys’ cash holdings, as its borrowing is payable at a fixed rate. As far as the cash flow forecast 
allows for certainty, funds are placed on fixed rate deposits. The effect of interest rates on exchange rates is not anticipated.

Financial assets are as follows.

Assets 
Trade and other receivables excluding non-financial assets 
Cash and cash equivalents 

Total 

Assets 
Trade and other receivables excluding non-financial assets 
Cash and cash equivalents 
Restricted cash 

Total 

 31 December 2018

Loans and  
receivables 
£’000 

Assets at fair 
value through 
profit or loss 
£’000 

1,198 
6,964 

8,162 

– 
– 

– 

Total
£’000

1,198
6,964

8,162

 31 December 2017

Loans and  
receivables 
£’000 

Assets at fair 
value through 
profit and loss 
£’000 

10,575 
2,070 
620 

13,265 

– 
– 
– 

– 

Total
£’000

10,575
2,070
620

13,265

64  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

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The credit risk of short-term investments, cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash is summarised in the following table.

Short-term bank deposits, cash at bank and in hand 

Aa1 
Aa2 
Aa3 
A1   
A2   

Total 
Restricted cash 
Aa2 

Financial liabilities are as follows.

Liabilities as per balance sheet 
Borrowings 
Trade and other payables excluding non-financial liabilities 
Accruals 

Total 

Liabilities as per balance sheet 
Borrowings 
Trade and other payables excluding non-financial liabilities 
Accruals 
Finance lease liabilities 

Total 

The contractual maturity of financial liabilities is as follows.

Within one year 
Within two to five years 

Total 

£’000 

517 
– 
4,064 
24 
2,359 

6,964 

– 

2018 

% 

7 
– 
59 
– 
34 

100 

– 

£’000 

– 
102 
1,040 
904 
24 

2,070 

620 

2017

%

–
5
50
44
1

100

100

Financial liabilities 
at amortised cost 
£’000 

289 
943 
1,770 

3,002 

Financial liabilities 
at amortised cost 
£’000 

540 
604 
2,340 
1 

3,485 

2018 
£’000 

3,002 
– 

3,002 

31 December 2018

Total
£’000

289
943
1,770

3,002

31 December 2017

Total
£’000

540
604
2,340
1

3,485

2017
£’000

3,232
253

3,485

The financial liabilities payable with one year, consisting primarily of trade payables and year-end accruals, will be paid in accordance with 
the terms of the agreements, generally 30 to 60 days.

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Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  65

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

26. Called up share capital and reserves
Share capital and share premium include ordinary shares in Velocys plc issued to shareholders and options that have been exercised  
by employees and associated consultants. 

Convertible loan note instruments (‘loan notes’) issued by the Company allow the issuer the right to exchange all outstanding loan notes 
and all accrued interest thereon for equity in the parent Company. The Company assesses whether the loan notes and the conversion 
feature should be classified as a financial liability or equity instrument. In making this assessment the Company assesses whether there 
is an obligation for the Company to:
a)  deliver cash to another entity; or to exchange financial assets or financial liabilities with another entity under conditions that are 

b) 

potentially unfavourable to the Company (as the issuer); and
if the instrument will or may be settled in the issuer’s own equity instruments it is:
(i)  a non-derivative that includes no contractual obligation for the Company to deliver a variable number of its own equity 

instruments; or

(ii)  a derivative that will be settled only by the Company exchanging a fixed amount of cash or another financial asset for a fixed 

number of its own equity instruments. 

If these criteria are met, the loan notes will be recorded as an equity instrument. 

In May 2017 18,000,000 loan notes were issued to the Company’s two largest shareholders at a price of £0.50 per share. The final maturity 
date of the loan notes is 18 months from the date of issue, after which the Company has the right but not the obligation to convert the 
outstanding principal and interest into a fixed number of ordinary shares, at a conversion price of £0.50 per share. The fixed annual 
interest rate is 8.0%, with accrued interest also being convertible into additional ordinary shares. 

Based on the contractual terms it was determined that the Company does not have a contractual obligation to deliver cash to the loan 
note holders, and the loan notes convert into a fixed number of shares at a fixed price. Based on these criteria being met the loan notes 
were recorded as an equity instrument. The interest accrued on the loan notes is recorded as a distribution to holders of the loan notes 
within equity. 

At 1 January 2017 
Employee share options scheme: Shares issued  

including 1p exercise price options 

Holdback shares 
Convertible loan notes 
Interest on convertible loan notes 

At 31 December 2017 
Proceeds from share issues 
Convertible loan notes 
Interest on convertible loan notes 

At 31 December 2018 
* 

All shares have been issued, authorised and fully paid.

Number of  
shares*  
(thousands) 

144,501 

2,318 
41 
– 
– 

146,860 
243,463 
18,000 
2,100 

410,423 

Ordinary 
shares 
£’000 

1,445 

23 
– 
– 
– 

1,468 
243 
180 
22 

1,913 

Share 
premium 
(restated) 
£’000 

149,886 

(13) 
91 
– 
– 

149,964 
22,397 
8,820 
1,027 

182,208 

Convertible
loan/’other’
reserve
£’000

–

–
–
9,000
421

9,421
–
(9,000)
(421)

–

The presentation of share premium in the period ended 31 December 2017 has been restated with respect to the convertible loan notes, in 
the amount of £9,000,000, and the interest on convertible loan notes, in the amount of £421,000.

In January 2018 Velocys announced a gross fundraise of £18.4 million (£16.8 million net of fees and expenses). This constituted a firm 
placing of Ordinary shares and a conditional placing of Ordinary shares. The firm placing was of 139,605,000 Ordinary shares and 
the conditional placing was of 44,057,946 Ordinary shares, both at a price of £0.10 with existing and new shareholders. These shares 
represented 55.5% of the enlarged Ordinary share capital. 

In August 2018 Velocys announced a gross fundraise of £6.0 million (£5.6 million net of fees and expenses). This constituted a firm placing 
of Ordinary shares and a conditional placing of Ordinary shares. The firm placing was of 30,000,000 Ordinary shares at a price of £0.10 with 
existing and new shareholders. These shares represented 14.4% of the enlarged Ordinary share capital. 

In November 2018, the 18,000,000 loan notes that were issued in 2017 to two of Company’s largest shareholders matured; as such the 
Company issued 20,100,000 shares. The Company issued 420,000 of shares to HMRC related to the £1.1 million of interest expense 
associated with the loan notes. 

A total of 9,362,496 (2017: 10,014,317) options to subscribe for ordinary shares of Velocys plc have been granted and are outstanding  
at 31 December 2018 under the employee options schemes operated within the Company and contracts for options granted to a limited 
number of consultants. Details are given in note 15.

66  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

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Reserves
Foreign exchange reserve relates to the exchange differences arising from the retranslation of the results and opening net assets  
of foreign subsidiaries. Changes in the reserve are included in other comprehensive income. The Company’s foreign exchange reserve  
was a credit balance of £2,061,000 (2017: a credit balance of £2,654,000). 

The share-based payment reserve records the IFRS 2 charge for equity settled share-based payment awards. At 31 December 2018,  
the Company’s share-based payment reserve was £16,143,000 (2017: £16,085,000). 

27. Commitments
The Company leases certain property, plant and equipment. Leases in which a significant portion of the risks and rewards of ownership 
are retained by the lessor are classified as operating leases. Payments made under operating leases (net of any incentives received from 
the lessor) are charged to the income statement on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease. Leases under which the Company 
incurs substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are classified as finance leases, however, are not material to the Company.

Operating lease commitments
The Company leases various offices under non-cancellable operating lease agreements. The lease terms are between two and five years 
and the majority of lease agreements are renewable at the end of the lease period at market rate.

Future aggregate minimum lease payments 
Within one year 
Between one and five years 
After more than five years 

Total 

Capital commitments are not material.

2018 
£’000 

414 
900 

1,314 

2017
£’000

395
1,267
–

1,662

28. Other liabilities
Other liabilities are comprised of development funding received from industry partners and the UK Department for Transport related to 
the next stage of the UK waste to jet project, £2,092,000 in 2018 (nil:2017).

29. Deferred revenue
The Company recognised the following liabilities associated with contracts with customers:

£’000 

At 1 January 2017 

Contract liabilities incurred 
Revenue recognised in the period 

At 31 December 2017 

Contract liabilities incurred 
Revenue recognised in the period 

At 31 December 2018 

Catalyst 

Reactor 

Licence 

1,721 

– 
(483) 

1,238 

1,334 
(507) 

2,065 

– 

– 
– 

– 

1,949 
– 

1,949 

– 

– 
– 

– 

1,199 
– 

1,199 

Total

1,721

–
(483)

1,238

4,482
(507)

5,213

Contract liabilities consist of deferred revenue as a result of instances in which the Company’s receives payments received prior to the 
satisfaction of the performance obligation. Revenue is allocated to the respective performance obligations based on relative transaction 
prices and is recognised as services are delivered to the customer or in some instance, as when the catalyst is leased, revenue is 
recognised over the estimated life of the catalyst.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  67

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)

30. Related parties
For 2018, the Company recognised catalyst lease revenue totalling £534,000 related to a catalyst lease agreement with ENVIA, an 
associate in which the Company has ownership and voting rights as detailed in note 19 of the consolidated financial statements.  
As at 31 December 2018, draw downs on the loan facility had been made by ENVIA in the amount of £5,531,000. In September 2018,  
the Board of Directors of ENVIA announced its intentions to suspend operations at the Oklahoma City plant and to undertake a review of 
strategic alternatives in order to preserve the value inherent in the facility. This decision was driven by financial circumstances following 
a leak at the plant, as announced on 15 May 2018. ENVIA’s investigation into the leak identified the ancillary coolant system as the root 
cause, which was independently verified through a third-party insurance company. As a result of the decision of the Board of Directors 
of ENVIA, the Company fully impaired its investment in ENVIA. In addition, the Company impaired £12,341,000 related to the loan facility 
during 2018.

 For 2017 the Company recognised catalyst lease revenue totalling £484,000 related to a catalyst lease agreement with ENVIA,  
an associate in which the Company has ownership and voting rights as detailed in note 19 of the consolidated financial statements. 
During 2017 Velocys committed to provide up to $13,810,000 to ENVIA through a senior loan note, which bears interest of 10%, and is  
due for repayment on 31 December 2019 with an optional extension to 31 December 2020. As at 31 December 2017, draw downs on this 
facility had been made by ENVIA in the amount of £13,010,000.

The Company provided engineering services of £100,000 to Norma Investments Limited, which is the parent Company of Ervington 
Investments, the largest shareholder in Velocys plc with a holding of 28.9% at 31 December 2017.

Disclosures related to key management personnel can be located in the Directors remuneration report, see page 20. Only the Executive 
and Non-Executive Directors are recognised as being key management personnel.

31. Net debt reconciliation
This section sets out an analysis of net debt and the movements in net debt for each of the periods presented.

Cash and cash equivalents 
Borrowings – repayable with one year 
Borrowings – repayable after one year 

Net debt 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Gross debt – fixed interest rate 

Net debt 

32. Post financial position events
The following events took place after 31 December 2018.

2018 
£’000 

6,964 
(289) 
– 

6,675 

6,964 
(289) 

6,675 

2017
£’000

2,690
(268)
(273)

2,149

2,690
(541)

2,149

Appointment of Directors
The appointments of Philip Holland and Darran Messem as Non-Executive Directors to the Board of Velocys plc was made on  
1 January 2019.

Red Rock Biofuels amendments
The Company agreed a series of amendments in its licensing contracts on 12th February 2019, with Red Rock Biofuels LLC (RRB), 
regarding RRB’s license of Velocys Fischer-Tropsch reactors and proprietary catalyst for the RRB biorefinery under construction in 
Lakeview, Oregon, USA. The amendments are at RRB’s request and allow it to complete the biorefinery on their desired timeline.  
The amended agreement will see Velocys accelerate delivery of the first of four reactors and first four charges of catalyst. It will also 
reduce the firm commitment for reactors from six to four but RRB will retain an option to acquire reactors 5 and 6 until the end of 2020, 
for delivery at the existing contract price. These changes have a positive impact on Velocys’ near-term cash flow of an estimated £1.4 
million and a decrease in future revenue of nearly £3.8 million (out of a total contract value of approximately £19.1 million). Should RRB 
exercise its option to purchase the two additional reactors the total contract value will return to approximately £19.1 million. RRB remains 
committed to purchase a total of six charges of catalyst in 2019.

ENVIA Settlement
The Company has completed negotiations in April 2019 with one of the remaining partners and landfill gas supplier to sell some of the 
assets and remove the Company’s liens associated with its loans to ENVIA from the Company and release the site to the landlord so that 
they can pursue their own business from the site for a total of £3.26m. Please see note 20 for additional information regarding the ENVIA 
loan. This will be referred collectively as the ENVIA settlement and is considered a best outcome for the loans made of £15.8m and a 
positive result from the activity with ENVIA including all the operating and management data secured from the operation of this full scale 
operational FT plant.

68  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

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Velocys plc statement of financial position 
as at 31 December 2018

Assets 
Non-current assets 
Investments in subsidiaries 

Current assets 
Trade and other receivables 
Current income tax asset 
Cash and cash equivalents 

Total assets 

Current liabilities 
Trade and other payables 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Capital and reserves attributable to owners of Velocys plc 
Called up share capital 
Share premium account 
Share-based payment reserve 
Convertible loan note/”other” reserve 
Accumulated losses 
At 1 January 
Loss for the year attributable to owners 
Convertible loan note interest 

Total equity 

Note  

7 

5 

9 
9 
9 

2018 
£’000 

12,377 

7 
589 
1,803 

14,776 

(75) 

(75) 

14,701 

1,913 
182,208 
16,143 
– 

(162,237) 
(22,698) 
(628) 

14,701 

(Restated)
2017
£’000

14,441

6
438
–

14,885

(184)

(184)

14,701

1,468
149,964
16,085
9,421

(99,116)
(62,700)
(421)

14,701

The notes on pages 72 to 78 are part of these parent Company financial statements.

Share premium in the period ending 31 December 2017 has been restated by £9.0m to corrrect the presentation of the convertible loan 
notes as separate equity instruments. In November 2018, these convertible loan notes converted into ordinary shares. See Note 26 for 
further information.

The financial statements on pages 69 to 78 were approved by the Board of Directors on 14 May 2019 and signed on its behalf by:

Henrik Wareborn
Chief Executive Officer
14 May 2019

Company number 05712187 

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  69

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Velocys plc statement of changes in equity 
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Share 

Called up 
share capital 
£’000 

premium  Share-based  Convertible 
account 
payment 
(Restated)  
£’000 

reserve  note/’other’ 
reserve 

£’000 

loan   Accumulated 
losses 
£’000 

Total
 equity
£’000

Balance at 1 January 2017 

1,438 

149,275 

15,843 

Loss for the year 
Foreign currency translation differences 

Total comprehensive expense 

Transactions with owners 
Share-based payments – value of employee services 

Proceeds from share issues 
Convertible loan notes 
Interest on convertible loan notes 

Total transactions with owners 

Balance at 1 January 2018 

Net loss for the year 
Foreign currency translation differences 

Total comprehensive expense 

Transactions with owners 
Share-based payments – value of employee services 
Proceeds from share issues 
Convertible loan notes 
Interest on convertible loan notes 

Total transactions with owners 

Balance at 31 December 2018 

– 
– 

– 

– 

30 
– 
– 

30 

– 
– 

– 

– 

689 
– 
– 

689 

– 
– 

– 

242 

– 
– 
– 

242 

1,468 

149,964 

16,085 

– 
– 

– 

– 
243 
180 
22 

445 

– 
– 

– 

– 
22,397 
8,820 
1,027 

32,244 

– 
– 

– 

58 
– 
– 
– 

58 

– 

– 
– 

– 

– 

– 
9,000 
421 

9,421 

9,421 

– 
– 

– 

– 
– 
(9,000) 
(421) 

(9,421) 

(99,116) 

67,440

(56,839) 
(5,861) 

(56,839)
(5,861)

(62,700) 

(62,700)

– 

242 

– 
– 
(421) 

(421) 

719
9,000
–

9,961

(162,237) 

14,701

(28,314) 
5,616 

(28,314)
5,616

(22,698) 

(22,698)

– 
– 
– 
(628) 

58
22,640
–
–

(628) 

22,698

1,913 

182,208 

16,143 

– 

(185,563) 

14,701

The notes on pages 72 to 78 are part of these parent Company financial statements.

Share premium in the period ended 31 December 2017 has been restated by £9.0m to correct the presention of the convertible loan notes 
as a separate equity instruments. In November 2018, these convertible loan notes converted into ordinary shares. See Note 26 for further 
information.

70  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Velocys plc statement of cash flows 
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Cash flows from operating activities 
Operating loss before taxation 
Impairment of subsidiaries 
Share-based payments 
Changes in working capital 

Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 

Cash consumed by operations 
Tax credit received 

Net cash used in operating activities 

Cash flow from investing activities 
Intercompany balances 
Interest received 

Net cash generated from investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities 
Proceeds from issues of shares and convertible loan notes 
Costs of issuing shares and convertible loan notes 

Net cash generated from financing activities 

Net movement in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 
Exchange movements on cash and cash equivalents 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 

The notes on pages 72 to 78 are part of these parent Company financial statements. 

2018 
£’000 

(33,972) 
33,288 
58 

(1) 
(113) 

(740) 
– 

(740) 

(31,365) 
5,510 

(25,855) 

23,065 
(628) 

22,437 

(4,158) 
– 
5,961 

1,803 

2017
£’000

(62,294)
57,256
–

25
115

(10,546)
829

(9,717)

(5,648)
–

(5,646)

10,160
(443)

9,717

–
–
–

–

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  71

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements of Velocys plc

1.  General information
Velocys plc is a holding Company incorporated in England and Wales and domiciled in England. It operates through a number of 
subsidiaries in the UK and the US, and collectively they are referred to in the financial statements as the ‘Company’ or ‘Velocys’,  
with Velocys plc as ‘Velocys plc’ or the ‘parent Company’.

Velocys plc is a public limited Company listed on AIM.

2.  Accounting policies
The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these parent Company financial statements are the same as those of the 
Company unless otherwise specified. The additional accounting policy for the parent Company relates to the Investments in subsidiaries 
(see note 7). The policies have been consistently applied to each year presented unless otherwise stated.

Basis of preparation
The basis of preparation is the same as the Company, as set out on page 34 of the consolidated financial statements. The parent Company 
has taken advantage of the legal dispensation contained in Section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 allowing it not to publish  
a separate income statement and related notes and not to publish a separate statement of other comprehensive income.  
The comprehensive loss for the parent Company for the year was £22,698,000 (2017: loss £62,700,000), see note 7. There were  
no impairments recorded by the Company in 2018.

Going concern
The going concern of Velocys plc is intrinsically linked to that of its subsidiaries, through which it trades in the UK and the US. The going 
concern basis of preparation is consistent with that set out for the Company. See note 2 of the consolidated financial statements. 

Accounting developments
New and amended standards adopted by the Company
The Company has applied the following standards and amendments for the first time for the annual reporting period commencing  
1 January 2018:
˜˜

IFRS 9 Financial Instruments
IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers

˜˜

˜˜ Classification and Measurement of Share-based Payment Transactions – Amendments to IFRS 2 
˜˜

Transfers to Investment Property – Amendments to IAS 40
Interpretation 22 Foreign Currency Transactions and Advance Consideration

˜˜

The Company also elected to adopt the following amendments early:
˜˜ Annual Improvements to IFS Standards 2015 – 2017 Cycle.

IFRS 9 Financial Instruments
Velocys plc and its subsidiaries adopted International Financial Reporting Standard 9, Financial Instruments (‘IFRS 9’), on 1 January 2018.  
IFRS 9 replaces the provisions of International Accounting Standard 39, Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement (‘IAS 39’),  
that relate to the recognition, classification and measurement of financial assets and financial liabilities, derecognition of financial 
instruments, impairment of financial assets and hedge accounting. 

IFRS 9 introduces principle-based requirements for the classification of financial assets, using the following measurement categories:
˜˜ Amortised cost
˜˜ Fair value through Other Comprehensive Income (‘OCI’) (‘FVOCI’) with cumulative gains and losses reclassified to profit or loss  

upon derecognition

˜˜ Fair value through profit loss (‘FVPL’)

The classification depends on the Company’s business model for managing the financial assets and the contractual terms of the cash 
flows. 

All financial liabilities are measured at amortised cost, except for financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss. 

After initial recognition, an entity cannot reclassify any financial liability.

IFRS 9 also introduces a new impairment model, the expected credit loss (“ECL”) model. This model applies to debt instruments measured 
at amortised cost or at FVOCI, as well as trade receivables. 

At December 31, 2018, IFRS 9 did not impact Velocys plc as a result of Velocys plc not having any trade receivables.

72  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers
Velocys plc and its subsidiaries adopted IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers on January 1, 2018 on a full retrospective 
transition method. The comparative figures in the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2017 were not 
required to be restated as a result of the adoption of IFRS 15.

IFRS 15 introduces a five-step model which is applied to determine when to recognise revenue, and at what amount. The five steps consist 
of (i) identifying the customer, (ii) identifying all of the performance obligations within the contract, (iii) determine the transaction price, 
(iv) allocating the price to the performance obligations and (v) recognizing revenue as the performance obligations are fulfilled. Revenue 
is recognised when (or as) a company transfers control of goods or services to a customer at the amount to which the company expects 
to be entitled. Depending on whether certain criteria are met, revenue is recognised either over time, in a manner that best reflects the 
Company’s performance, or at a point in time, when control of the goods or services is transferred to the customer.

New standards and interpretations not yet adopted
IFRS 16 Leases
IFRS 16 was issued in January 2016. It will result in almost all leases being recognised on the balance sheet by lessees, as the distinction 
between operating and finance leases is removed. Under the new standard, an asset (the right to use leased item) and a financial liability 
to pay rents are recognised. The only exceptions are short-term and low-value leases.

The Company has reviewed all its leasing arrangements over the last year considering the new lease accounting rules in IFRS 16. 
The standard will primarily affect the accounting for the Company’s operating leases. 

The Company’s activities as a lessor are not material and the Company does not expect any significant impact on the financial statements 
related to lessor activities. However, there may be additional disclosures related to these activities that will be required for 2019 and 
subsequent years.

The Company will apply this standard on the mandatory adoption date of 1 January 2019. The Company intends to apply the simplified 
transition approach and will not restate comparative amounts for the year prior to adoption. Right-of-use assets for property leases will 
be measured on transition as if the new rules had always been applied. All other right-of-use assets will be measured at the amount of the 
lease liability on adoptions (adjusting for any prepaid or accrued lease expenses). 

There are no other standards that are not yet effective and that would be expected to have a material impact on the Company in the 
current or future reporting periods or on foreseeable future transactions.

Financial risk management policies
Financial risk management policies are set out in the Strategic report on page 10 and in note 25 of the consolidated financial statements.

Capital management policies
Capital management policies are set out in note 25 of the consolidated financial statements.

3.  Critical accounting estimates and judgements
In applying the parent Company’s relevant accounting policies set out in note 2, the parent Company is required to make certain estimates 
and judgements concerning the future. Although these estimates and judgements are based on management’s best knowledge of 
the amount and or timing, actual results ultimately may differ. These estimates and judgements are regularly reviewed and revised as 
necessary. The estimates and judgements that have the most significant effect on the amounts included in these financial statements are 
listed below and described in the relevant note.

Item of critical estimate 

Investment in subsidiaries – impairment assessment 

Note

7

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  73

 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements of Velocys plc (continued)

4.  Exceptional items
Items that are significant by virtue of their size or nature, which are considered non-recurring and which are excluded from the underlying 
profit measures used by the Board Executive Committee to monitor and measure the underlying performance of the parent Company are 
classified as exceptional items. They include, for instance, impairments to the parent Company’s investments in subsidiaries. Exceptional 
items are included within the appropriate parent Company income statement category but are highlighted separately in the notes to the 
financial statements.

The following exceptional items have been included in the income statement.

Impairment of investment in subsidiaries 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

(33,288) 

(33,288) 

2017
£’000

(57,256)

(57,256)

At the end of 2018 and 2017, the parent Company reviewed for impairment its investments in subsidiaries in light of the respective closing 
market capitalisation and concluded that an impairment was required in 2018 and 2017. As a result of this analysis Velocys plc recorded 
an impairment of £33,288,000 (2017: £57,256,000) related to its investment in subsidiaries.

5.  Income tax

Current tax: 

R&D tax credit relating to prior years 
R&D tax credit relating to current year 

Current tax total 

Income tax total 

2018 
£’000 

152 
(300) 

(148) 

(148) 

2017
£’000

(179)
(438)

(617)

(617)

Due to the availability of losses incurred in the year, there is no charge to corporation tax. The parent Company recognised £148,000 for 
R&D tax credits in 2018 (2017: £617,000). 

The actual tax credit for the current and previous year is lower (2017: lower) than the theoretical amount that would arise using the 
weighted average tax rate for the reasons set out in the following reconciliation.

Loss before income tax 

Tax calculated at domestic tax rates applicable to losses in the respective countries  

Tax effects of: 

Expenses not deductible for tax purposes 
Impairment loss not deductible for tax purposes 

(Utilised) /Unutilised tax losses 
R&D tax credit 

Income tax total 

2018 
£’000 

(28,314) 

(5,380) 

8 
6,108 
(736) 
(148) 

(148) 

2017
£’000

(57,456)

(11,060)

4
11,022
34
(617)

(617)

The impairment loss not deductible for tax purposes represents the impairment of investment in subsidiaries as described in note 7. 

The weighted average applicable tax rate was 19% (2017: 19.25%).

The standard rate of corporation tax in the United Kingdom changed from 20% to 19% with effect from 1 April 2017. Accordingly, profits 
in the United Kingdom for 2018 were taxed at 19%. Legislation to reduce the rate to 17% from 1 April 2020 was enacted on 15 September 
2016. The parent Company has not recognised a deferred tax asset or liability in 2018 (2017 £nil). Unrecognised UK deferred tax balances 
have been measured at 17% (recognised: £nil).

74  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

www.velocys.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6.  Deferred tax
The parent Company has not recognised a deferred tax asset or liability in 2018 (2017 £nil).

Unrecognised 
Deferred tax assets 
Trading losses 

Total 

2018 
£’000 

(8,579) 

(8,579) 

2017
£’000

(8,411)

(8,411)

At 31 December 2018, the Company had a net unrecognised deferred tax asset of £8,579,000 (2017: £8,411,000) arising from trading 
losses since incorporation. No recognition (2017: £nil) of the net deferred tax asset has been made at 31 December 2018 on the grounds 
of uncertainty over its recoverability in light of the Company’s nascent revenue streams and commitment to continued investment in the 
development of its biorefineries, and therefore there is no impact on the current or prior year’s income statement.

All of the unrecognised deferred tax asset (2017: all) is anticipated to remain available indefinitely to offset against future taxable  
trading profits.

Investments in subsidiaries

7. 
Investments in subsidiaries are held by Velocys plc at historical cost less impairment. The net investment that the parent company has in 
its subsidiary undertakings is its interest in the net assets of that subsidiary. 

The carrying amounts of the parent Company’s Investments in subsidiaries are reviewed at each balance sheet date, or when events or 
changes in circumstance indicate their carrying value may not be recoverable, to determine whether there is any indication of impairment. 
If such an indication exists, the asset’s recoverable amount is estimated. To the extent the carrying amount exceeds the recoverable 
amount, the difference is recorded as an expense in the Income statement. The recoverable amount used for impairment testing is the 
higher of the value in use and fair value less costs of disposal. For the purpose of impairment testing, assets are generally assessed 
individually or at a CGU level, which represents the lowest level for which there are separately identifiable cash inflows that are largely 
independent of cash inflows from other assets or groups of assets. 

An impairment loss in respect of Investments in subsidiaries is reversed if the subsequent increase in recoverable amount can be related 
objectively to an event occurring after the impairment loss was recognised or if there has been a change in the estimate used to determine 
the recoverable amount. An impairment loss is reversed only to the extent that the asset’s carrying amount does not exceed that which 
would have been determined if no impairment loss had been recognised.

Critical estimates and judgements
Assets are reviewed for impairment annually and also whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate their carrying value may 
not be recoverable. In assessing whether there is any indication that an asset may be impaired, an entity shall consider, as a minimum, a 
number of indicators of potential impairment. 

As set out in note 17 to the consolidated financial statements, an impairment assessment was carried out on the Company’s intangible 
assets and an impairment was indicated. Velocys plc used the same basis for calculating the recoverable amount to determine the total 
value of the three subsidiaries held by the parent Company, based on the judgement that there is limited value attributable to the parent 
Company. The parent Company has both equity and debt investments in its subsidiaries, which are compared to the recoverable amount. 
On this basis, the impairment assessment indicated that the carrying value of the investments in subsidiaries was higher than the 
recoverable amount in 2017, determined by fair value less costs of disposal. As a result, an impairment of £33,288,000 (2017: £57,256,000) 
was recognised. This impairment was eliminated on consolidation.

www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  75

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements of Velocys plc (continued)

Investments in subsidiaries (continued)
7. 
Critical estimates and judgements (continued)
Impairments recorded on Velocys plc are eliminated through consolidation.

2018 

2017

Investments in subsidiaries 
At 1 January 
Additions 
Impairment of subsidiaries 
Foreign exchange 

At 31 December 

Capital 
  contributions to 
subsidiaries 
£’000 

Total 
investment in 
subsidiaries 
£’000 

14,441 
31,365 
(33,288) 
(141) 

12,377 

14,441 
31,365 
(33,288) 
(141) 

12,377 

Capital 

Total 
  contributions to   investment in 
 subsidiaries
£’000

subsidiaries 
£’000 

66,831 
14,159 
(57,256) 
(9,293) 

14,441 

66,831
14,159
(57,256)
(9,293)

14,441

The table above has been restated as in the prior period capital contributions of £10.6m were incorrectly accounted for as loans to the 
subsidiaries. There is no contractual right for Velocys plc to receive cash from the subsidiaries and as such Velocys plc does not have a 
financial asset from those subsidiaries.

Velocys plc has direct investments in the following subsidiary undertakings.

Subsidiary undertakings 

Country of 
incorporation or principal 
business address 

Velocys Technologies Limited* 

England and Wales 

Velocys (USA Holdings) LLC**  

Ohio, USA 

Oxford Catalysts Trustees Limited* 

England and Wales 

Principal activity 

Exploitation of platform  
catalyst technologies  

Holding company for  
US subsidiaries 

Holds assets and makes  
distributions in respect of  
employee remuneration 

The following companies are subsidiaries of the Company whose immediate parent is not Velocys plc.

Subsidiary undertakings 

Velocys, Inc.** 

Country of 
incorporation or principal 
business address 

Delaware, USA 

Principal activity 

Design, development  
and exploitation of its  
microchannel technologies 

YellowRock GTL Services, LLC** 

Delaware, USA  Secondment of employees to plants 

VMH Assets LLC** 

Ohio, USA  Holds manufacturing assets in Ohio 

The following are dormant subsidiaries.

% Holding
(all ordinary
 share capital)

100

100

100

% Holding
(all ordinary
 share capital)

100

100

100

Dormant subsidiaries 

Incorporated 

Immediate parent 

% Holding

Oxford Catalysts UK Limited* 
Velocys Projects Ltd* 
Velocys Project Solutions, LLC*** 
Velocys Renewables LLC** 
Ashtabula Energy, LLC*** 
Bayou Fuels One LLC 
Bradford GTL LLC*** 
JAB Land-Ashtabula** 
Susquehanna GTL LLC*** 
Westlake GTL, LLC** 
* 
**  Located at 7950 Corporate Boulevard, Plain City, OH 43064, USA.
***  Located at 2603 Augusta Drive, Suite 1175, Houston, TX 77057, USA.

England and Wales 
England and Wales 
Delaware, USA 
Ohio, USA 
Delaware, USA 
Delaware, USA 
Delaware, USA 
Ohio, USA 
Delaware, USA 
Delaware, USA 

Located at Harwell Innovation Centre, 173 Curie Avenue, Harwell, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QG, UK.

Velocys plc 
Velocys plc 
Velocys (USA Holdings) LLC 
Velocys (USA Holdings) LLC 
Velocys Project Solutions, LLC 
Velocys Projects Ltd 
Velocys Project Solutions, LLC 
Ashtabula Energy, LLC 
Velocys Project Solutions, LLC 
Velocys (USA Holdings) LLC 

100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

76  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

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8.  Financial instruments
Financial assets
Velocys plc classifies, measures and accounts for its financial assets in the same way as the Company as a whole (see note 25 to the 
consolidated financial statements). 

Financial risks
The risks that the parent company faces are intrinsically linked to those of the Company, see note 12 to the consolidated financial 
statements. No mitigation of this risk is taken at parent company level.

Financial assets are held at amortised costs and are as follows.

Assets 
Cash and cash equivalents 
Trade and other receivables excluding non-financial assets  

Assets 
Trade and other receivables excluding non-financial assets  

31 December 2018

Loans and receivables
£’000

1,803
7

31 December 2017

Loans and receivables
£’000

6

The parent Company liability is an obligation to fund the Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) in 2018 in respect of a share options exercise  
(see consolidated accounts note 15). In 2018, no share options were exercised which result in no obligation for the Company to fund the EBT.

Liabilities 
Trade and other payables excluding non-financial liabilities 

31 December 2017

Financial liabilities 
at amortised cost
£’000

88

9.  Share capital
Disclosures in respect of share capital of the Velocys plc are provided in note 26 to the consolidated financial statements on page 66.

10. Commitments
The Company has no capital commitments (2017: nil) or operating lease commitments (2017: nil).

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Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018  77

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements of Velocys plc (continued)

11. Related party transactions
Oxford Catalysts Trustees Limited
At the time of exercising their share options, executives of the Company may apply to the employee benefit trust managed by Oxford 
Catalysts Trustees Limited for a distribution in respect of the exercise value of their options. The trustees, at their discretion, then request 
a contribution from the Company in respect of the grant made. The total value of funds contributed by the Company to Oxford Catalysts 
Trustees Limited during the year was £nil (2017: £nil). 

12. Other information
Directors’ remuneration
Details of the remuneration paid to Directors of the parent Company are provided in the Directors’ remuneration report on pages 22 to 25.

Velocys plc does not have any employees. Refer to note 12 in the consolidated financial statements for Company employees.

Auditor’s remuneration
Details of remuneration paid for the audit of the Company are disclosed in note 11 to the consolidated financial statements on page 45.

13. Post financial position events
The following events took place after 31 December 2018.

The appointments of Philip Holland and Darran Messem as Non-Executive Directors to the Board of Velocys plc was made on  
1 January 2019.

78  Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

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Directors, secretary and advisers to the Company

Registered office
Velocys
Harwell Innovation Centre
173 Curie Avenue
Harwell, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QG

Velocys plc registration no.
05712187

Directors 
Pierre Jungels (Non-Executive Chairman)
Henrik Wareborn (Chief Executive Officer)
Andrew Morris (Chief Financial Officer)
Sandy Shaw (Non-Executive Director)
Philip Holland (Non-Executive Director)
Darran Messem (Non-Executive Director)

Company secretary
Jeremy Gorman

Nominated advisors and joint brokers
Numis Securities Limited
The London Stock Exchange Building
10 Paternoster Square
St Pauls
London
EC4M 7LT

Joint brokers
Canaccord Genuity Limited
88 Wood Street
London
EC2V 7QR

Registrars
Link Market Services Limited
The Registry
34 Beckenham Road
Beckenham
Kent
BR3 4TU

Bankers
Barclays Bank Plc
Wytham Court
11 West Way
Oxford
OX2 0JB

Public relations
Camarco
107 Cheapside
London
EC2V 6DN

Independent auditors
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
3 Forbury Place
23 Forbury Road
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 3JH

www.velocys.com
www.velocys.com

Velocys plc  Annual report and accounts 2018

Design & Production
www.carrkamasa.co.uk

Velocys plc
Harwell Innovation Centre
173 Curie Avenue
Harwell
Oxfordshire
OX11 0QG

Company Number: 05712187
+44 1235 838 621
info@velocys.com
www.velocys.com