Heliogen, Inc. (NYSE:HLGN) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

And so we’re exploring what that looks like. We do expect that some parties will want things like guarantees and operating data in order to enter into licensing agreements. But for the ones that are currently reaching out, we’re absolutely open to that on an opportunistic basis, especially if the DNI, the solar resource, is high for a particular area and the avoided cost is something that makes sense for us.

Rob Wertheimer : Okay. Perfect. And then I had one more on sort of backlog and potential in orders before moving to cost structure, if I could. Just — obviously, if you sign an order, there’s the whole design and engineering phase, there’s environmental approvals, et cetera. So are you able to give us any further detail or any thoughts on how your prospect pipeline stands if there are one, two, three, many potentials that could come into construction in 2024 when you think about balancing that versus your cash runway?

Christie Obiaya : Yes. Thanks for the question. So there are definitely some things that we have that could come into construction in 2024. And what I would say is, the fact that we’re now focusing on our most available product, our most ready product, which is our steam unit, means that it opens us up to other opportunities of shaping a module that is smaller and more nimble. And so we’ve done some adoption of our technology to make it more attractive to early adopters with a smaller commercial scale module, and that comes with a significantly lower price tag to match or beat their avoided cost of fuel. And so what we found is that this helps with helping customers get over their prospective time line of integration and being able to see the perspective of real operating data.

And to better navigate this, the smaller unit will allow us to start something that could be earlier. And so yes, we absolutely have prospects that could go into construction during 2024 depending on the location. And of course, as you’re probably familiar, there are parts of the U.S. and other parts of Mexico and things like that, where they are easier to permit locations than others. And so wherever the lowest hanging fruit is, that’s where we’re going to be focused.

Rob Wertheimer : Okay. Perfect. I had known about the smaller scope combined with a focus on steam generation, is that hydrogen-focused? Or does that have interest in the smaller project scope and cost from more industries than just hydrogen?

Christie Obiaya : Yes. The benefit of our steam unit is that it can actually be used both for industrial processing, which in areas that consume stream, such as in food processing. And we’re talking to, for example, a company that manufactures animal food, and this is an area where that kind of steam is used. We also have opportunity to use the steam unit in producing green hydrogen when paired with an electrolyzer and provided with the augmentation of power. And so that steam unit can be used for either of those purposes, and it really gives us a lot of optionality. And the other benefit of the steam unit is when you heard us talk a lot about our standard 5-megawatt module, that was more of a constraint from a power module standpoint, where the smallest available commercial-scale turbine that can run with reasonable efficiency is in the 5-megawatt range, which is why that was the smallest unit that we typically consider for a power project.

But for a steam unit, we don’t have that constraint. And so it opens up a lot more possibilities, which also then gives way to faster timelines for installation if we want to do a commercial scale module for a customer that is in the near term.

Rob Wertheimer : Perfect. That’s very helpful. So just two more to close out on the finances. The $6.9 million asset impairment charge, is that related to potential production you started up for Rio or something else? And does it indicate anything on prospects on that particular potential?