Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

10. Convertible Promissory Notes Payable

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10. Convertible Promissory Notes Payable
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Notes to Financial Statements  
Note 10. Convertible Promissory Notes Payable

The Company has the following convertible notes payable outstanding as of December 31:

 

    2014     2013  
             
Unsecured convertible promissory notes which have a term of three years, bear interest at 12% per annum, and are convertible into units, where each unit consists of: (i) one share of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and (ii) a warrant to purchase 0.25 shares of common stock of the Company at an exercise price of $1.25 per share. The initial conversion ratio shall be equal to $1.00 per unit.   $ 3,245,499     $ 2,976,409  
                 
Unsecured convertible promissory notes which have a term of three years, bear interest at 12% per annum, and are convertible into units, where each unit consists of: (i) 1 share of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and (ii) a warrant to purchase 0.25 shares of common stock of the Company at an exercise price of $0.75 per share. The initial conversion ratio shall be equal to $0.50 per unit.     654,408       574,984  
                 
Secured convertible promissory notes which mature on July 31, 2018, bear interest at 10% per annum, and are convertible into one share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, with the initial conversion ratio equal to $0.50 per share.     1,705,000       1,902,500  
                 
Secured convertible note which matures on July 31, 2018, bear interest at 12% per annum, and is convertible into one share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, with the initial conversion ratio equal to $1.00 per share. (see Note 17 for changes subsequent to December 31, 2014)     10,475,388       -  
                 
Total convertible notes payable before discount     16,080,295       5,453,893  
                 
Less discounts     (8,275,321 )     (778,220 )
                 
Total convertible notes payable     7,804,974       4,675,673  
                 
Less current portion     3,080,376       -  
                 
Convertible notes payable, net of current portion   $ 4,724,598     $ 4,675,673  

 

As of December 31, 2014, schedule principal payments due on convertible notes payable are as follows:

 

Years ended December 31,        
2015       3,080,376  
2016       2,331,915  
2017       2,401,241  
2018       8,266,763  
        16,080,295  

 

From April 26, 2012 to January 24, 2013, the Company sold convertible notes to unaffiliated accredited investors totaling $2,675,244. The notes have a term of three years, bear interest at 12% per annum, and are convertible into units, where each unit consists of: (i) one share of common stock of the Issuer, par value $0.001 per share, and (ii) a warrant to purchase 0.25 shares of common stock of the Issuer at an exercise price of $1.25 per share. The initial conversion ratio shall be equal to $1.00 per unit. The notes may be converted at any time and from time to time in whole or in part prior to the maturity date thereof. These securities were sold in reliance upon the exemption provided by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act and the safe harbor of Rule 506 under Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company converted $97,601 of these notes into 97,601 shares of common stock and 24,401 warrants to purchase shares of common stock (see Note 13). Accrued interest of $363,623 and $301,165 was converted to principal by the Company during 2014 and 2013, respectively. Accrued interest on these notes at December 31, 2014 and 2013 was $194,730 and $178,585, respectively. Accrued interest of $194,730 at December 31, 2014 was converted to principal by the Company on January 1, 2015. Interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, was $382,838 and $344,775, respectively. As of December 31, 2014, total principal of $3,245,499 was outstanding on these notes and $3,080,376 of outstanding principal on these notes is set to mature during 2015.

 

From April 5 through May 10, 2013, the Company sold convertible notes to unaffiliated accredited investors totaling $405,000. The notes have a term of three years, bear interest at 12% per annum, and are convertible into units, where each unit consists of: (i) 1 share of common stock of the Issuer, par value $0.001 per share, and (ii) a warrant to purchase 0.25 shares of common stock of the Issuer at an exercise price of $0.75 per share. The initial conversion ratio shall be equal to $0.50 per unit. The notes may be converted at any time and from time to time in whole or in part prior to the maturity date thereof. These securities were sold in reliance upon the exemption provided by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act and the safe harbor of Rule 506 under Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act. Accrued interest on these notes at December 31, 2014 and 2013 was $27,801 and $32,127, respectively. Interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, was $54,029 and $32,127, respectively. As of December 31, 2014, total principal of $463,354 was outstanding on these notes.

 

On June 27 and June 30, 2013, the Company converted advances payable from related parties into convertible notes totaling $1,036,195. The notes have a term of three years, bear interest at 12% per annum, and are convertible into units, where each unit consists of: (i) 1 share of common stock of the Issuer, par value $0.001 per share, and (ii) a warrant to purchase 0.25 shares of common stock of the Issuer at an exercise price of $0.75 per share. The initial conversion ratio shall be equal to $0.50 per unit. The notes may be converted at any time and from time to time in whole or in part prior to the maturity date thereof. These securities were issued in reliance upon the exemption provided by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act and the safe harbor of Rule 506 under Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act. On July 12, 2013, the Company converted $866,211 of these notes, along with accrued interest of $4,331, into 1,741,084 common stock and 435,271 warrants to purchase shares of common stock (see Note 13). Accrued interest on these notes at December 31, 2014 and 2013 was $11,463 and $10,256, respectively. Interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, was $22,278 and $14,587, respectively. As of December 31, 2014, total principal of $191,054 was outstanding on these notes.

 

From July 30, 2013 through December 24, 2013, the Company sold convertible notes and warrants to unaffiliated accredited investors totaling $1,902,500. The notes have a term of three years, bear interest at 10% per annum, and are convertible into one share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, with the initial conversion ratio equal to $0.50 per share. For each dollar invested, the investor received two warrants to purchase one shares of common stock of the Issuer at an exercise price of $0.75 per share. The notes may be converted at any time and from time to time in whole or in part prior to the maturity date thereof. These securities were sold in reliance upon the exemption provided by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act and the safe harbor of Rule 506 under Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company converted $197,500 of these notes, along with accrued interest of $3,615, into 402,231 shares of common stock (see Note 13). Accrued interest on these notes at December 31, 2014 and 2013 was $104,105 and $52,910, respectively. Interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, was $311,197 and $52,910, respectively. The payment of accrued interest through the issuance of shares of common stock is as follows:

 

Date of Accrual   Accrued
Interest
Balance
    Shares of
common stock issued
  Date of
Issuance
December 31, 2013   $ 52,910       87,144   1/1/2014
June 30, 2014   $ 203,577       184,411   7/1/2014
December 31, 2014   $ 104,105       170,500   1/1/2015

 

A discount on the notes payable of $841,342 was recorded based on the value of the warrants issued using a Black-Scholes options pricing model. Amortized interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 on this discount was $231,579 and $63,122, respectively. As of December 31, 2014, total principal of $1,705,000 was outstanding on these notes.

 

On August 14, 2014, the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary MES, Inc. (“MES, and together with the Company, collectively the “Companies”) entered into a financing agreement (the “Financing Agreement”) with a newly created independent entity, AC Midwest Energy LLC (the “Lender”). Pursuant to the Financing Agreement, the Company borrowed $10,000,000 from the Lender, evidenced by a convertible note (the “Note”) maturing July 31, 2018, secured by all the assets of the Companies. All the indebtedness under the Note is convertible into common stock of the Company at $1.00 per share, subject to the following adjustments: (i) an adjustment of the price per share down to $0.75 per share if the Company fails to generate EBITDA (earnings before taxes, interest, depreciation and amortization ) of at least $2,500,000 for calendar year 2015; and (ii) weighted average anti-dilution adjustments to the extent that following the issuance of the Note, the Company issues securities or rights to acquire securities at an effective purchase price below the conversion price for the Note, subject to carveouts for certain exempt issuances by the Company. Per an amendment to the Financing Agreement discussed below, the conversion price was adjusted to $0.50 per share and the adjustment to the price per share for failing to generate a certain level of EBITDA was eliminated.

 

The Note bears interest at 12% per annum, to be paid at the rate of: (i) 12% payment in kind or “PIK” for year one; (ii) 2% cash and 10% PIK for year two; and (iii) 12% all cash for years three and four. The PIK interest is paid by increasing the principal balance of the Note by the PIK amount. The Note cannot be prepaid without the Lender’s consent before its second anniversary, and thereafter at 105% of the outstanding indebtedness evidenced by the Note, subject to the right of the Lender to convert the outstanding indebtedness to the Company’s common stock prior to prepayment. Principal amortization of the Note is to begin with the first quarter following the second year of the Note at the rate of 7.5% of the original principal amount per quarter and to continue each quarter thereafter, with all unpaid interest to be due at maturity. In the event of default, the interest rate on the Note will be increased by an additional 3% per annum. Accrued interest of $475,388 was converted to principal by the Company during the year ended December 31, 2014. Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2014 was $475,388. The Financing Agreement contains numerous affirmative obligations and negative covenants. As of December 31, 2014 the Company was not in compliance with a certain covenant and received a waiver from Lender for this failure on March 16, 2015 in association with an amendment to the Financing Agreement. As of December 31, 2014, total principal of $10,475,388 was outstanding on this note.

 

On March 16, 2015, the Company entered into a Waiver and Amendment to Financing Agreement, and Reaffirmation of Guaranty with AC Midwest Energy, LLC (“Amendment”). This Amendment decreased the conversion price of the convertible note and exercise price of the outstanding warrants to $0.50, respectively. The Company repaid $3,000,000 of outstanding principal on the convertible note as of the close of the Amendment. The Company agreed to new financial covenants as part of the Amendment, which included a waiver for the compliance of certain covenants in the periods prior to the date of the Amendment.

 

In connection with the issuance of the Note to Lender, the Company issued Lender a five year warrant (the “Warrant”) to purchase 12,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at $1.00 per share, subject to the adjustments (See Note 15). The Company also paid Lender a fee of $100,000 for issuing the loan, reimbursed it $125,000 for its legal fees and costs associated with the transactions and compensated the Placement Agent for the transaction (Drexel Hamilton, LLC, “Drexel”) for the transaction with a cash fee of $350,000 and: (i) a 5-year warrant to purchase up to 800,000 shares of common stock at $1.00 per share; and (ii) a 5-year warrant to purchase up to 1,000,000 shares of common stock at $0.50 per share, both subject to adjustments similar to the Warrant issued to the Lender (See Note 15). The Company incurred legal fees and expenses of $169,000 associated with the transaction. Pursuant with the terms of its promissory note with Tucker Ellis LLP (see Note 8), repaid the principal balance outstanding of $300,000 at closing. The total transaction costs incurred in connection with the issuance of the Note were $1,999,169, including the warrants to Drexel which were valued at $1,251,200 in accordance with FASB ASC 815-10 as liabilities using a Monte Carlo Simulation Model (see Note 11).

 

In connection with the Financing Agreement, the Lender also entered into an Investor/Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of August 14, 2014, pursuant to which the Lender received demand registration rights requiring the Company, at the direction of the Lender, to register the shares of common stock underlying the Note, the Warrant, and any 2013 Secured Notes purchased by the Lender (such underlying stock being collectively, the “Registrable Securities”) as well as certain veto rights. If: (i) the Company is delayed in getting the applicable registration statement(s) filed or declared effective, (ii) the sales of all of the Registrable Securities required to be registered (subject to certain permitted cutback requirements) cannot be made pursuant to the applicable registration statement(s), or (iii) the applicable registration statement(s) is not effective for any reason other than permitted exceptions, then the Investor/Registration Rights Agreement provides penalties, cumulatively capped at 2.5% of the original principal amount of the Note. The Investor/Registration Rights Agreement also provides that once the Note has been fully paid or converted, and for so long as the Lender continues to hold at least 10% of the issued and outstanding stock of the Company, the Lender’s approval is required before certain major actions may be taken by the Company.

 

On August 14, 2014, the Companies, the Lender, and each of the holders (“Holders”) of the 2013 Secured Notes entered into an Intercreditor Agreement. The Intercreditor Agreement provides that the Lender acts as the senior secured lender to the Company in all respects, save for where it chooses to liquidate the Collateral securing the Note, in which event the first net proceeds from liquidation of the Collateral, after all associated costs and expenses, are to be applied to retire the 2013 Secured Notes. Simultaneous with entering into the Intercreditor Agreement, the Note Agent entered into an allonge (“Allonge”) amending each of the 2013 Secured Notes in the following manner: (i) extension of the maturity date of all of the 2013 Secured Notes to July 31, 2018; (ii) elimination of the Company’s right to mandatorily convert the 2013 Secured Notes until any time after December 20, 2016, except in the event of a listing of the Company’s common stock on a national securities exchange, where the conversion of the 2013 Secured Notes is a condition preceding such listing and the Company has maintained a volume weighted average price per share of at least $1.25 for the 20 consecutive trading days prior to the conversion and subject to average volume of at least 50,000 shares per day; (iii) issuance of a “springing warrant” in the event of Lender’s exercise of its purchase option to purchase the 2013 Secured Notes, to be issued as of the date of such purchase, in an amount equal to the number of shares that could have been purchased were the 2013 Secured Notes to have been exercised on such date at .50 cents per share and to run until the later of the original maturity date of the applicable note in question or two years following the date of the issuance of the warrant.