−Removed: As used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the terms “we”, “us”, “our”, “the Company”, “ME 2 C Environmental”, and “Midwest Energy Emissions Corp.” refer to Midwest Energy Emissions Corp.
−Removed: and our wholly owned subsidiary.
−Removed: Midwest Energy Emissions Corp., a Delaware corporation, is an environmental services and technologies company developing and delivering patented and proprietary solutions to the global power industry.
+Added: We are an environmental services and technologies company developing and delivering patented and proprietary solutions to the global power industry.
Our leading-edge services have been shown to achieve mercury emissions removal at a significantly lower cost and with less operational impact to coal-fired power plants than currently used methods, while maintaining and/or increasing power plant output and preserving the marketability of byproducts for beneficial use.
−Removed: Our principal place of business is located at 1810 Jester Drive, Corsicana, Texas 75109, which location we have maintained for manufacturing and distribution of our products since 2015.
−Removed: As of December 2019, we relocated our corporate headquarters to such address which corporate headquarters prior thereto were maintained at 670 D Enterprise Drive, Lewis Center, Ohio 43035.
−Removed: Our telephone number is (614) 505-6115.
−Removed: Our corporate website address is http://www.me2cenvironmental.com .
−Removed: Our common stock is quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol “MEEC”.
−Removed: We were originally incorporated on July 19, 1983 in the State of Utah and subsequently domesticated as a Delaware corporation in February 2007.
−Removed: We changed our name to Midwest Energy Emissions Corp.
−Removed: in October 2011.
−Removed: ME 2 C Environmental is a trade name of Midwest Energy Emissions Corp.
−Removed: Our wholly owned subsidiary, MES, Inc., was originally incorporated in December 2008 in the State of North Dakota.
−Removed: On June 21, 2011, we completed a merger transaction (the “Merger”) whereby MES, Inc.
−Removed: (then called Midwest Energy Emissions Corp.) became our wholly owned subsidiary.
−Removed: As a result of the Merger, our business began to focus on the delivery of mercury capture technologies to power plants in North America, Europe and Asia.
−Removed: Prior to relocating our corporate headquarters to Corsicana, Texas, we maintained our corporate headquarters in Lewis Center, Ohio from March 2015 to December 2019, and in Worthington, Ohio from November 2011 to March 2015.
−Removed: We currently have 11 full-time employees.
−Removed: Our employees are not represented by labor unions.
−Removed: We believe that relations with our employees are good.
−Removed: Regulations and Markets
+Added: We are also developing new technologies to improve the capture rate and environmental concerns of processing rare earth elements (REEs).
+Added: Background and Acquisition of Patent Rights
+Added: We provide mercury capture solutions driven by our patented two-part Sorbent Enhancement Additive (SEA®) process using a powerful combination of science and engineering.
+Added: We design systems and materials tailored and formulated specifically to each customer’s coal-fired units.
+Added: Our mercury removal technologies and systems will achieve mercury removal levels which meet or exceed the 2012 Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric Utility Steam Generating Units National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, as revised, known as the MATS, requirements with lower cost and plant systems impacts than typical PAC or BAC sorbent injection systems.
+Added: Our products have been shown to be successful across a myriad of fuel and system types, tunable to any configuration, and environmentally friendly, allowing for the recycling of fly ash for beneficial use.
+Added: Our SEA® technology was originally developed by the University of North Dakota’s Energy and Environmental Research Center.
+Added: It was tested and refined on numerous operating coal-fired EGUs, with the founder of our wholly owned subsidiary participating with the Energy and Environmental Research Center on these tests since 2008.
+Added: The Energy and Environmental Research Center Foundation, a non-profit entity, obtained patents on this technology.
+Added: Between 2009 and 2017, we maintained an exclusive worldwide license with respect to this patented technology, which applied to various domestic and foreign patents and patent applications.
+Added: Such formed the basis of our mercury control technology.
+Added: On April 24, 2017, we acquired from The Energy and Environmental Research Center Foundation all such patent rights, including all patents and patents pending, domestic and foreign, relating to the foregoing technology.
+Added: Industry Background
The markets for mercury removal from power plant emissions have largely been driven by federal regulations.
−Removed: On December 21, 2011 the EPA issued its Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (“MATS”) for power plants in the U.S.
+Added: On December 21, 2011, the EPA announced MATS for power plants in the U.S.
The MATS rule is intended to reduce air emissions of heavy metals, including mercury (Hg), from all major U.S.
power plants burning coal or oil, which are the leading source of non-natural mercury emissions in the U.S.
−Removed: Existing power plants were granted three years (plus a potential one-year extension in cases of hardship, ruled on by State EPA’s where the plant is domiciled) from April 16, 2012, to comply with the new emission limits.
−Removed: The MATS rule applies to Electric Generating Units (“EGUs”) that are larger than 25 megawatts (“MW”) that burn coal or oil for the purpose of generating electricity for sale and distribution through the national electric grid to the public.
+Added: Existing power plants were granted three years (plus a potential one-year extension in cases of hardship, ruled on by state EPAs where the plant is domiciled) from April 16, 2012 to comply with the new emission limits.
+Added: The MATS rule applies to EGUs that are larger than 25 MW that burn coal or oil for the purpose of generating electricity for sale and distribution through the national electric grid to the public.
They include investor-owned units, as well as units owned by the Federal government, municipalities, and cooperatives that provide electricity for commercial, industrial, and residential uses.
−Removed: At the time of MATS being promulgated, there were approximately 1,250 coal-fired EGU’s affected by this new rule.
−Removed: Since this time, many of such EGU’s have been shut down as a result of this regulation and due to competitive disadvantage to newer or gas-fired EGUs and renewable energy sources (e.g.
+Added: At the time of MATS being promulgated, there were approximately 1,250 coal-fired EGUs affected by this new rule.
+Added: Since that time, many of such EGUs have been shut down as a result of this regulation and due to competitive disadvantage to newer or gas-fired EGUs and renewable energy sources (e.g.
wind, solar).
−Removed: We believe that at the end of 2020, there are approximately 350 coal-fired EGU’s remaining in the power market which make up the large mercury-emissions control market into which we sell.
+Added: We believe that at the end of 2021, there are approximately 240 coal-fired EGUs remaining in the power market which make up the large mercury-emissions control market into which we sell.
The final MATS rule identifies two subcategories of coal-fired EGUs, four subcategories of oil-fired EGUs, and a subcategory for units that combust gasified coal or solid oil (integrated gasification combine cycle “IGCC” units) based on the design, utilization, and/or location of the various types of boilers at different power stations.
2 unchanged sentences
In addition to the U.S.
−Removed: federal MATS rule, more than 20 states currently have regulations which limit mercury emissions which regulations are similar to or more restrictive than the MATS rule.
+Added: federal MATS rule, more than 20 states currently have regulations that limit mercury emissions and are similar to or more restrictive than the MATS rule.
There are several choices of pollution control technologies available to reduce mercury emissions, but they do not all work consistently or cost-effectively for every plant design or for all of the various types of coal.
−Removed: The most common technology employed to reduce mercury emissions is a sorbent injection system which provides for the injection of powdered activated carbon (“PAC”) or brominated PAC (“BAC”) into the flue-gas of an EGU after the boiler itself but in front of the Electro-Static Precipitators (“ESP”).
+Added: The most common technology employed to reduce mercury emissions is a sorbent injection system which provides for the injection of PAC or BAC into the flue-gas of an EGU after the boiler itself but in front of the ESP.
Such injections have proven effective with many coals, especially at reduction levels of 70% or less.
At required mercury reduction levels above 80%, these injection systems require substantial injection rates which often have severe operational issues including over-loading the ESP and rendering the fly ash unfit for sale to concrete companies, and at times even causing combustion concerns with the fly ash itself.
−Removed: Mercury is also removed as a co-benefit by special pollution control equipment installed to remove oxides of sulfur (“SO X ”) and nitrogen (“NO X ”).
−Removed: To achieve very high levels of SO X reduction, large, complex and expensive (capital costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars for a medium-sized EGU) systems called scrubbers can be installed in the plant exhaust system, typically just before the flue-gas goes up the stack for release.
+Added: Mercury is also removed as a co-benefit by special pollution control equipment installed to remove SOX and NOX.
+Added: To achieve very high levels of SOX reduction, large, complex, and expensive (capital costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars for a medium-sized EGU) systems called scrubbers can be installed in the plant exhaust system, typically just before the flue-gas goes up the stack for release.
As a co-benefit to their primary mission, scrubbers have been shown to remove significant quantities of oxidized mercury.
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Mercury is found in only trace amounts in coal making it difficult to remove from coal or from the flue gas when combusted with the coal.
−Removed: It is in the burning of millions of tons of coal that these trace amounts become problematic, and why MATS was promulgated.
−Removed: The other major pollution control system which contributes significantly to the co-benefits of mercury removal is a Selective Catalytic Reduction (“SCR”) system which can be installed to achieve high levels of removal of NO X .
+Added: It is in the burning of millions of tons of coal that these trace amounts become problematic and is why MATS was promulgated.
+Added: The other major pollution control system which contributes significantly to the co-benefits of mercury removal is an SCR system which can be installed to achieve high levels of removal of NOX.
SCRs are also very large and expensive systems (costing hundreds of millions of dollars in capital costs to install on a medium-size EGU) that are typically installed just after the flue-gas exits from the unit boiler.
5 unchanged sentences
Either the sorbent injection system is the primary removal method or such a system is employed as a supplemental system to SCR/scrubber combinations to achieve the emission limits.
−Removed: See “North American Markets for Our Technology” below for information on mercury control standards in Canada and “Other Markets for Our Technology” below for information on mercury control in Europe and Asia.
−Removed: ME 2 C Environmental’s Technology
−Removed: Background and Acquisition of Patent Rights
−Removed: We provide mercury capture solutions driven by our patented two-part Sorbent Enhancement Additive (SEA ® ) process using a powerful combination of science and engineering.
−Removed: We design systems and materials tailored and formulated specifically to each customer’s coal-fired units.
−Removed: Our mercury removal technologies and systems will achieve mercury removal levels which meet or exceed the MATS requirements with lower cost and plant systems impacts than typical PAC or BAC sorbent injection systems.
−Removed: Our products have been shown to be successful across a myriad of fuel and system types, tunable to any configuration, and environmentally friendly, allowing for the recycling of fly ash for beneficial use.
−Removed: Our SEA ® technology was originally developed by the University of North Dakota’s Energy and Environmental Research Center (“EERC”).
−Removed: It was tested and refined on numerous operating coal-fired EGUs, with the founder of MES, Inc.
−Removed: participating with the EERC on these tests since 2008.
−Removed: The Energy and Environmental Research Center Foundation, a non-profit entity (“EERCF”), obtained patents on this technology.
−Removed: On January 15, 2009, we entered into an “Exclusive Patent and Know-How License Agreement Including Transfer of Ownership” (the “License Agreement”) with the EERCF.
−Removed: Under the terms of the License Agreement, we were granted an exclusive license by EERCF with respect to this patented technology to develop, make, have made, use, sell, offer to sell, lease, and import the technology in any coal-fired combustion systems (power plant) worldwide and to develop and perform the technology in any coal-fired power plant in the world.
−Removed: Amendments No.
−Removed: 5 to the License Agreement were made effective as of December 16, 2013 and August 14, 2014, respectively, expanding the number of patents covered, eliminated certain contract provisions and compliance issues and restructured the fee payments and buyout provisions while granting EERCF equity in the Company.
−Removed: The License Agreement applied to various domestic and foreign patents and patent applications which formed the basis of our mercury control technology.
−Removed: Under the terms of the License Agreement, we were required to pay EERCF monthly license maintenance fees and annual running royalties on operational systems of the Company, and we had the right to purchase the patent rights for a payment specified therein.
−Removed: On April 24, 2017, we closed on the acquisition from EERCF of all such patent rights, including all patents and patents pending, domestic and foreign, relating to the foregoing technology.
−Removed: A total of 42 domestic and foreign patents and patent applications were included in the acquisition.
−Removed: In accordance with the terms of the License Agreement, the patent rights were acquired for the purchase price of (i) $2,500,000 in cash, and (ii) 925,000 shares of common stock of which 628,998 shares were issued to EERCF and 296,002 were issued to the inventors who had been designated by EERCF.
−Removed: As a result of the acquisition of the patent rights, no additional monthly license maintenance fees and annual running royalties shall be due and owing to the EERCF following closing which fees and royalties have now been eliminated.
+Added: Our Mercury Technology
SEA® Technology
−Removed: Our SEA ® technology provides total mercury control, providing solutions that are based on a thorough scientific understanding of actual and probable interactions involved in mercury capture in coal-fired flue gas.
+Added: Our SEA® technology provides total mercury control with solutions that are based on a thorough scientific understanding of actual and probable interactions involved in mercury capture in coal-fired flue gas.
A complete understanding of the complexity of mercury-sorbent-flue gas interactions and chemisorption mechanisms allows for optimal control strategy and product formulation, resulting in effective mercury capture.
1 unchanged sentence
The SEA® approach to mercury capture is specifically tailored for each application to match a customer’s coal type and boiler configuration for optimal results.
−Removed: Our two-pronged solution consists of a front end sorbent injected directly into the boiler in minimal amounts combined with a back end sorbent injection solution to insure maximum mercury capture.
+Added: Our two-pronged solution consists of a front-end sorbent injected directly into the boiler in minimal amounts combined with a back-end sorbent injection solution to ensure maximum mercury capture.
We believe our two-part process uses fewer raw materials than other mercury capture systems and causes less disruption to plant operations.
2 unchanged sentences
Customized Emissions Services
−Removed: In order to evaluate each customer’s needs, we finely tune the combustion chemistry using our technologies and specially formulated ME 2 C products.
+Added: In order to evaluate each customer’s needs, we finely tune the combustion chemistry using our technologies and specially formulated products.
In order to achieve optimal results, we bring mercury emission analytics to the field for our demonstrations as opposed to collecting samples for laboratory analysis while our team analyzes the entire plant’s performance once compliance testing has begun.
6 unchanged sentences
Ongoing research toward improved technology for mercury capture and rapid-response scientific support for emission or combustion issues as operations and regulations change.
−Removed: Intellectual Property
−Removed: We have a patent portfolio consisting of 42 active patents throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and China and 20 patents pending applications.
−Removed: We believe that our patent position is strong in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
+Added: Our Growth Strategy for Mercury Emissions
+Added: North American Markets for Our Mercury Technologies
+Added: North America is currently the largest market for our emissions technologies.
+Added: market, our success depends, in part, on the success of demonstrations performed with utility customers and the resulting contract awards to meet the MATS requirements in the long-term period and our operational performance with EGUs under contract.
+Added: In Canada, there are the 2000 Canada-wide Standards for Mercury Emissions and the 2006 Canada-wide Standards for Mercury Emissions from Coal-Fired Electric Power Generation Plants among all the provinces which was initially implemented in 2010, with caps in mercury emissions for each of the provinces.
+Added: We believe we have the most effective technology for the EGUs in Canada and a strong patent position there, given our various registered patents all in the field of reducing and removing mercury emissions.
+Added: In 2010, we were awarded our first commercial contract to design, build, and install our solution on two large (670MW each) coal units in the western part of the U.S.
+Added: This was a multimillion-dollar, three year renewable contract, which was awarded as a result of a competitive demonstration process.
+Added: We invested more than $1.4 million in the capital equipment for this project.
+Added: Our systems out-performed the contract guarantees in all operational areas during startup and testing and went into commercial operation at the start of 2012.
+Added: The system has successfully kept the plant in compliance since 2012.
+Added: At the present time, there are 24 EGUs in the U.S.
+Added: that currently use our SEA® technologies and buy product from us.
+Added: We expect to continue to conduct numerous demonstrations on prospective customer units and make supply offerings throughout the rest of 2022 and thereafter.
Patent Enforcement
1 unchanged sentence
Since 2018, we have engaged a Dallas-based intellectual property and business litigation firm to oversee and spearhead our efforts to protect our intellectual property.
−Removed: Beginning in 2019, we began to actively enforce our patent rights against unauthorized use of our patented technologies (i.e.
+Added: Beginning in 2019, we began to actively enforce our patent rights against unauthorized use of our patented technologies (i.e., infringers).
In July 2019, we initiated our first patent litigation against four major owners and/or operators of coal-fired power plants in the United States and certain of their affiliates, along with certain other third parties in which we have claimed infringement of our patents related to our two-part process for mercury removal from coal-fired power plants.
2 unchanged sentences
See Part I, Item 3 Legal Proceedings.
−Removed: In 2021 and beyond, we expect to pursue other infringers and have already communicated with some.
+Added: We expect to pursue other infringers and have communicated our position to a significant number of them .
Although additional litigation may be necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights, we view this as a last resort.
Our goal and overall strategy is to convert infringers to our supply chain of sorbent products for mercury removal, or otherwise license our patents to them on a non-exclusive basis in connection with their respective coal-fired power plants.
−Removed: North American Markets for Our Technologies
−Removed: North America is currently the largest market for our emissions technologies.
−Removed: market, our success depends, in part, on the success of demonstrations performed with utility customers and the resulting contract awards to meet the MATS requirements in the long-term period and our operational performance with EGUs under contract.
−Removed: In Canada, there is a Canada-wide Standard for Mercury Emissions among all the provinces which was initially implemented in 2010, with caps in mercury emissions for each of the provinces.
−Removed: We believe we have the most effective technology for the EGUs in Canada and a strong patent position there.
−Removed: In 2010, we were awarded our first commercial contract to design, build and install our solution on two large (670MW each) coal units in the western part of the U.S.
−Removed: This was a multi-million dollar, three year renewable contract, which was awarded as a result of a competitive demonstration process.
−Removed: We invested more than $1.4 million in the capital equipment for this project.
−Removed: Our systems out-performed the contract guarantees in all operational areas during startup and testing and went into commercial operation at the start of 2012.
−Removed: The system has successfully kept the plant in compliance since 2012.
−Removed: At the present time, there are 14 EGUs in the U.S.
−Removed: that currently use our SEA ® technologies.
−Removed: In Canada, there are 5 EGUs that have our systems installed and are used when necessary to comply with their annual emissions requirements in Canada.
−Removed: We expect to continue to conduct numerous demonstrations on prospective customer units throughout 2021 and thereafter.
Other Markets for Our Emissions Technologies
−Removed: In March 2018, we entered into an agreement for a term of ten years with one of the Company’s primary suppliers to commercialize our technology throughout Europe.
−Removed: Under the terms of the agreement, we had granted such supplier an exclusive, non-transferable license to make, use, sell and market the Company’s technology during the term throughout Europe (which included Germany and Poland which currently have the largest coal fleets in Europe).
−Removed: Under the terms of the agreement, such supplier had the right to terminate at any time on no less than 30 days prior written notice.
−Removed: Pursuant to notice provided to us by such supplier on November 6, 2020, the supplier advised us that it had undertaken a review of its strategy in the mercury control market and had decided to terminate the agreement effective as of December 6, 2020.
−Removed: Prior to its termination, no revenues had been generated from such agreement.
−Removed: We intend to continue to pursue the European market although no assurance can be made that any such efforts will be successful.
−Removed: The European market is significant although not as large as the market in the U.S.
−Removed: We believe more coal-fired EGUs operate throughout Europe than in the U.S.
−Removed: but are generally smaller EGUs.
In May 2017, the European Union and seven of its member states ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which triggered its entry into force with implementation starting in 2021.
6 unchanged sentences
As a result of the EU’s adoption of these BREF conclusions, specific emissions limits are currently being developed.
+Added: We previously attempted to pursue the European market and had entered into an agreement with one of our suppliers in 2018 to allow them to commercialize our technology throughout Europe.
+Added: Such agreement was terminated in 2020.
+Added: Prior to its termination, no revenues had been generated from such agreement.
+Added: We intend to continue to pursue the European market although no assurance can be made that any such efforts will be successful.
+Added: The European market is significant although not as large as the market in the U.S.
+Added: We believe more coal-fired EGUs operate throughout Europe than in the U.S.
+Added: but are generally smaller EGUs.
With regard to business opportunities in China and other Asian countries, there currently exists no specific mandate for mercury capture that requires specific control technology.
Nevertheless, we are optimistic of the prospects for mercury emissions regulations in China and Southeast Asia in the coming years, and because we have very broad patent rights in China, this has the potential to become a large business opportunity for us in future years.
−Removed: It is estimated that China represents 47% of the world’s coal power usage compared to the United States which represents 14%*.
+Added: It is estimated that China represents approximately 50% of the world’s electric production from coal compared to the United States which represents 14%.
We are hopeful that as a result of the Minamata Convention, China as well as other countries will follow the U.S.
in regulating mercury emissions.
−Removed: Carbon Brief, “Mapped:
−Removed: The World’s Coal Power Plants”, Simon Evans and Rosamund Pearce.
Additional Business Opportunities
−Removed: In October 2019, we entered into a license and development agreement with a nonrelated third party entity located in Alabama pursuant to which the parties have been developing a plan to commercialize and market certain technology owned by such entity related to the removal of mercury from air and water emissions generated by coal burning power plants.
+Added: In October 2019, we entered into a license and development agreement with a nonrelated third party located in Alabama pursuant to which the parties have been developing a plan to commercialize and market certain technology owned by such entity related to the removal of mercury from air and water emissions generated by coal burning power plants.
Although no assurance can be given, we are optimistic that this arrangement will lead to a new revenue stream for us in the future.
2 unchanged sentences
Methane is considered a greenhouse gas, like carbon dioxide.
−Removed: While we have not established a timeline for the introduction of our technology, we hope to be able to commercialize our efforts in 2022 and thereafter.
−Removed: In addition, during the first quarter of 2021, we announced new technologies under development intended to improve the processing of rare earth elements (REEs) in North America.
+Added: We have not established a timeline for the introduction of our technology.
+Added: In addition, during the first quarter of 2021, we announced new technologies under development intended to improve the processing of REEs in North America.
Currently, most of the demand for REEs in the United States is purchased from China.
1 unchanged sentence
Our new technologies are under development in conjunction with our collaboration with the Alabama third party entity mentioned above and its affiliates.
−Removed: Such technologies focus on improving the cost of extracting rare earth minerals along with improving the environmental footprint of extracting those rare earth elements from their solvent state.
+Added: Such technologies focus on coal ash remediation by improving the cost of extracting rare earth minerals along with improving the environmental footprint of extracting those REEs from their solvent state.
+Added: In October 2021, we announced that we had completed phase 1 testing of our REE technology with Pennsylvania State University’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences confirming 80-90% efficiency rate in extracting select REEs.
While there is no established timeline for the introduction of these technologies after further testing is performed, we hope that if such further testing is successful, these technologies can be commercialized in 2022 and thereafter.
+Added: Our Sales and Marketing
+Added: Our marketing strategy is designed to grow our mercury capture solutions in the North American region by building and maintaining the reputation and trust of our work among our customers—specifically by carrying out successful demonstrations performed with utility customers and the resulting contract awards to meet the MATS requirements in the long-term period and sustaining our operational performance with EGUs under contract—and developing new, and refining our existing, unique emissions technologies.
+Added: We believe that by offering proven and innovative service offerings, we can attract more customers and partners to our services, creating a network growth effect.
+Added: We also expect that the continuing pursuit of infringers of our patented technologies will yield further licensing and supply agreements.
+Added: We believe that these targeted marketing initiatives are the most efficient and cost-effective strategy to sustain the growth of both our new and existing customers.
+Added: Our Operations
Raw Materials
5 unchanged sentences
If any of our suppliers should become unavailable to us for any reason, there are a number of other suppliers that we believe can be contracted with expeditiously to supply the raw materials that we need, ensuring a continued supply of our products to our customers.
+Added: The power market has changed over recent years, creating a greater proportional residential load demand.
+Added: With this shift in demand and load, we have experienced some seasonal changes in our billing cycles due to our current customer concentration in the Southwestern United States, where many of our customers decrease capacity in such winter months.
+Added: Our Competition
Our major competitors in the U.S.
−Removed: and Canada include companies such as Advanced Emissions Solutions, Inc., Albemarle Corporation, Cabot Corporation, Calgon Carbon Corporation, Carbonxt, Inc., Environmental Energy Services Inc.
−Removed: and Nalco Company.
−Removed: These companies employ large sales staff and are well positioned in the market.
−Removed: However, in head-to–head tests with competitor products our SEA ® technology has consistently performed better in mercury removal, at lower projected costs.
+Added: and Canada include companies such as Advanced Emissions Solutions, Inc., Albemarle Corporation, Cabot Corporation, Calgon Carbon Corporation, Carbonxt, Inc., Environmental Energy Services Inc., and Nalco Company.
+Added: Some of these companies employ large sales staff and are well positioned in the market.
+Added: However, in most head-to-head tests with competitor products our SEA® technology has consistently performed better in mercury removal, at lower projected costs.
We believe that our SEA® technology is superior to offerings of our competitors and, with our highly experienced staff, we have shown that we can compete effectively in these markets.
−Removed: The power market has changed over recent years with the introduction of more renewable energy, the low price of natural gas and the declining industrial demand for continuous power resulting in a greater proportional residential load demand.
−Removed: With this shift in demand and load, we have experienced some seasonal declines in the winter months due to our current customer concentration in the Southwestern United States, where many of our customers decrease capacity in such winter months.
−Removed: We do not consider backlog to be a significant indicator of the level of future sales activity.
−Removed: In general, we do not manufacture our products against a backlog of orders.
−Removed: Production and inventory levels are based on the level of incoming orders as well as projections of future demand.
−Removed: Therefore, we believe that backlog information is not material to understanding our overall business and is not a reliable indicator of our ability to achieve any particular level of revenue or financial performance.
+Added: Our Intellectual Property
+Added: We have a patent portfolio consisting of 37 active patents throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and China and 5 patents pending applications.
+Added: We believe that our patent position is strong in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
+Added: Our Employees
+Added: We currently have 11 full-time employees.
+Added: Our employees are not represented by labor unions.
+Added: We believe that relations with our employees are good.
+Added: Corporate Information
+Added: We were originally incorporated on July 19, 1983 in the State of Utah and subsequently domesticated as a Delaware corporation in February 2007.
+Added: We changed our name to Midwest Energy Emissions Corp.
+Added: in September 2011.
+Added: ME2C Environmental is a trade name of Midwest Energy Emissions Corp.
+Added: Our wholly owned subsidiary, MES, Inc., was originally incorporated in December 2008 in the State of North Dakota.
+Added: On June 23, 2011, we completed a merger transaction (the “Merger”) whereby MES, Inc.
+Added: (then called Midwest Energy Emissions Corp.) became our wholly owned subsidiary.
+Added: As a result of the Merger, our business began to focus on the delivery of mercury capture technologies to power plants in North America, Europe, and Asia.
+Added: Our principal place of business is located at 1810 Jester Drive, Corsicana, Texas 75109, which location we have maintained for manufacturing and distribution of our products since 2015.
+Added: As of December 2019, we relocated our corporate headquarters to such address which corporate headquarters prior thereto were maintained in Lewis Center, Ohio.
+Added: Our telephone number is (614) 505-6115.
+Added: Our corporate website address is http://www.me2cenvironmental.com.
Available Information
3 unchanged sentences
Information on or connected to our website is neither part of, nor incorporated by reference into, this Form 10-K or any other report filed with or furnished to the SEC.
+Added: We are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in the Exchange Act.
+Added: We may take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures available to smaller reporting companies until the fiscal year following the determination that the aggregate market price of our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is more than $250 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter, or our annual revenues are less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the aggregate market price of our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is more than $700 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter.
Compared sentence by sentence after normalising whitespace, quotation marks, case and digits, so re-formatting and restated figures do not read as changed language. Wording changes appear as one removal and one addition. The current filing and the prior one are authoritative.