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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 20-F

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(Mark One)

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☐REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

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OR

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☒ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

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OR

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☐TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

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OR

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☐SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

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Date of event requiring this shell company report

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For the transition period from      to

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Commission file number: 001-33911

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RENESOLA LTD

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

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N/A

(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)

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British Virgin Islands

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

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3^rd Floor, 850 Canal St

Stamford, CT 06902

U.S.A

(Address of principal executive offices)

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Ke Chen

Chief Financial Officer

3^rd Floor, 850 Canal St

Stamford, CT 06902

U.S.A

Tel: +1(347) 577 9055 x115.

Fax: +1 (347) 577-9985

E-mail: ke.chen@renesolapower.com

(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Person)

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Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act.

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Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act.

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None

(Title of Class)

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Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act.

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None

(Title of Class)

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Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the Issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report.

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671,510,912 shares, no par value per share, as of December 31, 2021.

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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

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If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes ☐ No ☒

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards † provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

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Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:

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U.S. GAAP ☒  International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ☐ Other ☐

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If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow.

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Item 17 ☐ Item 18 ☐

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If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in). Yes ☐ No ☒

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(APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED IN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS)

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court. Yes ☐ No ☐

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† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.

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INTRODUCTION

Unless otherwise indicated and except where the context otherwise requires, references in this annual report on Form 20-F to:

All discrepancies in any table between the amounts identified as total amounts and the sum of the amounts listed therein are due to rounding.

This annual report on Form 20-F includes our audited consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2020 and 2021 and our audited consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), changes in equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2019, 2020, and 2021.

This annual report contains translations of certain Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollars at the rate of RMB 6.3726 to $1.00, the noon buying rate in effect on December 30, 2021 as set forth in the H.10 Statistical Release of the Federal Reserve Board. We make no representation that the Renminbi or dollar amounts referred to in this annual report on Form 20-F could have been or could be converted into dollars or Renminbi, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Fluctuations in exchange rates may have a material adverse effect on your investment.” On April 15, 2022, the noon buying rate was RMB 6.3705 to $1.00.

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PART I

ITEM 1.IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS

Not applicable.

ITEM 2.OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE

Not applicable.

ITEM 3.KEY INFORMATION

We are a British Virgin Islands holding company and conduct all of our operations in multiple jurisdictions where we operate through our operating subsidiaries. Investors in the ADSs are not purchasing equity securities of our operating subsidiaries but instead are purchasing equity securities of a British Virgin Islands holding company. We face various legal and operational risks and uncertainties associated with having a portion of our operations in China and the complex and evolving PRC laws and regulations. For example, we face risks associated with regulatory approvals on offerings conducted overseas and foreign investment in China-based issuers, anti-monopoly regulatory actions, and oversight on cybersecurity and data privacy, which may negatively impact our ability to conduct certain businesses, access foreign investments, or list on foreign stock exchange. These risks could result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of our ADSs, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, or cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless. For a detailed description, see “—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China.”

Our auditor, Grant Thornton, is an independent registered public accounting firm that issues the audit reports included elsewhere in this annual report. Our auditor was subject to the determinations made by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or the PCAOB, on December 16, 2021, and as a result, the PCAOB is not able to fully inspect our auditor. The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCA Act, was enacted on December 18, 2020. In accordance with the HFCA Act, trading in our ADSs on a national securities exchange or in the over the counter trading market in the United States may be prohibited if the PCAOB determines that it cannot inspect or fully investigate our auditor for three consecutive years beginning in 2021, and, as a result, an exchange may determine to delist our ADSs. On June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which, if passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law, would reduce the number of consecutive non-inspection years required for triggering the prohibitions under the HFCA Act from three years to two. See “—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in the PRC—Our ADSs may be delisted under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect auditor who are located in China. The delisting of our ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Additionally, the inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections deprives our investors with the benefits of such inspections.”

B.Capitalization and Indebtedness

Not applicable.

C.Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds

Not applicable.

D.Risk Factors

The following risks relate principally to the industry in which we operate and our business in general. Any of these risk factors could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or operating results and the trading price of our common shares.

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Summary of Risk Factors

Risks Related to Our Business

Risks Related to Doing Business in China

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Risks Related to Doing Business in International Markets Outside of China

Risks Related to Our ADSs, Warrants and Shares

Risks Related to Our Business

Developing and operating solar power projects exposes us to various operational risks and our result of operations may be subject to fluctuations.

In any given period, our revenue is affected by a limited number of solar power projects that are under development and sold to third parties, and therefore subject to significant fluctuations. In order to further evolve into an asset-light solar project developer with a global presence, we will continue to develop and sell solar power projects to take advantage of attractive market opportunities. As a result, for certain periods we may generate more of our revenues from the one-time sale of solar power projects.

Development of solar power projects can take many months or years to complete and may be delayed for reasons beyond our control. These projects often require us to make some up-front payments for, among other things, land/rooftop use rights and permitting in advance of commencing construction, and revenue from these projects may not be recognized for several additional months following contract signing. Any inability or significant delays in entering into sales contracts with customers after making such up-front payments could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Furthermore, we may become constrained in our ability to simultaneously fund our other investment in such projects.

Development of solar power projects also requires significant management attention to negotiate the terms of our engagement and monitor the progress of the projects which may divert management’s attention from other matters. Our revenue and liquidity may be adversely affected to the extent the market for solar power projects weakens or we are not able to successfully complete the customer acceptance testing due to technical difficulties, equipment failure, or adverse weather, and we are unable to sell our solar power projects at prices and on terms and timing that are acceptable to us.

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We operate solar power projects and sell electricity to the local or national grid or other power purchasers such as commercial and industrial end users. As a result, we are subject to a variety of risks associated with intense market competition, changing regulations and policies, insufficient demand for solar power, technological advancements, failure of our power generation facilities and credit risks related to the power purchasers. If we cannot manage these risks, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

Solar project development is challenging and may ultimately not be successful and miscalculations in planning a project may negatively affect our engineering, procurement and construction, or EPC, prices, all of which could increase our costs, delay or cancel a project, and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and profit margins.

The development of solar projects involves numerous risks and uncertainties and requires extensive research, planning and due diligence. We may be required to incur significant amounts of capital expenditure for land/rooftop use rights, interconnection rights, preliminary engineering, permits, legal and other expenses before we can determine whether a solar power project is economically, technologically or otherwise feasible. Success in developing a solar power project is contingent upon, among other things:

Successful completion of a particular solar project may be adversely affected by numerous factors, including without limitation:

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Accordingly, some of the solar power projects in our pipeline may not be completed or even proceed to construction. If a number of solar power projects are not completed, we may not benefit from the feed-in-tariffs, or FITs, our solar power projects are otherwise entitled to, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

In addition, if we are unable to complete the development of a solar power project or we fail to meet any agreed upon system-level capacity or energy output guarantees or warranties or other contract terms, or our projects cause grid interference or other damage, we may be subject to significant damages, penalties and other obligations relating to the project, including obligations to repair, replace or supplement materials for the project.

Occasionally, we may enter into fixed-price EPC agreements in which we act as the general contractor for our customers in connection with the installation of their solar power systems. All essential costs are estimated at the time of entering into the EPC agreement for a particular project or project portfolio, and these costs are reflected in the overall fixed price that we charge our customers for the project. These cost estimates are preliminary and may or may not be covered by contracts between us and the subcontractors, suppliers and other parties involved in the project. In addition, we require qualified, licensed subcontractors to install most of our solar power systems. Shortages of skilled labor could significantly delay a project or otherwise increase our costs. Should miscalculations in planning a project occur, including those due to unexpected increases in commodity prices or labor costs, or delays in execution occur and we are unable to increase the EPC sales price commensurately, we may not achieve our expected margins or our results of operations may be adversely affected.

Expansion of the pipeline of our solar power project business exposes us to a number of risks and uncertainties.

As our net revenue is derived from our solar power project business, we will be increasingly exposed to the risks associated with solar power projects. Further, our future success largely depends on our ability to expand our solar power project pipeline. The risks and uncertainties associated with our solar power project business and our ability to expand our solar power project pipeline include:

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If we are unable to successfully expand our solar power project business, and in particular, our solar power project pipeline, we may be unable to expand our business, maintain our competitive position, improve our profitability and generate the cash flows we have currently forecasted.

Our development activities may be subject to cost overruns or delays, which may result in reduction or forfeiture of FIT payments or would materially and adversely affect our financial results and results of operations.

Development of our solar power projects may be adversely affected by circumstances outside of our control, including inclement weather, a failure to receive regulatory approvals on schedule or third-party delays in providing solar modules, inverters or other materials. Obtaining full permits for our solar power projects is time consuming and we may not be able to meet our expected timetable for obtaining full permits for our solar power projects in the pipeline. In addition, from time to time, we may need to engage external EPC contractors for our solar power projects, and we may not be able to negotiate satisfactory EPC agreements. Changes in project plans or designs, or defective or late execution may increase our costs and cause delays. Increases in the prices of solar products and balance-of-system components may increase procurement costs. Labor shortages, work stoppages or labor disputes could significantly delay a project or otherwise increase our costs. In addition, delays in obtaining, our inability to obtain or a lack of proper construction permits or post-construction approvals could delay or prevent us from construction of our solar power projects, commencing operation and connecting to the relevant grid.

Moreover, we rely on our related parties, as well as a limited number of third-party suppliers, for certain components and equipment used in the construction of our solar power projects, such as solar modules. To the extent the processes that our suppliers use to manufacture components are proprietary, we may be unable to obtain comparable components from alternative suppliers. Any failure of a supplier to supply components and equipment in a timely manner, or at all, or to supply components and equipment that meet our quality, quantity and cost requirements, could impair our ability to install solar power projects or may increase our costs.

In addition, we typically utilize and rely on third-party contractors to construct and install our solar power projects. If our contractors do not satisfy their obligations or do not perform work that meets our quality standards or if there is a shortage of third-party contractors or if there are labor strikes that interfere with the ability of our employees or contractors to complete their work on time or within budget, we could experience significant delays or cost overruns.

We may not be able to recover any of these losses in connection with construction cost overruns or delays. In addition, if we are unable to connect a solar power project to the power grid on schedule, we may experience lower FIT, as FIT regimes generally ratchet down the FIT awarded to solar power projects that connect later to the power grid. In addition, in certain cases of delay, we might not be able to obtain any FIT or PPA at all, as certain PPAs require that we connect to the transmission grid by a certain date. If the solar power project is significantly delayed, we may forfeit the PPA and we may only be able to obtain reduced FIT payments or may even become ineligible for FIT payments at all. A reduction or forfeiture of FIT payments or would materially and adversely affect the financial results and results of operations for that solar power project.

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We may not be able to develop or acquire additional attractive solar power projects to grow our NTP portfolio.

Our current business strategy includes plans to further grow the solar power project portfolio for our project rights sale business, or NTP portfolio, and own and operate some of the solar power projects we develop. To develop a solar power project, we are required to enter into investment agreements, development agreements, interconnection agreements and/or other contractual agreements with the local authorities and obtain relevant permits, licenses and approvals. Whether or not we can secure an investment agreement is subject to the discretion of government bodies and may be influenced by factors beyond our control, such as market conditions and the allocated solar power project quota in some countries, based on which the agreement can be entered into government incentive programs. Our competitors may have greater financial resources, more effective or established localized business presence or greater willingness or ability to operate with little or no operating margins for sustained periods of time. It is difficult to predict whether and when we will be awarded a new solar power project. Any increase in competition or reduction in our competitive capabilities could have a significant adverse impact on our market share and on the margins we generate from our solar power projects.

If we cannot complete an agreement on schedule, or at all, the PPA/FIT price may be reduced, our reputation may be damaged and the difficulty of winning new projects may increase. In addition, in any event the government bodies terminate an agreement with us, we will have limited recourse. Although the government bodies have historically not terminated agreements with us, there is no assurance that they would not do so in the future.

If we cannot secure the opportunities to develop new solar power projects, our business, financial position and financial conditions will be materially adversely affected.

Other difficulties executing this business strategy, particularly in new jurisdictions we may enter, include:

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Our financial leverage may hamper our ability to expand and may materially affect our results of operations. Our borrowing levels and the tightening of credit generally in the industry in the PRC may adversely impact our ability to obtain new financing.

We have relied on working capital, short-term and long-term financing, including development loan financings, construction loan financings and project financings, and capital market financings to fund our capital requirements and expect to continue to do so in the future. These financings, which consist of short-term borrowings, long-term borrowings, bond and other long-term liabilities, are primarily from financial institutions and fund investors globally, as well as financing lease companies in China. During 2021, we repaid bonds and borrowing totaled over $41 million. As of December 31, 2021, we had long-term borrowings of $61.5 thousand and failed sale-lease back and finance lease liabilities of $41.3 million.

We had a working capital of $294.1 million as of December 31, 2021 and the amount of our borrowings and financing liabilities could constrain our operational flexibility, including requiring a substantial portion of our cash flows to be set aside to service our debt obligations, increasing our exposure to interest rate fluctuations and limiting our ability to obtain additional financing. Furthermore, governments may pass measures to tighten credit. All the above may impair our ability to obtain financing on favorable terms, or at all. In addition, we may not be able to raise necessary funding on favorable terms, or at all, to refinance our debt obligations. If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to service our debt obligations, our business, prospects and financial conditions may be materially and adversely affected. If we fail to obtain additional sources of financing, we may not be able to continue to fund our operations or business.

As needed, we intend to obtain additional debt obligations to finance our operations and future expansion. To the extent we are successful in obtaining additional financing, we will allocate an increasing portion of our cash flows to service our debt obligations. This could impair our ability to make necessary capital expenditures, develop business opportunities or make strategic acquisitions. Our business may not generate sufficient cash flows from operations in the future to service our debt and make necessary capital expenditures, in which case we may seek additional financing, dispose of certain assets or seek to refinance some or all of our debt. In addition, these alternatives may not be implemented on satisfactory terms, if at all. In the event we are unable to meet our debt obligations when they become due or if our creditors take legal action against us for repayment upon any default, we may have to liquidate our long-term assets to repay our creditors. Such a situation would materially and adversely affect our operations and prevent us from successfully implementing our business strategy. In addition, we may have difficulty converting our long-term assets into current assets in such a situation and may suffer losses from the sale of our long-term assets and may not be able to continue our business.

We face a number of risks involving PPAs and project-level financing arrangements, including failure or delay in entering into PPAs, defaults by counterparties and contingent contractual terms such as price adjustment, termination, buy-out, acceleration or other clauses, all of which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We may not be able to enter into PPAs for our solar power projects due to intense competition, increased supply of electricity from other sources, reduction in retail electricity price, changes in government policies or other factors. There may be a limited pool of potential purchasers in some jurisdictions for electricity generated by our solar power plants due to regulatory policies. The willingness of purchasers to purchase electricity from an IPP like us may be based on a number of factors and not solely on pricing and surety of supply. If we cannot enter into PPAs on terms favorable to us, or at all, it would negatively impact our revenue and our decisions regarding the development of additional power plants. We may experience delays in entering into PPAs for some of our solar power projects or may not be able to replace an expiring PPA with a contract on equivalent terms and conditions, or otherwise at prices that permit operation of the related facility on a profitable basis. Any delay in entering into PPAs may adversely affect our ability to enjoy the cash flows generated by such projects. If we are unable to replace an expiring PPA with an acceptable new PPA, the affected site may temporarily or permanently cease operations, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

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Substantially all of the electricity generated by our solar power projects will be sold under long-term PPAs with government end users and a few to licensed suppliers or commercial and industrial users. We expect our future projects will also have long-term public PPAs or similar offtake arrangements such as tariff programs but the portion under licensed suppliers or commercial and industrial users may increase due to our focus in DG projects, and also due to the falling system cost which makes solar energy more accessible to non-State Grid users such as commercial and industrial users. If, for any reason, any of the purchasers of power under these contracts are unable or unwilling to fulfill their related contractual obligations or if they refuse to accept delivery of power delivered thereunder or if they otherwise terminate such agreements prior to the expiration thereof, our assets, liabilities, business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected. Further, to the extent any of our power purchasers are, or are controlled by, governmental entities, our facilities may be subject to legislative or other political action that may impair their contractual performance or contain contractual remedies that do not provide adequate compensation in the event of a counterparty default.

Some of our PPAs are subject to price adjustments over time or subject to inflation. If the price under any of our PPAs is reduced below a level that makes a project economically viable, our financial conditions, cash flow and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Further, some of our long-term PPAs do not include inflation-based price increases or other price adjustment clauses. Certain of the PPAs for our projects and those for projects that we have acquired and may acquire in the future contain or may contain provisions that allow the offtake purchaser to terminate or buy out the project or require us to pay liquidated damages upon the occurrence of certain events. If these provisions are exercised, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.

In addition, certain of the project-level financing arrangements for projects allow, and certain of the projects that we may acquire in the future may allow, the lenders or investors to accelerate the repayment of the financing arrangement in the event that a PPA is terminated or if certain operating thresholds or performance measures are not achieved within specified time periods if we do not timely notify the lenders and investors such event and fail to provide additional guarantee. Certain of our PPAs and project-level financing arrangements include, and in the future may include, provisions that would permit the counterparty to terminate the contract or accelerate maturity in the event we own, directly or indirectly, less than 50% of the combined voting power or, in some cases, if we cease to be the majority owner, directly or indirectly, of the applicable project subsidiary. The termination of any of our PPAs or the acceleration of the maturity of any of our financing arrangements as a result of a change-in-control event could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We may not be able to identify suitable sites and obtain related access and use right to expand our project pipeline.

Solar power projects require solar and geological conditions that can only be found in a limited number of geographic areas.

Our solar power projects in overseas markets are primarily ground-mounted DG projects, with a few small-scale utility-scale projects and community solar gardens. Our solar power projects in China are primarily the rooftop DG projects. There is intense competition for a limited number of project sites appropriate for solar power projects. As the solar power project market continues to evolve, the number of attractive project sites available has decreased and will continue to decrease.

Even if we sign investment or development agreements, we may not be able to find and secure the use rights to suitable project sites for the relevant projects. We generally obtain land for our ground-mounted projects through land use right granting or assignment by the government, or leasing from the land owners; and obtain the access and use rights for our rooftop DG projects through leasing from the roof top owners. Our rights to the properties used for our solar power projects may be challenged by property owners or other third parties, in case of any disputes over the ownership or lease of the properties. It is critical to guarantee and maintain our land use right on the land parcel and access and use right on the roof top during the life cycle of solar power projects. In case the relevant lease agreement was determined null and void by the competent authorities or our land use right and access and use right on roof top were recouped by the government, our solar power projects may be forced to cease operations and our results of operation and financial condition will be materially adversely affected.

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We require flat land parcels for our small-scale solar power projects, including ground-mounted DG projects, small-scale utility projects and community solar gardens. Also, it is crucial to have a land parcel close to the grid connection point for our ground-mounted projects for interconnection to the power grid and in order to control the cost for the construction of transmission line and avoid the electricity transmission loss. However, it is increasingly difficult to secure flat land parcels close to transmission lines. Once we have identified a suitable site, our ability to obtain requisite land use rights or access and use rights to the roof top is subject to growing competition from other solar energy producers that may have better access to local government support, financial or other resources to locate and obtain rights of such sites. Our competitors may impede our development efforts by acquiring control of all or a portion of a solar site we seek to develop. If we were unable to find or obtain use rights for suitable solar power project sites, our ability to develop new solar power projects on a timely basis might be harmed, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We strictly check the land ownership and use and access rights to avoid agricultural land, wetland or any land which require rezoning. However, we cannot assure you that we will not acquire land with the understanding that such land may be rezoned for solar power project development in the future. Rezoning may take longer than expected or may not been possible. Any future rezoning efforts may materially and adversely impact our business and results of operation.

Our legal rights to certain real properties used for our solar power projects are subject to third party rights and may be challenged by property owners or third parties.

Our rights to the properties used for our solar power projects may be challenged by property owners and other third parties, subject to other third-party rights such as right of passage and right to place cables and other equipment on the properties, which may result in certain interferences with our use of the properties. Our rights to the properties used for our solar power projects may be challenged by property owners and other third parties for various other reasons as well. For example, we may not have the exclusive right to use a given site. Any such challenge, if successful, could impair the development or operations of our solar power projects on such properties. We may also be subject to the risk of potential disputes with property owners or third parties who otherwise have rights to or interests in the properties used for our solar power projects. Such disputes, whether resolved in our favor or not, may divert management’s attention, harm our reputation or otherwise disrupt our business.

We may be subject to unforeseen costs, liabilities or obligations when operating and maintaining solar power projects.

We operate and maintain the solar power projects in our IPP portfolio. In addition to the operations and maintenance, or O&M, services which our in-house O&M team provides to our developed solar power projects in China, we also enter into separate contractual agreements to operate and maintain substantially all of the solar power projects operated by us outside China. Pursuant to these agreements, we generally perform scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and provide operating and other asset management services, and we subcontract certain O&M services, including security and repair, to third-parties that may not perform their services adequately.

If we or our third-party contractors fail to properly operate and maintain the solar power projects, the solar power projects may experience decreased performance, reduced useful life or shutdowns. Through changes in our own operation or in local conditions, the costs of operating the project may increase, including costs related to labor, equipment, insurance and taxes. If they are careless or negligent, resulting in damage to third parties, we may become liable for the consequences of any resulting damage. We may also experience equipment malfunction or failure, leading to unexpected maintenance needs, unplanned outages or other operational issues. In addition, inconsistencies in the quality of solar panels, solar modules, balance-of-system components or maintenance services for our solar power projects may affect the system efficiency of our solar power projects. We may also encounter difficulties selling electricity to the power grid due to failures in infrastructure or transmission systems. To the extent that any of the foregoing affects our ability to sell electricity to the power grid, or we incur increased costs in relation to operating and maintaining solar power projects, our business, financial condition and results of operation could be materially and adversely affected.

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The delay between making significant upfront investments in our solar power projects and receiving revenue could materially and adversely affect our liquidity, business and results of operations.

There are generally many months or even years between our initial significant upfront investments in developing permits to develop solar power projects we expect to own and operate and when we commence to receive revenue from the sale of electricity generated by such solar power projects after connecting on grid. Such investments include, without limitation, consulting, legal, accounting and other third-party fees, costs associated with feasibility study, payments for land rights, government permits, large transmission and PPA deposits or other payments, which may be non-refundable. Furthermore, we historically relied on our own equity contribution, bank loans, capital market financing and third-party financing to pay for costs and expenses incurred during project development, especially to third parties for solar modules and balance-of-system components and EPC and O&M services. Solar power projects typically generate revenue only after becoming commercially operational and starting to sell electricity. There may be an especially long delay from initial land and interconnection assessments to projects becoming late-stage, especially when we obtain permits directly from regulators and site control rights directly from prior rights holders under our primary permit development model. Between our initial investments in the development of permits for solar power projects and their connection to the transmission grid, there may be adverse developments to such solar power projects. Furthermore, we may not be able to obtain all of the permits as anticipated, permits that were obtained may expire or become ineffective or we may not be able to obtain financing as anticipated. In addition, the timing gap between our upfront investments and actual generation of revenue, or any added delay in between due to unforeseen events, could put strains on our liquidity and resources, and materially and adversely affect our profitability and results of operations.

Our ability to transmit and sell the electricity generated from the solar power projects operated by us relies on the grid connection, dispatch agreements, PPAs and other contractual agreements.

We sell electricity generated from our operated solar power projects, mainly in China. Before developing a solar power project for our IPP business, we have to obtain the relevant local governmental grid company’s preliminary consent on our grid connection application and the final approval on the grid connection plan in order to connect our solar power projects to their power grids.

In China, we can sell the electricity in gross metering or net metering. Under gross metering, electricity is sold to The State Grid Corporation of China, or the State Grid, an enterprise which constructs and operates power grids and is a pilot state holding company approved by the State Council of China to carry out state-authorized investment. Under the net metering, we first sell the electricity to non-State Grid power purchasers and the remaining unpurchased electricity to the State Grid. Before we can supply the electricity to our power purchasers, we are required to enter into the grid connection and dispatch agreements with the grid providers and energy management contracts, or EMCs, including PPAs with the power purchasers. Grid connection and dispatch agreements generally have terms of 1 to 5 years and are, in practice, subject to renewal by the parties when original terms expire. The EMCs, which provide the terms and pricing of the sales and include the PPAs, are for 20 years and are subject to renewal by the parties when original terms expire. If we are unable to renew the agreements upon expiration, we may not be able to replace them with agreements with equivalent terms and conditions, or at all, or we may experience significant delays or costs related to securing replacements. If we are unable to agree with the grid providers on a new grid connection and dispatch agreements, the affected solar power project may temporarily or permanently cease operations, and we may not be able to operate the project beyond the initial term of the EMCs and PPAs. See also “—We face a number of risks involving PPAs and project-level financing arrangements, including failure or delay in entering into PPAs, defaults by counterparties and contingent contractual terms such as price adjustment, termination, buy-out, acceleration or other clauses, all of which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.” In addition, if, for any reason, the grid providers are unable or unwilling to fulfill their related contractual obligations or if they refuse to accept delivery of electricity delivered thereunder or otherwise terminate such agreements prior to the expiration thereof, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow could be materially adversely affected.

If we cannot produce agreed electricity for reasons solely attributed to us, the agreed PPA/FIT prices may be reduced, results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

In China, all solar projects approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, or the NDRC, are eligible to receive an attractive FIT for 20 years in principle and we expect our solar power projects to be long-term contracted assets. Under gross metering, we receive a total FIT amount, which comprise an agreed electricity sales price from the State Grid and the government subsidies, for 20 years. Under net metering, we receive subsidies from the government and an agreed negotiated electricity sales price from the power purchasers. However, if we cannot produce electricity normally for a number of days for reasons solely attributed to us, the agreed PPA/FIT prices may be reduced and results of operations and cash flow could be materially adversely affected.

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If the power grid to which one or more of our solar power projects is connected becomes partially or fully inoperable due to maintenance or unexpected interruptions, the transmission of electricity may be affected, and results of operations and cash flow could be materially adversely affected.

If the power grid to which one or more of our solar power projects is connected becomes partially or fully inoperable due to maintenance or unexpected interruptions, the affected project will not be able to transmit electricity to the power grid during that time. We expect power grids to be inoperable for a few days per year due to regular maintenance work. The grid providers will not usually compensate us for lost income due to down time. Although none of the power grids that we have been connected to have been rendered inoperable for significant periods of time, there is no assurance that the power grids will continue to function without any issues.

Our growth prospects and future profitability depend to a significant extent on global liquidity and the availability of additional funding options with acceptable terms.

We require a significant amount of cash to fund the development, installation and construction of our projects and the operation of our solar power projects. We may also require additional cash due to changing business conditions or other future developments, including any investments or acquisitions we may decide to pursue in order to remain competitive. Historically, we primarily obtained development loans, construction loans, project financing and capital market financing from financial institutions, fund investors globally, as well as financing lease companies in China. We cannot guarantee that we will be successful in locating additional suitable sources of financing in the time periods required or at all, or on terms or at costs that we find attractive or acceptable. Failure to manage discretionary spending and raise additional capital or debt financing as required may adversely impact our ability to achieve our intended business objectives.

Our ability to obtain external financing is subject to a number of uncertainties, including:

In addition, rising interest rates could adversely impact our ability to secure financing on favorable terms and our cost of capital. Any additional equity financing may be dilutive to our shareholders and any debt financing may require restrictive covenants. We may not be able to obtain project financing or refinance our borrowings as they mature, or if the financing is available, the terms may not be acceptable to us. In the event that we are unable to obtain extensions of these borrowings or sufficient alternative financing at reasonable terms, we may not be able to repay such borrowings in full or at all when due, or fully execute our business plan. If we were to default on the repayment of these borrowings, we would not be able to continue our operations as a going concern. Moreover, future turbulence in global economic conditions and the potential impact on the liquidity of financial institutions may have an adverse effect on our ability to fund our operations and future expansion through borrowings or our ability to borrow on terms that we believe to be reasonable, or at all. Our ability to fund our operations, develop, construct and operate solar power projects or otherwise respond to competitive pressures could be significantly impaired and we may be unable to fully execute our business plan. Our operations, results of operations and growth prospects may also be materially and adversely affected if the global economic conditions worsen or do not improve.

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Volatility or large decrease in the prices of solar power project may cause significant fluctuations or declines in our revenue.

The prices of special purpose vehicles which hold the ownership of our solar power projects, or project SPVs, and solar power projects are primarily based on the electricity revenue the projects can generate and the rate of returns. The electricity price may vary. See “—Decreases in the FIT price, public utility price or market discount rate could harm our revenue.” Investors may compare the rate of returns generated from the solar power projects with the rate of returns in the financing or investment markets. Any significant volatility or decreases in the electricity price or rate of return may decrease the prices of solar power projects which may subject us to major fluctuations or declines in our revenue.

Decreases in the FIT price, public utility price or market discount rate could harm our revenue.

Revenues generated from our IPP business are primarily from China. Under gross metering, the revenues we can receive are fixed at the FIT price which is set by the government. Under net metering, the prices we sell the electricity to the non-State Grid power purchasers are mainly at a market discount to the public utility rate. The market price of electricity can be subject to significant fluctuations and can be affected by drivers such as the cost of traditional fossil fuels used for electricity generation, the discovery of new fossil fuel sources, additional electricity generation capacity, additional electric transmission and distribution lines, technological or regulatory changes, increased energy conservation or for a number of other reasons. However, given that China largely runs a state-led economy, the FIT price may be readily lowered by the relevant Chinese authorities with little, if any, regard to market conditions. While we may resort to domestic courts and other available forums for remedies, such actions may bear no fruit and are bound to generate extra legal costs and fees. Regardless of the rationales underlying the price adjustments, any decrease in the FIT price, market discount rate or the public utility rate may negatively affect our results of operations.

EPC is subject to risks associated with fluctuations in the prices of solar modules and balance-of-system components or fluctuations in the costs of design, construction and labor.

EPC is part of the process during the solar power projects’ development and construction. We may engage our in-house EPC team or engage external experienced and qualified EPC contractors to conduct and monitor the EPC process. Despite that, it is the market practice for us, as the developer, to procure the key components, such as solar modules and balance-of-system components. Design, construction, labor and installation costs incurred by our in-house EPC team or external EPC contracts may also vary. Any increase in the prices of solar modules or balance-of-system components or fluctuations in design, construction, labor and installation costs may increase our procurement cost for the key components or costs to engage external contractors and hence may materially and adversely affect our results of operations.

The reduction, modification, delay or elimination of government subsidies and economic incentives for on-grid solar power applications may reduce the profitability of our business and materially adversely affect our business.

We believe that the near-term growth of the market for on-grid applications continues to depend on the availability and size of government subsidies and economic incentives which can be influenced by various factors, such as national subsidy policy and the local desulphurized coal benchmark electricity price. If the reduction or elimination of government subsidies and economic incentives are not implemented prudently, such reduction or elimination may adversely affect the growth of this market or result in increased price competition, either of which could cause our revenues to decline.

When upfront system costs are factored into the cost of electricity generation, the cost of solar power substantially exceeds the cost of power generated from conventional means in many markets. As a result, national and local governmental bodies in many countries have provided subsidies and economic incentives in the form of FITs, rebates, tax credits and other incentives to end-users, distributors, system integrators and manufacturers of solar power products to promote the use of solar power and to reduce dependence on other forms of energy.

However, as the solar power industry continues to develop, these government subsidies and economic incentives have been reduced and could continue to be reduced or be eliminated altogether. For example, reductions in FIT programs in Germany have continued since 2014 and the government in China has issued various policies to control FIT for on-grid solar power projects since 2014. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation—China—Renewable Energy Law and Other Government Directives.”

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Although the solar power industry is currently moving towards the economies of scale necessary for solar power to become cost-effective in a non-subsidized market, any reduction, modification, delay or elimination of government subsidies and economic incentives by the Chinese government and the governments of other countries for on-grid solar power applications could result in decreased demand and pricing of our solar power projects, which could materially and adversely affect our revenues and profitability.

Industry trends, in particular limited interconnection capacity, will have a negative impact on our business and results of operations.

The solar industry is expected to continue to be highly competitive due to more new entrants to the solar project market and upstream solar manufacturing players moving to the downstream project business. Increasing solar generation capacity may result in continued interconnection capacity scarcity. If the industry continues to suffer from scarcity in interconnection capacity resulting in slowed market growth and potential regulatory curtailments, our business and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.

Our future success substantially depends on our ability to closely monitor and accurately predict market demand which exposes us to a number of risks and uncertainties.

We intend to closely match our solar power projects and electricity to the market demand for our products. Any failure to accurately predict market demand may result in our below-supply or oversupply of our solar power projects and electricity required to meet the market demand. Our ability to achieve a balance is subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including:

If we are unable to successfully respond to market demand, or if we fail to resolve any of the risks and uncertainties, we may be unable to expand our business, maintain our profitability and stay competitive. Moreover, even if we are able to manage our growth, we may be unable to secure sufficient purchase orders, which could adversely affect our business and operations.

Turbulence in global financial markets and economies may adversely affect the solar industry, the demand for solar project products, and our operating results, financial condition and liquidity.

Demand for solar project products is influenced by macroeconomic factors, such as global economic conditions, the supply and the prices of other energy products, such as oil, coal and natural gas, as well as government regulations and policies concerning the public utility industry. A decrease in prices of fossil fuels, for example, could reduce demand for alternative forms of energy, such as solar power. We are also affected by the market and industry trends. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business.” We may be adversely affected by a volatile solar power market and industry conditions; in particular, the demand and prices for our solar power projects and electricity generated by our solar power projects may decline, which may reduce our revenues and profitability.”

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There may still be substantial uncertainties in the global credit and lending environment. If the demand for solar power projects deteriorates due to these macroeconomic factors or solar market and industry trends, our liquidity and financial condition, including our ability to refinance maturing liabilities and access the capital markets to meet liquidity needs, and the liquidity and financial condition of our customers may be adversely affected. Such development would delay and lengthen our cash collection cycles and negatively affect our operating results. Additionally, our ADS price may decrease if investors have concerns that our business, financial condition and results of operations will be negatively affected by a global economic downturn.

We may be adversely affected by volatile solar power market and industry conditions; in particular, the demand and prices for our solar power projects and electricity generated by our solar power projects may decline, which may reduce our revenues and profitability.

Our business is affected by conditions in the solar project market and industry. In December 2016 and December 2017, the NDRC announced the reduction in FITs for utility-scale solar plants. On June 7, 2021 the NDRC announced that commencing from 2021, the DG projects deployed in commercial and industrial sites will not be entitled to any subsidiary from the Central Government. The administration of the previous U.S. President Donald Trump had less favorable policies for industries engaged in clean energy. As a result, many solar power project developers and solar system installers, like us, were adversely affected and the financial condition weakened. In addition, decreases in prices of other energies, such as oil, electricity and wind power, may also negatively affect the demand for solar power projects. The solar industry is also expected to continue to be highly competitive due to more new entrants to the solar project market and upstream solar manufacturing players moving to the downstream project business. If the supply of solar projects grows faster than demand, and if governments continue to reduce financial support for the solar industry, impose trade barriers or impose curtailments in the solar industry, demand for our projects, as well as our average selling price, could be materially and adversely affected.

If solar power project technology is proven not suitable for widespread adoption, or if demand for solar power projects continues to lag behind their supply, our revenues may decline and we may be unable to achieve or sustain profitability.

The solar market is still in development and the extent of acceptance of solar power projects remains uncertain. Historical and current market data on the solar power industry are not as readily available as those for established industries where trends can be assessed more reliably from data gathered over a longer period of time. In addition, demand for solar power projects has not developed as fast as many market players have anticipated although the solar industry continues to experience lower costs, improved efficiency and higher electricity output. Many factors may affect the viability of widespread adoption of solar power projects technology and demand for solar power projects, including:

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If solar power projects technology is proven not viable for widespread adoption or the demand for solar power projects fails to develop sufficiently, our revenues may suffer and we may be unable to sustain our profitability.

Concentration in a limited number of customers for the sale of our utility-scale projects may experience us to additional risks and significant fluctuations or declines in our revenues.

In our project development, we may sell our utility-scale projects only to utilities companies or grid system operators. Although most of our developed solar power projects are not utility-scale projects, concentration in a limited number of customers in this utility-scale project market may, among others, limit our ability to expose to other purchasers, reduce our power to negotiate the pricing terms and sales terms and rely on the payment from the governmental grid companies, which may cause fluctuations or declines in our revenues.

We may not be able to locate third party purchasers for our solar projects in a timely manner, or at all, or we may not be able to timely renew or replace expiring PPAs or other contractual arrangements.

Upon completing solar projects, we either sell them to our related parties or third-party purchasers or operate them. For those projects we intend to sell, if we are not able to locate third party purchasers and agree on a purchase and sales contract on terms and conditions favorable to us and in a timely manner, or at all, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

For those projects we intend to operate and generate electricity for sale, if we are not able to timely renew or replace expiring PPAs or other contractual arrangements, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow could be materially adversely affected. See “—Our ability to transmit and sell the electricity generated from the solar power projects operated by us relies on the grid connection, dispatch agreements, PPAs and other contractual agreements.”

Limited number of purchasers of electricity generated by solar energy may expose us and our solar power projects to additional risk.

Transmission and distribution of electricity is either monopolized or highly concentrated in most jurisdictions, there are a limited number of possible purchasers for electricity generated by solar power in a given geographic location, including transmission grid operators, state and investor-owned power companies, public utility districts and cooperatives. As a result, there is a concentrated pool of potential purchasers for electricity generated by our solar power plants and projects, which may restrict our ability to negotiate favorable terms under new PPAs and could impact our ability to find new customers for the electricity generated by our generation facilities should this become necessary. Furthermore, if the financial condition of these grid companies, utilities and/or power purchasers deteriorates or government policies or regulations to which they are currently subject that compel them to source renewable energy supplies change, demand for electricity produced by our plants could be negatively impacted. In addition, provisions in our PPAs or applicable laws may provide for the curtailment of delivery of electricity for various reasons, including preventing damage to transmission systems, system emergencies, force majeure or economic reasons. Such curtailment would reduce revenues to us from PPAs. If we cannot enter into PPAs on terms favorable to us, or at all, or if the purchaser under our PPAs were to exercise its curtailment or other rights to reduce purchases or payments under such arrangements, our revenues and our decisions regarding development of additional projects in the energy segment may be adversely affected.

Local governmental grid companies may reduce the electricity they purchase from us, which may cause our revenues to decline.

Although in some jurisdictions, the local governmental grid companies are obliged to purchase all the electricity generated by us, they may adjust the amount of electricity they purchase from us as result of constraints on grid connection capacity, or curtailment. If this happens, our revenues will be negatively impacted.

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We may be exposed to credit risks of our customers. If the practice of requiring customers to make advance payments when they place orders with us declines, we will experience increased needs to finance our working capital requirements and are exposed to increased credit risk.

We have required our purchasers acquiring our solar power projects or project SPVs to make an advance payment of a certain percentage of their orders, a business practice that has helped us to manage our accounts receivable, prepay our suppliers and reduce the amount of funds that we needed to finance our working capital requirements. This practice of requiring our customers to make advance payments is in line with market trends. Any decline in this practice will pressure us to increase our working capital turnover or obtain additional financing to fund our working capital requirements. In addition, in our project development business, the normal practice is that purchasers make payments of purchase price in stages. In our IPP business, we will be paid monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly or half-yearly based on the agreements signed with the power purchasers. Any disruptions in the financial markets and other macroeconomic challenges which have affected the global economy may cause our customers to experience difficulties in making timely payment to us. Any inability of our customers to pay us timely, or at all, may materially and adversely affect our cash flows and operating results.

If we are unable to effectively manage risks related to international sales, our ability to expand our business abroad would be materially and severely impaired.

As we continue to expand our business internationally, our international business may expose us to a number of risks with respect to our international marketing, distribution and sales activities, including:

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If we are unable to effectively manage these risks related to international sales, our ability to expand our business abroad will be materially and severely impaired.

We conduct our business globally and are subject to global and local risks related to economic, regulatory, social and political uncertainties.

We conduct our IPP business and/or project development business in a number of countries, such as United States, China, Poland, Hungary, Spain, France, UK, Germany and Italy. Within the United States, our business footprints spread over many states and the idiosyncrasies of those states in terms of regulatory environment and legal framework may have a material impact on our local operations. Our business is therefore subject to diverse and constantly changing economic, regulatory, social and political conditions in the jurisdictions in which we operate.

Conducting business in the international markets exposes us to a number of risks globally and in each of the jurisdictions where we operate, including, without limitation:

To the extent that our business operations are affected by unexpected and adverse economic, regulatory, social and political conditions in the jurisdictions in which we have operations, we may experience project disruptions, loss of assets and personnel, and other indirect losses that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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We face risks related to health epidemics and other outbreaks.

Our business could be adversely affected by the effects of avian flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, swine flu or another epidemic or outbreak. From 2005 to present, there have been reports on the occurrence of avian flu, SARS or swine flu, including a few confirmed human cases and deaths. Any prolonged occurrence or recurrence of avian flu, SARS, swine flu or other adverse public health developments may have a material adverse effect on our business operations. Our operations may be affected by a number of health-related factors which could severely disrupt our operations, including the sickness or death of our key officers and employees, and a general slowdown in the local or global economy.

The public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures that have been taken or that may be taken in the future by governments, businesses, including us, and the public at large to limit the spread of COVID-19 have had, and could continue to have, an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations in the future. If the COVID-19 pandemic continues for a prolonged period of time or is exacerbated, it could result in the imposition of more restrictive measures in the territories in which we operate, further quarantines or closures, supply-chain disruptions, travel and transportation restrictions and import and export restrictions, which could adversely affect our business. Although we have adopted a number of initiatives to reduce costs in the territories where we operate, including a review of our capital expenditures, the further imposition of social distancing measures and lockdowns could continue to have a negative impact on our financial and operating results.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also caused significant volatility in the financial markets, undermining investors’ confidence in the growth of countries and businesses. Currencies in many of the countries where we operate suffered a significant depreciation against the U.S. dollar as compared to December 31, 2020, which increased the cost of some of our development supplies and therefore negatively affected our financial results. In 2021, our business operation had substantially returned to certain normal levels in general. However, COVID Delta and Omicron variance did continue affecting our business from time to time in 2021. Supply issues and electricity price surge did impact module price hike and affect our operation in China. Recently, there has been an increasing number of COVID-19 cases, including the COVID-19 Delta and Omicron variant cases, in multiple cities in China. As a result, various measures, including travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders, have been reinstated and we may have to adjust various aspects of our operations. In addition, the highly-contagious Delta and Omicron variants of COVID-19 have caused authorities in various countries to reimpose restrictions such as mask mandates, curfews and prohibitions on large gatherings. There remain significant uncertainties surrounding COVID-19, including the existing and new variants of COVID-19, and its further development as a global pandemic, including the effectiveness of vaccine programs against existing and any new variants of COVID-19. In addition, the long-term economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may include lower or negative growth rates in the markets where we operate and shift to lower margin for our products.

We cannot predict how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last, whether it will worsen or whether there will be further outbreaks in the future in any of the markets where we operate. The full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic will negatively affect our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including the scope and duration of the pandemic, the duration of the various shelter-in-place orders and reopening plans, the speed and effectiveness of vaccines and treatment developments and deployment in the countries where we operate, potential mutations of COVID-19, and actions taken, or that may be taken in the future, by governmental authorities and other third parties in response to the pandemic.

In general, our business could be adversely affected by the effects of epidemics, including, but not limited to, COVID-19, avian influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the influenza A virus, Ebola virus, severe weather conditions such as a snowstorm, flood or hazardous air pollution, or other outbreaks. In response to an epidemic or other outbreaks, government and other organizations may adopt regulations and policies that could lead to severe disruption to our daily operations. These severe conditions may cause us and/or our partners to make internal adjustments, including but not limited to, temporarily closing down businesses, suspending project construction, limiting business hours, and setting restrictions on travel for a prolonged period of time. The effects of a severe condition may cause business disruption, resulting in material, adverse impact to our financial condition and results of operations.

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We operate in a highly competitive market and many of our competitors have greater resources than we do. We may not be able to compete successfully, and we may lose or be unable to gain market share.

The solar market is increasingly competitive and continually evolving, which may result in price reductions, reduced profit margins or loss of market share by us. The roll-out of attractive solar energy policies around the globe may make this industry increasingly lucrative and thus intensify the competition by attracting more interested companies. Our primary competitors include local and international developers and operators of solar power projects in those markets. Some of our competitors may have integrated with upstream solar manufacturers and may have advantages over us in terms of greater operational, financial, technical, management or other resources in particular markets or in general. They may have longer operating histories, stronger market positions, larger development capabilities, operation skills, greater resources, better brand name recognition, better access to favorable prices, more established distribution networks and larger customer bases than we do. As a result, they may be able to devote greater resources to the research, development, promotion and sale of their products or respond more quickly to evolving industry standards and changes in market conditions than we can. We only started our solar power projects business in recent years. There is no guarantee that we can compete successfully in the markets where we currently operate or the markets we plan to enter in the future.

In addition, in certain of our markets, such as China, state-owned and private companies have emerged to take advantage of the significant market opportunity created by attractive financial incentives and favorable regulatory environment provided by the governments. State-owned companies may have stronger relationships with local governments in certain regions and private companies may be more focused and experienced in developing solar power projects in the markets where we compete. Accordingly, we need to continue to be able to compete against both state-owned and private companies in these markets.

Moreover, the key barriers to enter into our industry at present consist primarily of in-depth market knowledge, skilled personnel, consistent development capacity, access to capital resources and competitive cost structure. If these barriers disappear or become more easily surmountable, new competitors may successfully enter our industry. If we fail to compete successfully, our business would suffer, and we may lose or be unable to gain market share.

We also earn revenues from generation and sales of electricity. We believe that our primary competitors in these markets are the incumbent utilities companies which supply energy to our potential customers under highly regulated rate and tariff structures. We compete with these conventional utilities primarily based on price, predictability of price, reliability of delivery and the ease with which customers can switch to electricity generated by our solar power projects.

As the solar power and renewable energy industry grows and evolves, we will also face new competitors who are not currently in the market. Our competitors may also enter into strategic alliances or form affiliates with other competitors to our detriment. Suppliers or contractors may merge with our competitors which may limit our choices of contractors and hence the flexibility of our overall project execution capabilities. There can be no assurance that our current or potential competitors will not offer solar power projects or services comparable or superior to those that we offer at the same or lower prices or adapt more quickly than we do.

We also face competition from other renewable energy companies and non-renewable power industries, including nuclear energy and fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas. Technological innovations in these other forms of energy may reduce their costs or increase their safety. Large-scale new deposits of fossil fuel may be discovered, which could reduce their costs. Local governments may decide to strengthen their support for other renewable energy sources, such as wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal and ocean power, and reduce their support for the solar industry. The inability to compete successfully against producers of other forms of power or otherwise enter into power purchase agreements favorable to us would reduce our market share, negatively affect our ability to develop and finance our projects and negatively impact our results of operations.

We operate in a highly competitive market. Increased competition may result in price reductions, reduced profit margins and loss of market share. Our market position depends on our financing, development and operation capabilities, reputation, experience and track record. Our failure to adapt to changing market conditions and to compete successfully with existing or new competitors in the solar power industry, as well as the other renewable energy companies and non-renewable power companies, will limit our growth and will have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects.

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Our limited operating history in solar power projects business may not serve as an adequate basis to judge our future prospects and results of operations.

We started our solar power project development business in 2012. We started our IPP business and started to sell electricity in 2013. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Our Solar Power Projects” for details of our solar power projects. Our historic track record of selling solar power projects or electricity may not be a reliable indicator of our performance and period-to-period comparisons of our operating results and our results of operations for any period should not be relied upon as an indication of our performance for any future period. In particular, our results of operations, financial condition, and future success depend, to a significant extent, on our ability to continue to identify suitable sites, obtain required regulatory approvals, arrange financing from various sources, construct solar power projects in a cost-effective and timely manner, expand our project pipeline and manage and operate solar power projects that we develop. If we cannot do so, we may not be able to expand our business at a profit or at all, maintain our competitive position, satisfy our contractual obligations, or sustain growth and profitability.

Our project operations may be adversely affected by weather and climate conditions, natural disasters and adverse work environments.

Solar power projects depend on the amount and intensity of sunlight, which is affected by weather and climate conditions. Any change of such conditions in the areas we operate that reduces solar radiation will adversely affect our business and results of operations. In addition, we may operate in areas that are under the threat of floods, earthquakes, landslides, mudslides, sandstorms, drought, or other inclement weather and climate conditions or natural disasters. If inclement weather or climatic conditions or natural disasters occur in areas where our solar power projects and project teams are located, project development, connectivity to the power grid and the provision of O&M services may be adversely affected. In particular, materials may not be delivered as scheduled and labor may not be available. As many of our solar power projects are located in the same region, such solar power projects may be simultaneously affected by weather and climate conditions, natural disasters and adverse work environments.

During periods of curtailed activity, we may continue to incur operating expenses. We may bear some or all of the losses associated with such unforeseen events. Moreover, natural disasters which are beyond our control may adversely affect the economy, infrastructure and communities in the countries and regions where we conduct our business. Such conditions may result in personal injuries or fatalities or have an adverse effect on our work performance, progress and efficiency or even result in personal injuries or fatalities.

Seasonal variations may influence our results of operations.

Changes in climate, geography, weather patterns, and other phenomena in the regions where we operate may significantly affect our business. For example, solar power projects depend on the amount and intensity of sunlight, which is affected by weather and climate conditions. As a result, our electricity generation and amount of electricity sold and therefore the revenue generated from our IPP business tend to be higher during periods or seasons when there is more irradiation. Seasonal variations could adversely affect our results of operations and make them more volatile and unpredictable.

We are subject to counterparty risks under our FIT price support schemes and PPAs.

As an IPP, we generate revenue from the sale of electricity primarily pursuant to FIT price support schemes or PPAs, which subject us to counterparty risks with respect to regulatory regimes. Relevant regulatory authorities may retroactively alter their FIT price support regimes in light of changing economic circumstances, changing industry conditions or for any number of other reasons. If the relevant government authorities, the local power grid companies or other counterparties or responsible parties do not perform their obligations under the FIT price support schemes and PPAs and we are unable to enforce our contractual rights, our results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected.

We are subject to numerous laws and regulations at the national, regional and local levels of government in the areas where we do business. Any changes to these regulations and policies may present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to the purchase and use of solar projects and solar electricity, which may significantly reduce demand for our products and services or otherwise adversely affect our financial performance.

We conduct our business internationally and are subject to a variety of laws and regulations, some of which may conflict with each other and all of which are subject to change, including energy regulations, tax laws and regulations, environmental regulations, labor laws and other government requirements, approvals, permits and licenses.

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In countries where we do business, the market for solar power projects and solar electricity is heavily influenced by national, state and local government regulations and policies concerning the electric utility industry, as well as policies disseminated by electric utilities. These regulations and policies often relate to electricity pricing and technical interconnection of customer-owned electricity generation, and could deter further investment in the research and development of alternative energy sources as well as customer purchases of solar power technology, which could result in a significant reduction in the potential demand for our solar power projects and solar electricity.

Changes in applicable energy laws or regulations, or in the interpretations of these laws and regulations, could result in increased compliance costs or the need for additional capital expenditures. If we fail to comply with these requirements, we could also be subject to civil or criminal liability and the imposition of fines. Further, national, regional or local regulations and policies could be changed to provide for new rate programs that undermine the economic returns for both new and existing projects by charging additional, non-negotiable fixed or demand charges or other fees or reductions in the number of projects allowed under net metering policies. National, regional or local government energy policies, law and regulation supporting the creation of wholesale energy markets is currently, and may continue to be, subject to challenges, modifications and restructuring proposals, which may result in limitations on the commercial strategies available to us for the sale of our power.

Regulatory changes in a jurisdiction where we are developing a project may make the continued development of the project infeasible or economically disadvantageous and any expenditure we have made to date on such project may be wholly or partially written off. Any of these changes could significantly increase the regulatory related compliance and other expenses incurred by the projects and could significantly reduce or entirely eliminate any potential revenues that can be generated by one or more of the projects or result in significant additional expenses to us, our offtakers and customers, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We may also face regulatory risks imposed by various transmission providers and operators, including regional transmission operators and independent system operators, and their corresponding market rules. These regulations may contain provisions that limit access to the transmission grid or allocate scarce transmission capacity in a particular manner, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We are also subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, or the FCPA, and other anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in the United States and the countries in which we conduct our business. We face significant liabilities if we fail to comply with the FCPA and other anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws. We may have direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies or state-owned or affiliated entities. For example, in China, we enter into PPAs with local subsidiaries of the State Grid to sell our solar electricity. In other countries where we develop, acquire or sell solar projects, we need to obtain various approvals, permits and licenses from the local or national governments. We can be held liable for the illegal activities of our employees, representatives, contractors, partners, and agents, even if we do not explicitly authorize such activities. Any violation of the FCPA and other applicable anti-bribery laws and anti-money laundering laws could result in whistleblower complaints, adverse media coverage, investigations, loss of export privileges, severe criminal or civil sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and reputation. In addition, responding to any enforcement action may result in the diversion of management’s attention and resources, significant defense costs and other professional fees.

We may fail to comply with laws and regulations in the countries where we develop, construct and operate solar power projects and government approval process may change from time to time, which could severely disrupt our business operations.

The development and operation of solar power projects are highly regulated activities. We conduct our business in many countries and jurisdictions and are governed by different laws and regulations, including national and local regulations relating to building codes, taxes, safety, environmental protection, utility interconnection and metering and other matters. We also set up subsidiaries in these countries and jurisdictions which are required to comply with various local laws and regulations. While we strive to work with our local counsel and other advisers to comply with the laws and regulations of each jurisdiction in which we have operations, there may be instances of non-compliance, which may result in fines, sanctions and other penalties against the non-complying subsidiaries and its directors and officers. While we do not believe we have any instances of non-compliance, singularly or in the aggregate, that will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operation, we cannot assure you that instances of non-compliance will not occur in the future which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operation.

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In order to develop solar power projects, we must obtain a variety of approvals, permits and licenses from various authorities. The procedures for obtaining such approvals, permits and licenses vary from country to country, making it onerous and costly to track the requirements of individual localities and comply with the varying standards. Moreover, sovereign states retain the power to adjust their energy policies and alter approval procedures applicable to us. If the regulatory requirements become more stringent or the approval process becomes less efficient, the key steps in our business operations including project development, facility upgrading and product sales, could be severely disrupted or delayed. Failure to obtain the required approvals, permits or licenses or to comply with the conditions associated therewith could result in fines, sanctions, suspension, revocation or non-renewal of approvals, permits or licenses, or even criminal penalties, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Any new government regulations pertaining to our business or solar power projects may result in significant additional expenses. We cannot assure you that we will be able to promptly and adequately respond to changes of laws and regulations in various jurisdictions, or that our employees and contractors will act in accordance with such laws. Failure to comply with laws and regulations where we develop, construct and operate solar power projects may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Restrictive covenants and undertakings under our project financing arrangements and loan arrangements may limit the manner in which we operate and an event of default under the loan may adversely affect our operations.

We obtain financing from financial institutions and fund investors globally, as well as financing lease companies in China. These financing arrangements contain certain restrictive covenants that limit our ability to, among other things, (i) dispose of or provide guarantees, pledges or mortgages on our operating assets in any manner that will increase risk to the lenders, (ii) repay shareholders loans or loans from our related parties, (iii) distribute dividends to shareholders, (iv) enter into other financial obligations to third parties, (v) transfer shares, (vi) make investments, and (vii) take part in any mergers or acquisitions. For more information, see “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—B. Liquidity and Capital Resources.” With our expansion into the downstream solar power projects business, we may continue to incur additional development loans, construction loans and project financing in connection with the solar power projects. Any breach by us of the various undertakings and covenants in our existing or future financing arrangements may give such lenders the right to demand immediate repayment of the outstanding loan amounts. We cannot assure you whether we will be subject to, or be able to fulfill, such undertakings in the future. Any failure to maintain any of the above covenants or undertakings could result in an acceleration of obligations under the facility agreements, which would have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, the breach of any of the covenants and undertakings in any loan agreement may trigger the cross-default provisions in substantially all of our financing arrangements and/or the cross-acceleration provisions in some of those financing arrangements, thereby giving the lenders the right to accelerate our loan repayment obligations. As a result, we are limited in how we conduct our business and may be unable to engage in certain business activities or finance our future operations or capital needs.

Failure by our suppliers in supplying us with solar modules, balance-of-system components and other key components needed for our solar power projects in a timely manner, at a favorable price, or with the quantity or quality we require may materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Any failure by our suppliers in supplying us with solar modules, balance-of-system components and other key components needed for our solar power projects in a timely manner and with the quantity or at the level of pricing we require may adversely and materially impact our ability to fulfill our obligation in producing and delivering solar power projects to our purchasers in accordance with the contracts we entered into with such customers. From time to time, we may be involved in negotiations and disputes with certain suppliers that supply us with solar modules, balance-of-system components and key components needed for our solar power projects with quality defects or regarding quantity and price. Any negotiation or litigation arising out of the disputes with the suppliers could distract management from the day-to-day operation of our business subjects us to potentially significant legal expenses, the forfeiture of our advance payments to our suppliers and interruption of our project development and operations, which could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

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Our advance payments to our suppliers expose us to the credit risk of such suppliers, which may materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We typically made advance payments in connection with our procurement agreements for our solar power project business. To the extent that there is collateral and/or security attached to the advance payments, it is uncertain whether the advance payment can be repaid in full upon enforcement on such collateral or security. Any litigation arising out of disputes relating to such prepayments could subject us to potentially significant legal expenses, distract management from the day-to-day operation of our business and expose us to risks for not being able to collect damages awarded to us, all of which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to recover such advance payments and would suffer further losses if any supplier fails to fulfill its delivery obligations under its supply contract, which would include failure to provide sufficient quantity of materials of such quality as specified in the contract or if a supplier’s stock price becomes less than the price agreed to settle to our claim. Claims by us for advance payments or other supplier obligations under the supply contracts in the future may potentially expose us to the credit risks of the suppliers and other market risks and therefore materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to credit risks of our customers and our trade receivables are relatively large.

Our customers may default in their payments to us from time to time. We conduct regular reviews of our credit exposure to our customers. Credit risk arises from events and circumstances beyond our control, and many are difficult to anticipate or detect, such as an overall economic downturn or deterioration in the financial position of our customers. If our customers fail to timely pay us, require us to extend credit to them beyond our customary payment periods or otherwise default on their payments in an amount in excess of any previously paid deposit, we may be unable to generate sufficient cash flow to meet our cash flow requirements, and we would need to make provisions for doubtful debts or incur bad debt write-offs, which may adversely affect our financial performance. Disputes which arise due to default in payment by customers may also incur time and substantial costs in claiming for such payments and thus affect our liquidity, business, financial condition, results of operations and business prospects.

Future acquisitions, investments or alliances may have an adverse effect on our business.

If we are presented with appropriate opportunities, we may make additional investment into our solar power projects or acquire or invest in businesses or assets that are strategically important to our business or form alliances with key players in the solar power industry to further expand our business. Such acquisitions and investments could expose us to potential risks, including risks associated with the assimilation of new operations, technologies and personnel, unforeseen or hidden liabilities, the inability to generate sufficient revenue to offset the costs and expenses of acquisitions and potential loss of, or harm to, our relationships with employees, customers and suppliers as a result of the integration of new businesses. We may not be able to maintain a satisfactory relationship with our partners or handle other risks associated with future alliances, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Investments in new businesses may also divert our cash flow from servicing our debt and making necessary capital expenditures. In addition, we may incur impairment losses on our acquisitions and investments in equity securities.

We may lack sufficient experience in identifying, financing or completing large investments or acquisitions or joint venture transactions. Such transactions and the subsequent integration processes would require significant attention from our management. In addition, we may expand our business into international markets. In our international expansion, we may face economic, regulatory, legal and political risks inherent in having relationships, operations and sales in other jurisdictions, including challenges caused by distance and linguistic and cultural differences, as well as the potential for longer collection periods and for difficulty in collecting accounts receivable and enforcing contractual obligations. Expansion into new markets may also place significant additional burdens on our senior management and our sales and marketing teams. The diversion of our management’s attention and any difficulties encountered with respect to the acquisitions, investments, alliances, expansion or in the process of integration could have an adverse effect on our ability to manage our business. Any failure to integrate any acquired or new businesses or joint ventures into our operations successfully and any material liabilities or potential liabilities of any acquired businesses or joint ventures that are not identified by us during our due diligence process for such acquisitions or investments could adversely affect our business and financial condition.

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We may experience difficulty in achieving acceptable yields and product performance, or may experience production curtailments or shutdowns.

The technology for developing and operating solar power projects is continuously being modified in an effort to improve yields and product performance. Unsuccessful adoption of new processing technologies or malfunctions of the equipment or facilities used can lower yields or increase the silicon consumption rate, cause quality control problems, interrupt production or result in losses of products in process. We may also experience floods, droughts, earthquakes, power losses, labor disputes and similar events within or beyond our control that would affect our operations.

Any unplanned transmission line maintenance work with short notices from local electricity transmission line operators may suspend our project developments and operations and limit our ability to fulfill our commitments to customers on a timely basis. Although our technology and equipment are designed to minimize and eliminate the leakage of such waste, unexpected accidents may result in environmental consequences, production curtailments, shutdowns or reduced productions and even cause property damage, personal injury or loss of life. Any such event could result in civil lawsuits or regulatory enforcement proceedings, which in turn could lead to significant liabilities.

Advances in solar power project technology could render our projects uncompetitive or obsolete, which could reduce our market share and cause our sales and profit to decline. The solar market is characterized by evolving technology and customer needs. Some of our competitors may devise development technology that enables them to operate the solar power projects with higher quality than our products at a higher yield and lower cost. We will need to invest significant financial resources to maintain our market position, keep pace with technological advances in the solar power industry and effectively compete in the future. Our failure to further refine our technology could cause our products to become uncompetitive or obsolete, which could reduce our market share and cause our revenues to decline. In addition, if we or our customers are unable to manage product transitions, our business and results of operations would be negatively affected.

Our business depends substantially on the continuing efforts of our executive officers and key employees, and our business may be severely disrupted if we lose their services.

Our future success depends substantially on the continued services of our executive officers and key employees. If any of our executive officers or key employees was unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, we may be unable to replace them easily, in a timely manner, or at all. As such, our business may be severely disrupted, our financial conditions and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected and we may incur additional expenses to recruit, train and retain personnel. If any of our executive officers or key employees joins a competitor or forms a competing company, we may lose customers, suppliers, know-how and key professionals and staff members.

Our future success depends, to a significant extent, on our ability to attract, train and retain qualified personnel, particularly technical personnel with expertise in the solar power industry. Since our industry is characterized by high demand and intense competition for talent, there can be no assurance that we will be able to attract or retain qualified technical staff or other highly skilled employees that we will need to achieve our strategic objectives. As our business has grown rapidly, our ability to train and integrate new employees into our operations may not meet the growing demands of our business. If we are unable to attract and retain qualified personnel, our business may be materially and adversely affected. In addition, it is typical in the solar industry for highly skilled employees to enter into employment agreements that contain strict non-competition provisions with their employers. If a dispute arises involving our employee, his or her former employer and us, such as a dispute over the violation of non-competition provision or other restrictive covenants, it could result in our loss of such key employee and adversely impact our operation and business. Any prolonged litigation may also result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and adversely impact our business and reputation.

Problems with the quality or performance of our developed solar power projects could result in increased costs, damage to our reputation and loss of revenues and market share.

In our project development business, substantially all of our purchasers may require us to provide retention money, performance bond or bank guarantee for a certain period of time to secure the quality and performance of our developed solar power projects. During the covered period of time, if any significant defects or efficiency problem arises from sold solar power projects, it may incur additional costs to us for providing remedial measures, divert the attention of our personnel from our operations and cause the retention money to be deducted or forfeited. Similarly, if we fail to maintain the consistent quality of our other solar power projects via effective quality control, it could also cause significant damage to our market reputation, reduce our product sales and market share and adversely affect our results of operations and business.

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If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud and investor confidence and the market price of our ADSs may be adversely impacted.

We are subject to reporting obligations under the U.S. securities laws. The Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, adopted rules requiring every public company to include a management report on the effectiveness of such company’s internal control over financial reporting in its annual report.

A system of financial controls and procedures is necessary to ensure that information about our financial results is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported in an accurate and timely fashion. Effective internal control over financial reporting is necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and prevent fraud. If we cannot disclose required information or provide reliable financial reports, we may not be able to manage our business as effectively as we would if an effective control environment existed, and our business and reputation may be harmed.

Prior to December 31, 2019, management and our independent registered public accounting firm identified that we had a material weakness because we lacked sufficient personnel with an appropriate level of knowledge of U.S. GAAP and financial reporting. Although we have taken certain steps to address this deficiency, including (i) hiring more qualified accounting personnel with relevant U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting experience and qualifications to strengthen the financial reporting function, (ii) further increasing the accounting and SEC reporting acumen and accountability of our finance organization employees through training programs designed to enhance these employees’ competency with respect to U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting; (iii) enhancing our monitoring controls over financial reporting, including additional review by our chief financial officer, and other senior finance staff over the application of U.S. GAAP accounting requirements, the selection and evaluation of U.S. GAAP accounting policies, critical accounting judgments and estimates, reporting and disclosures; and it is no longer a material weakness based on the assessment of management, it is possible that we may have a material weakness identified in the future if the controls and procedures we have implemented are inadequate.

If our operational internal control system fails to detect, prevent or remedy risks in our business as intended or if there is any misconduct by our employees in violation of our policies or applicable laws and regulations, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected, and our reputation could be severely damaged.

We maintain an operational internal control system consisting of an operational internal control department, a whistleblower hotline and other channels for internal reporting, and policies and procedures that are designed to monitor and control potential risk areas relevant to our business operations. However, due to the inherent limitations in the design and implementation of any operational internal control system, we cannot assure you that our operational internal control system will be able to identify, prevent and remedy all risks arising from our business activities as intended or otherwise effectively be implemented, monitored or managed by us. Moreover, we cannot guarantee all of our employees will act in compliance with our employee policies and applicable laws and regulations. Any misconduct or violation by our employees could adversely affect our business and reputation or lead to regulatory sanctions being imposed against us or causing us to incur litigation costs.

In addition, starting from 2012, we began to expand our operations into the global energy efficient products and services business and downstream solar power projects. Since September 2017, after the business restructuring, we have transformed into a solar project developer and operator, a pure downstream player with robust pipeline projects around the world. Although we will continue to reassess and seek ways to improve upon our operational internal control system as necessary, the transformation of our business operations may give rise to additional operational internal control risks that are currently unknown to us, despite any efforts to anticipate such risks.

If our operational internal control system fails to detect risks in our business as intended or to be effectively implemented, monitored and managed, or if we fail to adopt new operational internal control procedures commensurate with our expanding business operations and impact of business restructuring, or if our employees fail to comply with our policies and applicable laws and regulations, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected, and our reputation could be severely damaged.

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Our failure to protect our intellectual property rights may undermine our competitive position, and litigation to protect our intellectual property rights may be costly.

We rely primarily on trade secrets, employee contractual protections and other contractual restrictions to establish and protect our intellectual properties and proprietary rights. Nevertheless, these afford only limited protection and the actions we take to protect our intellectual property rights may not be adequate to provide us with meaningful protection or commercial advantage. As a result, third parties may be able to use the technologies that we have developed and compete with us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results. In addition, contractual arrangements, such as the confidentiality and non-competition agreements and terms between us and our personnel, afford only limited protection and the actions we may take to protect our trade secrets and other intellectual property may not be adequate. Our failure to protect our intellectual property and proprietary rights may undermine our competitive position. Third parties may infringe or misappropriate our proprietary technologies or other intellectual property and proprietary rights. Policing the unauthorized use of proprietary technology can be difficult and expensive. In particular, the laws and enforcement procedures of the PRC and certain other countries are uncertain or do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws and enforcement procedures of the United States do. We cannot assure you that we will not be involved in other intellectual property litigations that might adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition in the future. Litigation relating to our intellectual property might result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention away from our business. An adverse determination in any such litigation will impair our intellectual property and proprietary rights and may harm our business, prospects and reputation.

We may be exposed to intellectual property infringement or misappropriation claims by third parties which, if determined adversely to us, could cause us to pay significant damage awards.

Our success depends largely on our ability to use and develop our technology and know-how without infringing the intellectual property rights of third parties. The validity and scope of claims relating to solar power technology patents involve complex scientific, legal and factual questions and analysis and, therefore, may be highly uncertain. We may be subject to litigation involving claims of patent infringement or violation of intellectual property rights of third parties. The defense and assertion of intellectual property suits, patent opposition proceedings and related legal and administrative proceedings can be both costly and time-consuming and may significantly divert the efforts and resources of our technical and management personnel. An adverse determination in any such litigation or proceedings against us could subject us to significant liabilities to third parties, including requiring us to seek licenses from third parties, to pay ongoing royalties or to pay monetary and punitive damages or subjecting us to injunctions that prohibit the manufacture and sale of our products or the use of our equipment. Protracted litigation could also result in our customers or potential customers deferring or limiting their purchase or use of our products until resolution of such litigation, which could result in losses and adversely affect our results of operations and reputation.

Compliance with environmental regulations can be expensive, and non-compliance with these regulations may result in adverse publicity and potentially significant monetary damages and fines.

During the construction process of our solar power projects, we may generate noise, wastewater and gaseous and other waste. We are required to comply with all applicable regulations regarding protection of the environment. During our project development process, we often prepare environmental impact assessment reports as part of the permitting process. Once operational, our solar power projects do not generate industrial waste. We are in compliance with present environmental protection requirements in all material respects and have all material environmental permits necessary to conduct our business. However, if more stringent regulations are adopted in the future, the cost of compliance with these new regulations could be substantial. If we fail to comply with present or future environmental regulations, we may be required to pay substantial fines, suspend production or cease operations.

Increasing environmental concerns and climate change risks associated with fossil fuel-based power generation have created political momentum to implement strategies aimed at the reduction of emissions of carbon dioxide and certain other gases commonly referred to as “greenhouse gases.” Renewable energy sources such as solar power help address these environmental concerns, and governments around the world have implemented a variety of policy initiatives to accelerate the development and adoption of solar power. While passage of climate change legislation or other regulatory initiatives that regulate or restrict emissions of greenhouse gases may encourage use of solar power and accordingly increase demand for our projects and services, this could also cause us to incur additional direct costs in complying with any new environmental regulations during our development and construction processes, as well as increased indirect costs resulting from our customers, suppliers or both incurring additional compliance costs that get passed on to us.

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Changes in the method for determining the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and the potential replacement of LIBOR may affect our financial condition and results of operations.

The LIBOR benchmark has been subject to national, international, and other regulatory guidance and proposals for reform. On July 27, 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority announced its desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021, which may affect investments and borrowings. Since December 31, 2021, all EUR, GBP, JPY and Swiss Franc LIBOR settings and the 1-week and 2-month USD LIBOR settings have ceased to be published or are no longer representative, and after June 30, 2023, the overnight, 1-month, 3-month, 6-month and 12-month USD LIBOR settings will cease to be published or will no longer be representative.

The U.S. Federal Reserve has also begun publishing a Secured Overnight Funding Rate which is intended to replace USD LIBOR. Plans for alternative reference rates for other currencies have also been announced. It is not possible to predict how investment markets will respond to these new rates, and the effect that any changes in LIBOR or the discontinuation of LIBOR might have on new or existing financial instruments, including the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of hedges. However, such changes may adversely impact the value of some of our current or future investments.

Changes may adversely affect the market for securities referencing LIBOR, which in turn could have an adverse effect on LIBOR-linked investments. In addition, changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of LIBOR may result in a sudden or prolonged increase or decrease in reported LIBOR, which could have an adverse impact on the market for LIBOR-based securities. We may need to negotiate with the commercial bank to determine an alternative reference rate for our credit facility agreement, which may perform differently than LIBOR. Any changes to benchmark rates could have an impact on our cost of funds and our access to the capital markets, which could impact our results of operations and cash flows.

We have limited insurance coverage and may incur losses resulting from product liability claims or business interruptions.

As the insurance industry is still developing in China, the product liability insurance and business interruption insurance available in China offer limited coverage compared to that offered in many other countries. We currently maintain property insurance and machine damage insurance for all the projects we operate, and director and officer liability insurance. We may also maintain other insurances, including commercial general liability insurance, public liability insurance, construction insurance, builder risks insurance, as well as key-man life insurance, from time to time depending on our financing needs. We do not maintain any insurance for business interruption. Any business disruption or natural disaster could result in substantial costs and a diversion of resources, which would have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

We are exposed to risks associated with product liability claims if the use of our solar power projects results in injury. We cannot predict whether product liability claims will be brought against us in the future or the effect of any resulting negative publicity on our business. The successful assertion of product liability claims against us could result in potentially significant monetary damages and require us to make significant payments.

Risks Related to Doing Business in China

Our ADSs may be delisted under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect auditors who are located in China. The delisting of our ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Additionally, the inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections deprives our investors with the benefits of such inspections.

The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the “HFCAA”) was enacted on December 18, 2020, states that if the SEC determines that we have filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that has not been subject to inspection by the PCAOB for three consecutive years beginning in 2021, the SEC should prohibit our shares or ADSs from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over the counter trading market in the U.S.

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On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report to notify the SEC of its determination that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in Mainland China and Hong Kong. The PCAOB identified our auditor as one of the registered public accounting firms that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely. In March 2022, the SEC issued its first list of issuers identified under the HFCAA indicating that the companies on the list are now formally subject to the delisting provisions if they remain on the list for three consecutive years. After we file this annual report on Form 20-F, we may be identified by the SEC under the HFCAA as having filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that cannot be inspected or investigated completely by the PCAOB.

Whether the PCAOB will be able to conduct inspections of our auditor before the issuance of our financial statements on the annual report on Form 20-F for the year ending December 31, 2023, which is due by April 30, 2024, or at all, is subject to substantial uncertainty and depends on a number of factors out of our and our auditor’s control. If our shares and ADSs are prohibited from trading in the United States, there is no certainty that we will be able to list our securities on a non-U.S. exchange or that a market for our securities will develop outside of the United States. Such a prohibition would substantially impair your ability to sell or purchase our ADSs when you wish to do so, and the risk and uncertainty associated with delisting would have a negative impact on the price of our ADSs. In addition, such a prohibition would significantly affect our ability to raise capital on terms acceptable to us, or at all, which would materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and prospects.

On June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which, if passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law, would reduce the number of consecutive non-inspection years required for triggering the prohibitions under the HFCA Act from three years to two. On December 14, 2021, the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act was formally introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration. On February 4, 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the America Competes Act of 2022, which includes the exact same amendments as the bill passed by the Senate. The America Competes Act however includes a broader range of legislation not related to the HFCA Act in response to the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act passed by the Senate in 2021. The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate will need to agree on amendments to these respective bills to align the legislation and pass their amended bills before the President can sign into law. It is unclear when the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives will resolve the differences in the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act and the America Competes Act of 2022 bills currently passed, or when the U.S. President will sign on the bill to make the amendment into law, or at all. If this provision is enacted into law and the number of consecutive non-inspection years required for triggering the prohibitions under the HFCAA is reduced from three years to two, then our shares and ADSs could be prohibited from trading in the United States in 2023.

It may be difficult for overseas regulators to conduct investigations or collect evidence within China.

Shareholder claims or regulatory investigation that are common in the United States generally are difficult to pursue as a matter of law or practicality in China. For example, in China, there are significant legal and other obstacles to providing information needed for regulatory investigations or litigation initiated outside China. Although the authorities in China may establish a regulatory cooperation mechanism with the securities regulatory authorities of another country or region to implement cross-border supervision and administration, such cooperation with the securities regulatory authorities in the Unities States may not be efficient in the absence of mutual and practical cooperation mechanisms. Furthermore, according to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law, or Article 177, which became effective in March 2020, no overseas securities regulator is allowed to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within the territory of the PRC. While detailed interpretations of or implementation rules under Article 177 have yet to be promulgated, the inability for an overseas securities regulator to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within China may further increase difficulties you may face in protecting your interests.

The approval of or filing with the CSRC or other PRC government authorities may be required under PRC law in connection with our issuance of securities overseas, and, if required, we cannot predict whether or for how long we will be able to obtain such approval or complete such filing.

On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, including the CSRC, promulgated the Provisions on Merger and Acquisition of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors that became effective on September 8, 2006 and were amended on June 22, 2009. This regulation, among other things, has provisions that purport to require that an offshore special purpose vehicle, or SPV, formed for listing purposes and controlled directly or indirectly by PRC companies or individuals shall obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of such SPV’s securities on an overseas stock exchange. On September 21, 2006, the CSRC published on its official website procedures specifying documents and materials required to be submitted to it by SPVs seeking CSRC approval of their overseas listings.

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We completed the listing of our ADSs on the NYSE in January 2008 and completed our follow-on offerings in June 2008, October 2009 and September 2013. We did not seek CSRC approval in connection with our initial public offering or our follow-on offerings. Our PRC counsel at the time of listing advised us that because we completed our restructuring for the initial public offering before September 8, 2006, the effective date of the new regulation, it was not and is not necessary for us to submit the application to the CSRC for its approval, and the listing of our ADSs on the NYSE did not require CSRC approval.

If the CSRC or another PRC regulatory agency subsequently determines that CSRC approval was required for the initial public offering or the follow-on offerings, we may face regulatory actions or other sanctions from the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies. These regulatory agencies may impose fines and penalties on our operations in the PRC, limit our operating privileges in the PRC, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from our initial public offering and the follow-on offerings into the PRC or take other actions that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation and prospects, as well as the trading price of our ADSs.

If the CSRC later requires that we obtain its approval, we may be unable to obtain a waiver of the CSRC approval requirements if and when procedures are established to obtain such a waiver. Any uncertainties and/or negative publicity regarding this CSRC approval requirement could have a material adverse effect on the trading price of our ADSs.

Notwithstanding the above, on July 6, 2021, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down Illegal Securities Activities in accordance with the Law (the “Opinions on Securities Activities”), which announced the plans to take effective measures to enhance the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision on the offering and listing of PRC domestic companies in an overseas market, including promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems.

On December 24, 2021, the CSRC promulgated the Provisions of the State Council on the Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (Draft for Comments) (the “Draft Overseas Listing Administration Provisions”), and the Administrative Measures for the Filing of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (Draft for Comments) (the “Draft Overseas Listing Filing Measures”), which, if become effective, require that a PRC domestic company that seeks to offer and list securities in an overseas market, whether through direct or indirect form, to file the required documents with the CSRC within three working days after such application for overseas offering and listing is submitted, and stipulate certain circumstances under which the overseas offering and listing would be prohibited, as well as the measures taken by the CSRC if a PRC domestic company falls into any of such circumstances prior to the overseas offering and listing, such as imposing a postponement or termination of the proposed overseas offering and listing, and canceling the corresponding filing on the conditions that the proposed overseas offering and listing application documents have been filed. As of the date of this annual report, the Draft Overseas Listing Administration Provisions and the Draft Overseas Listing Filing Measures were released for public comments and the final version and effective date of such regulations are subject to change with substantial uncertainty. As of the date of this annual report, we cannot predict the impact of these regulations on maintain the listing status of our ADSs and/or other securities, or any of our future offerings of securities overseas.

Furthermore, the PRC governmental authorities may have wide discretion on the interpretation and enforcement of the foregoing regulations, and we cannot assure you that any new rules or regulations promulgated in the future will not impose additional requirements on any of our future proposed offering of securities overseas or the listing of our ADSs. If it is determined in the future that approvals, filings, registrations or other kind of governmental authorization from the CSRC or other PRC governmental authorities are required for any of our future offerings of securities overseas or to maintain the listing status of our ADSs, it is uncertain whether we can or how long it will take us to obtain such authorization, and whether any such authorization could be rescinded. Any failure to obtain or delay in obtaining such authorization, or a rescission of any such authorization if obtained by us, may subject us to regulatory actions or other sanctions from the CSRC or other PRC governmental authorities, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

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PRC governmental authorities may intervene or influence our operations at any time where we are not or might not be compliant with the PRC laws and regulations, which could result in a material adverse change in our operation and the value of our ADSs. Also, PRC governmental authorities’ oversight and control over offerings conducted overseas by, and foreign investment in, China-based issuers could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of our ADSs.

We have business and sales conducted in China through our subsidiaries in which we hold equity ownership interests. Our operations in China are governed by PRC laws and regulations. The PRC governmental authorities have significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our business, and it may intervene or influence our operations at any time where we are not or might not be compliant with the PRC laws and regulations, which could result in a material adverse change in our operation and/or the value of our ADSs. Also, the PRC governmental authorities have recently indicated an intent to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers. Any such action could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors. In addition, implementation of industry-wide regulations directly targeting our operations could cause the value of our securities to significantly decline. Therefore, investors of our company and our business face potential uncertainty from actions taken by the PRC governmental authorities affecting our business.

In particular, The PRC legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike the common law system, prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. China has not developed a fully integrated legal system, and recently enacted laws, rules and regulations may not sufficiently cover all aspects of economic activities in China or may be subject to a significant degree of interpretation by PRC regulatory agencies and courts. In particular, because these laws, rules and regulations are relatively new, and because of the limited number of published decisions and the non-precedential nature of these decisions, and because the laws, rules and regulations often give the relevant regulator significant discretion in how to enforce them, the interpretation and enforcement of these laws, rules and regulations involve uncertainties and can be inconsistent and unpredictable. Therefore, it is possible that our existing operations may be found not to be in full compliance with relevant laws and regulations in the future. In addition, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules, some of which are not published on a timely basis or at all, and which may have a retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of these policies and rules until after the occurrence of the violation.

Any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention. Since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy than in more developed legal systems. These uncertainties may impede our ability to enforce the contracts we have entered into and could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, the PRC government has recently announced its plans to enhance its regulatory oversight of Chinese companies listing overseas. The Opinions on Securities Activities issued on July 6, 2021 called for:

As the Opinions on Securities Activities were recently issued, there are great uncertainties with respect to the interpretation and implementation thereof. The PRC government may promulgate relevant laws, rules and regulations that may impose additional and significant obligations and liabilities on overseas listed Chinese companies regarding data security, cross-border data flow, and compliance with China’s securities laws. It is uncertain whether or how these new laws, rules and regulations and the interpretation and implementation thereof may affect us, but among other things, our ability to obtain external financing through the issuance of equity securities overseas could be negatively affected.

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Failure to comply with governmental regulations and other legal obligations concerning data protection and cybersecurity may materially and adversely affect our business, as we routinely collect, store and use data during the conduct of our business.

We routinely collect, store and use data during our operations including but not limited to the demand and pricing of solar products and energy, the location and capacity of our production plants, and the information related to our employees, customers and suppliers both in and out of China. We are subject to PRC laws and regulations governing the collecting, storing, sharing, using, processing, disclosure and protection of data on the Internet and mobile platforms as well as cybersecurity. These PRC laws apply not only to third-party transactions, but also to transfers of information between us and our subsidiaries in China, and other parties with which we have commercial relations. On December 28, 2021, the CAC announced the adoption of the Cybersecurity Review Measures, and became effective on February 15, 2022, online platforms and network providers possessing personal information of more than one million individual user must undergo a cybersecurity review by the CAC when they seek listing in foreign markets. The Measures provide that critical information infrastructure operators purchasing network products and services and data processors carrying out data processing activities, which affect or may affect national security, shall apply for cybersecurity review to the cyberspace administrations in accordance with the provisions thereunder.

On July 30, 2021, the PRC State Council promulgated the Regulations on Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure, which became effective on September 1, 2021. Pursuant to the Regulations on Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure, critical information infrastructure shall mean any important network facilities or information systems of an important industry or field, such as public communication and information service, energy, communications, water conservation, finance, public services, e-government affairs and national defense science, which may endanger national security, peoples’ livelihoods and public interest in the event of damage, function loss or data leakage. In addition, relevant administration departments of each critical industry and sector shall be responsible to formulate eligibility criteria and determine the critical information infrastructure operator in the respective industry or sector. The operators shall be informed about the final determination as to whether they are categorized as critical information infrastructure operators. Among these industries, the energy and telecommunications industries ae mandated to take measures to provide key assurances for the safe operation of critical information infrastructure in other industries and fields.

Furthermore, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed the Personal Information Protection Law of the PRC, which became effective from November 1, 2021 and requires personal information processing operators, among other regulatory requirements, to obtain a personal information protection certification issued by recognized institutions in accordance with the CAC regulation before such personal information can be transferred out of China.

As of the date of this annual report, we have not been informed that we are identified as a critical information infrastructure operator by any governmental authorities. These laws and regulations are relatively new and the PRC authorities are continuing to promulgate and issue new laws, regulations and rules in this regard, and therefore there are substantial uncertainties with respect to the interpretation and implementation of these data security laws and regulations. We will closely monitor the relevant regulatory environment and will assess and determine whether we are required to apply for the cybersecurity review.

We may fail to comply with laws and regulations regarding the development, construction and operation of solar power projects and solar production projects in China.

The development, construction and operation of solar power projects and the generation and sale of solar power are highly regulated activities. The activities in China are governed by different laws and regulations, including national and local regulations relating to renewable energy, urban and rural planning, building codes, safety, environmental protection, fire control, utility transmission, engineering and metering and related matters. We are required to obtain approvals, permits and licenses and we are subject to filings with the provincial and/or regional regulatory authorities, such as the NDRC. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation—China—Renewable Energy Law and Other Government Directives.” Any failure to obtain any required approvals, permits, licenses, filings or to comply with the conditions associated therewith could result in fines, sanctions, suspension, revocation or non-renewal of approvals, permits or licenses, or even criminal penalties, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Any new government regulations pertaining to solar power projects may result in significant additional expenses to the development, construction and operation of solar power projects and, as a result, could cause a significant reduction in demand for our solar power projects and services.

We cannot assure you that we will be able to promptly and adequately respond to changes of laws and regulations, or that our employees and contractors will act in accordance with our internal policies and procedures. Failure to comply with laws and regulations where we develop, construct and operate solar power projects may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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Adverse changes in political and economic policies of the PRC government could have a material adverse effect on the overall economic growth of China, which could reduce the demand for our products and materially and adversely affect our competitive position.

We have business and sales conducted in China. As the solar industry is highly sensitive to business and personal discretionary spending levels, it tends to decline during general economic downturns. Accordingly, our results of operations, financial condition and prospects are subject to a significant degree to economic, political and legal developments in China. China’s economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the amount of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources.

The PRC economy has been transitioning from a planned economy to a more market-oriented economy. Although the PRC government has implemented measures since the late 1970s emphasizing the utilization of market forces for economic reform, the reduction of state ownership of productive assets and the establishment of improved corporate governance in business enterprises, a substantial portion of productive assets in China are still owned by the state-owned enterprises. In addition, the PRC government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies. The PRC government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth through the allocation of resources, controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies. Future actions and policies of the PRC government could materially affect our liquidity and access to capital and our ability to operate our business.

While the PRC economy has experienced significant growth in the past decades, growth has been uneven across different regions and among various economic sectors of China. The PRC government has implemented various measures to encourage economic development and guide the allocation of resources. While some of these measures benefit the overall PRC economy, they may also have a negative effect on us. Furthermore, the PRC government may pass measures to tighten credit, including trade financing, available in the PRC market, which could materially impact our financing. For example, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by government control over capital investments or changes in tax regulations that are applicable to us. As the PRC economy is increasingly intricately linked to the global economy, it is affected in various respects by downturns and recessions of major economies around the world, such as the recent financial services and economic crises of these economies. The various economic and policy measures the PRC government enacts to forestall economic downturns or shore up the PRC economy could affect our business.

Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could adversely affect us.

We are a holding company and we conduct our business primarily through our subsidiaries incorporated in China. These subsidiaries are generally subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign investment in China. The PRC legal system is based on written statutes. Prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. Since the late 1970s, PRC legislation and regulations have significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investments in China. However, since the PRC legal system continues to rapidly evolve, the interpretations of many laws, regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involve uncertainties, which may limit legal protections available to us. In addition, any litigation in China may be protracted and result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention.

Expiration of, or changes to, current PRC tax incentives that our business enjoys could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

Our solar project SPVs are currently eligible for corporate income tax incentives in China which granted them corporate income tax exemption for the first three years upon generating income and reduced corporate income tax rate at 12.5% for the next three years.

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Under the Enterprise Income Tax Law and its relevant implementation rules promulgated by National People’s Congress of China and State Council of China which took effect in 2008, enterprises organized under the laws of jurisdictions outside of China with their de facto management bodies located within China may be considered PRC resident enterprises and, therefore, subject to PRC enterprise income tax at the rate of 25% on their worldwide income. The Implementing Regulation of the Enterprise Income Tax Law defines “de facto management body” as an establishment that exerts substantial overall management and control over the operation, personnel, financial affairs, assets and other aspects of the enterprise. Given the facts that we have operating subsidiaries in China and certain management teams are based in China as well, we may be deemed as a PRC tax resident enterprise and, therefore, subject to PRC enterprise income tax at the rate of 25% on our worldwide income except that the dividends we received from our PRC subsidiaries may be exempt from the enterprise income tax to the extent that such dividends are deemed as dividends among PRC resident enterprises. If our current tax benefits expire or otherwise become unavailable to us for any reason, our profitability may be materially or adversely affected.

In addition, all of our PRC subsidiaries are required to pay value added tax, or VAT, with respect to their respective gross sales proceeds.

Our ability to make distributions and other payments to our shareholders depends to a significant extent upon the distribution of earnings and other payment made by our subsidiaries.

We conduct our business in China through our subsidiaries. Our ability to make distributions or other payments to our shareholders depends on payments primarily from ReneSola (Zhejiang) PV Power Co., Ltd. (“ReneSola PV Power”). The payment of dividends by entities organized in China is subject to limitations. Regulations in the PRC currently permit payment of dividends only out of accumulated profits as determined in accordance with accounting standards and regulations in China. However, subsequent to January 1, 2008, there had been no such dividend distribution to us since such earnings will permanently be used to reinvest to the PRC entities. Pursuant to the Foreign Investment Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Company Law of the People’s Republic of China, ReneSola PV Power is also required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profit, if any, to fund certain statutory reserve funds until the accumulative amount of such reserves reaches 50% of its registered capital. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. ReneSola PV Power is also required to allocate a portion of its after-tax profits, as determined by its board of directors, to its discretion accumulation reserves, which may not be distributed to equity owners. In addition, when ReneSola PV Power incurs debt on its own behalf, the instruments governing the debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us.

Under the Enterprise Income Tax Law, dividends payable by us and gains on the disposition of our shares or ADSs could be subject to PRC taxation.

Pursuant to the new PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and its Implementing Regulation, which became effective on January 1, 2008, a 10% withholding tax applies to dividends, interests, rent or royalties payable by a foreign-invested enterprise, such as our PRC subsidiary, to any of its non-resident enterprises investors for PRC enterprise income tax purposes unless any such non-resident enterprise’s jurisdiction of incorporation has a tax treaty with China that provides for a different withholding arrangement. The British Virgin Islands, where our company was incorporated, does not have such a treaty with China. Thus, we expect that a 10% withholding tax will apply to dividends paid to us by our PRC subsidiaries if we are classified as a non-resident enterprise. Circular Cai Shui [2008] No.1 jointly issued by the PRC State Administration of Taxation and Minister of Finance on February 22, 2008 further clarifies that dividends distributed by foreign-invested enterprise to foreign investors out of the profits generated before January 1, 2008 are still exempt from withholding tax even if they are paid after January 1, 2008. Our PRC entities’ undistributed earnings, generated after January 1, 2008, will not be distributed to us since such earnings will permanently be used to reinvest to the PRC entities. Therefore, no dividend withholding tax was accrued.

Pursuant to the Notice on Widening the Scope of Application of Temporary Waiver for Withholding Income Tax for Overseas Investors Using Distributed Profits for Direct Investments (Cai Shui [2018] No. 102), for domestic direct investment by an overseas investor using distributed profits from domestic resident enterprises, the withholding tax could be deferred if certain criteria are satisfied and application procedures fulfilled.

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We are incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. Under the new PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and its Implementing Regulation, an enterprise established outside of the PRC with “de facto management bodies” within the PRC is considered a PRC resident enterprise. The Implementing Regulation defines the term “de facto management bodies” as “establishments that carry out substantial and overall management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel, accounting, properties, etc. of an enterprise.” Given that we have operating subsidiaries and certain management members in China, we may be considered a PRC resident enterprise. If we are determined to be a PRC resident enterprise following the “de facto management bodies” concept, our shareholders and ADS holders who are deemed non-resident enterprise may be subject to the new PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law at the rate of 10% upon the dividends paid by us or the gains on the disposition of our shares or ADSs; similarly, our noteholders who are deemed non-resident enterprise may be subject to the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law at the rate of 10% upon the interest of the notes paid by us and the gains realized on the conversion, sale, exchange or redemption of such notes.

Fluctuations in exchange rates may have a material adverse effect on your investment.

Our sales in China are denominated in Renminbi, and our international sales are generally denominated in U.S. dollars, Euros, British pounds and other local currencies. Our costs and capital expenditures are largely denominated in Renminbi and foreign currencies, including U.S. dollars and Euros. Fluctuations in exchange rates could affect our net profit margins and could result in foreign exchange and operating gains or losses. In addition, our foreign currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC exchange control regulations that restrict our ability to convert Renminbi into foreign currencies.

The value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar, the Euros, British pounds and other currencies is affected by, among other things, changes in China’s political and economic conditions and China’s foreign exchange policies. In recent years, the exchange rates between Renminbi and U.S. dollars and other foreign currency have fluctuated, depending on the market supply and demand with reference to a basket of currencies. It is difficult to predict how long this current situation may last and when and how it may change again.

In addition, although we have not received any dividend from our operating subsidiaries in China since 2008, we may receive such dividends in the future. Any significant depreciation of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar may have a material adverse effect on our revenues and financial condition, and the value of, and any dividends payable on, our shares. For example, to the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars into Renminbi for our operations, appreciation of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar would have an adverse effect on the Renminbi amount we receive from the conversion. Conversely, if we decide to convert our Renminbi into U.S. dollars for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our shares or for other business purposes, appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Renminbi would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amount available to us. As a proportion of our revenue is paid to us in Euros and British pounds, fluctuation between the Euros and the Renminbi as well as British pounds and the Renminbi may also have a material effect on our results of operations.

Restrictions on currency exchange may limit our ability to receive and use our revenues or financing effectively.

A portion of our revenues and expenses are denominated in Renminbi. If our revenues denominated in Renminbi increase or expenses denominated in Renminbi decrease in the future, we may need to convert a portion of our revenues into other currencies to meet our foreign currency obligations, including, among others, payment of dividends declared, if any, in respect of our shares or ADSs. Under China’s existing foreign exchange regulations, our PRC subsidiary, Renesola PV Power is able to pay dividends in foreign currencies, without prior approval from State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, we cannot assure you that the PRC government will not take further measures in the future to restrict access to foreign currencies for current account transactions.

Foreign exchange transactions by Renesola PV Power under capital accounts continue to be subject to significant foreign exchange controls and require the approval of or registration with PRC governmental authorities or the institution being delegated. In particular, if Renesola PV Power borrows foreign currency loans from us or other foreign lenders, these loans must be registered with SAFE and if we finance by means of additional capital contributions, these capital contributions must be filed to or registered by certain government authorities including the PRC Ministry of Commerce and the State Administration for Market Regulation, or their local counterparts, and registered with the bank as delegated by SAFE. These limitations could affect the ability of Renesola PV Power to conduct foreign exchange transactions in China and could affect our business and financial condition.

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PRC regulations relating to the establishment of offshore special purpose companies by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident shareholders to personal liability and limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiary, limit our subsidiary’s ability to increase its registered capital, distribute profits to us, or otherwise adversely affect us.

In May 2013, SAFE issued the Notice regarding Printing and Distributing the Provisions on Foreign Exchange Administration over Direct Investment Made by Foreign Investors in China and the Supporting Documents, or Notice 21, which provides detailed disclosure requirements and examination standards for SAFE registration of foreign investors (including overseas SPVs established by PRC residents) with respect to their establishment of foreign investment enterprises or projects in China.

In July 2014, SAFE released the Notice on Simplifying Certain Matters Related to the Foreign Exchange Administration Over the Overseas Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investments by Domestic Residents Via Special Purpose Vehicles, or Notice 37.

According to these regulations, registration with the local SAFE branch is required for PRC residents to establish or to control an offshore company for the purpose of investment and financing by utilizing the domestic or overseas assets or equity they legally hold. PRC residents should register their initial foreign exchange at the time when they contribute their domestic or overseas assets and interests into the SPVs. Notice 21 imposes additional SAFE registration responsibilities for such SPVs’ direct investments in China.

Moreover, as Notice 37 applies retroactively, PRC residents who had made capital contributions to SPVs based on their lawful domestic or overseas assets or interests but did not go through overseas investment foreign exchange registration formalities prior to the implementation of Notice 37 should provide their local SAFE branch with written explanations regarding their failure to do so, and the local SAFE branch will conduct registration retrospectively based on the principle of legality and reasonableness. For more details of Notice 37, see “Item 4. Information of the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation—China—Regulation of Foreign Currency Exchange and Dividend Distribution—Dividend Distribution.”

We have urged our shareholders who are PRC residents to make the necessary applications and filings as required under these regulations. To our knowledge, our principal shareholders have completed the necessary filings as required under these regulations. In addition, according to rules issued by SAFE, if a PRC resident participates in any stock incentive plan of an overseas publicly-listed company, a qualified PRC domestic agent must, among other things, file on behalf of such participant an application with SAFE to conduct the SAFE registration with respect to such stock incentive plan. We have made filings with the local SAFE branch of Jiashan County in connection with the options we granted to our PRC employees under our 2007 share incentive plan, as amended and restated in January 2009, August 2010, August 2012, August 2016, December 2020 and December 2021, or the 2007 share incentive plan, but were told that such registration is not required for now. We will make such filing and registration in accordance with the rules issued by SAFE if required by local SAFE branch. We attempt to comply and attempt to ensure that our shareholders who are subject to these rules comply with the relevant requirements. However, we cannot provide any assurances that all of our shareholders who are PRC residents will comply with our request to make or obtain any applicable registrations, amend the existing registrations or comply with other requirements required by Notice 37 or other related rules. The failure or inability of our PRC resident shareholders to make any required registrations or comply with other requirements may subject such shareholders to fines and legal sanctions and may also limit our ability to contribute additional capital into or provide loans to our PRC subsidiary, limit our PRC subsidiary’s ability to pay dividends or otherwise distribute profits to us, or otherwise adversely affect us.

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Greater restrictions on global trade, particularly those related to China-U.S. trade relations, and recent human rights claims against China could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our business operations are exposed to the risk of increased trade protectionism, particularly with regard to China, as a significant portion of our business originates from China. China’s import and export of goods and services may be affected by trade protectionism, specifically the ongoing trade war characterized by perpetual trade tensions between the United States and China as well as trade relations among other countries. The former U.S. administration had advocated greater restrictions on trade generally and significant increases on tariffs on certain goods imported into the United States, particularly from China and had taken steps toward restricting trade in certain goods. The United States has imposed significant amounts of tariffs on Chinese imports since 2018. China and other countries have retaliated in response to new trade policies, treaties and tariffs implemented by the United States. China has imposed significant tariffs on U.S. imports since 2018. Although during the last quarter of 2019, the United States and China negotiated an agreement to reduce trade tensions which became effective in February 2020, the continuing trade tensions between the United States and China may have a material adverse effect on our business as we have a significant presence in both countries, as well as any trade embargoes or other economic sanctions by the United States or other countries against countries in the Middle East, Asia, Russia or elsewhere as a result of terrorist attacks, hostilities, or diplomatic or political pressures that limit trading activities with those countries. In addition, sanctions imposed on certain Russian companies and individuals starting in 2014 based on Russia’s involvement in divesting control by Ukraine of the Crimea region and sanctions announced in February and March 2022 by President Biden and several European and world leaders and nations against Russia and any further sanctions may also adversely impact our business. Though the Biden administration announced on March 23, 2022 that it has reinstated 352 expired product exclusions from U.S. "Section 301" tariffs on Chinese imports. Our development and production efforts may be severely disrupted and the costs of our products and services may climb up, which could in turn lead to a dramatic decrease in our operating incomes and profits.

The relationship between western countries and China is featured by trade tensions and more broadly defined geopolitical competition. The two sides have exchanged their conflicting understanding of human rights protection and rebuked each other for falling behind internationally recognized standards in that regard. Despite both western countries and China having expressed a willingness to manage conflicts and seek re-engagement, the direction along which the interstate relationship will head is subject to great uncertainty. If western countries and China slide into a circle of political boycott and economic disengagement, the global economy is likely to be negatively affected and the transboundary supply chain that anchors the modern economy may lapse into disarray. As a multinational company, our business development and operating performance are largely dependent on the maintenance of world peace and stability which is, however, well beyond our control.

Risks Related to Doing Business in International Markets Outside of China

Our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may be adversely affected by developments that are beyond our control in other countries.

Our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows depend partially on the level of economic activity, government and foreign exchange policies and political and economic developments in our other principal targeted international markets outside of China, such as United States, Poland, Hungary, Spain, France, UK, Germany and Italy. Our business, revenues and prospects, as well as our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and the market price of our ADSs, may also be materially and adversely affected by developments in international markets relating to inflation, interest rates, currency fluctuations, government subsidies, taxation, expropriation, as well as any protectionism, exchange control regulations, price and wage controls, social instability or other political, economic or diplomatic developments. We have no control over these conditions and developments which could adversely affect us and our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows or the price or market of our ADSs. See additional risks in “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business.”

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Risks Related to Our ADSs, Warrants and Shares

The market price for our ADSs may be volatile; the value of the warrants could be significantly affected by the market price of the ADSs and other factors.

The market price for our ADSs has been highly volatile and subject to wide fluctuations that are not related to the operating performance of the Company. During the period from January 29, 2008, the first day on which our ADSs were listed on the NYSE, until April 13, 2022, the market price of our ADSs ranged from $0.85 to $147.4 per ADS, after giving effect to the ADS Ratio Change. In more recent years, the market price of our ADSs was from $11.43 (closing price) as of December 31, 2020 to $5.96 (closing price) as of December 31, 2021. We cannot assure you that our share prices will not suffer from a dramatic drop in the future. If that happens, both our business operations and your interests may be adversely and materially affected. In addition, the market price of our ADSs may continue to be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to a wide variety of factors including the following:

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You should note that the stock prices of solar power companies have experienced wide fluctuations. Such wide market fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our ADSs. The market price of the ADSs will likely continue to fluctuate in response to the factors discussed above, many of which are beyond our control.

In addition, the securities market has from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are not related to the operating performance of particular companies. Such fluctuations have occurred since 2008 and have affected the trading price of our ADSs. Continued market fluctuations may materially and adversely affect the market price of our ADSs.

Our existing principal shareholders have substantial influence over our company, and their interests may not be aligned with the interests of our other shareholders.

Mr. Xianshou Li, our previous chairman and previous chief executive officer, beneficially owned 23.0% of our shares as of March 31, 2022. Meanwhile, Mr. Zhengmin Lian holds 23.0% of the voting power in our company via the 153,500,000 shares held by ReneSola Singapore Pte Ltd., which is in turn beneficially owned by Mr. Xianshou Li. As such, Mr. Li and Mr. Lian have substantial influence over our business, including decisions regarding mergers, consolidations and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, election of directors and other significant corporate actions. This concentration of ownership may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company, which could deprive our shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their shares as part of a sale of our company and might reduce the price of our ADSs. For example, holders of a majority of our shares entitled to vote in a duly convened and constituted shareholders’ meeting may pass a shareholders’ resolution to permit the issue of preferred shares in one or more series and to fix the powers and rights of these shares, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the rights associated with our existing shares. Preferred shares could thus be issued with terms that would delay or prevent a change in control or make removal of management more difficult. These actions may be taken even if they are opposed by our other shareholders and holders of our ADSs.

We may need additional capital and may sell additional ADSs or other equity, equity-linked or debt securities or incur indebtedness, which could result in additional dilution to our shareholders or increase our debt service obligations.

We require a significant amount of cash to fund our operations due to changed business conditions or other future developments, including any investments or acquisitions we may decide to pursue, and repay our outstanding debt. We may issue additional equity, equity-linked or debt securities, or obtain a credit facility for a number of reasons, including to finance our operations and business strategy, to satisfy our obligations for the repayment of existing indebtedness, or for other reasons. Any future issuances of equity securities or equity-linked securities could further dilute the interests of our shareholders and may materially adversely affect the price of our ADSs. We cannot predict the timing or size of any future issuances or sales of equity, equity-linked or debt securities, or the effect, if any, that such issuances or sales may have on the market price of our ADSs. We also cannot be sure that we will not need to raise additional capital in the future as a result of continuing or worsening economic conditions or otherwise. Market conditions could require us to accept less favorable terms for the issuance of our securities in the future, which may result in the issuance of securities that have rights, preferences and privileges that are senior to those of the shares and ADSs. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased debt service obligations and could result in operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations. We cannot assure you that financing will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all.

Future issuances of shares or ADSs may adversely affect the price of the ADSs.

We may from time to time access the capital market to raise capital. In addition, we have reserved our shares and ADSs for the holders’ exercise of our share options which are granted pursuant to our 2007 share incentive plan. All ADSs sold in our initial public offering and the follow-on offerings are freely transferable without restriction or additional registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. The remaining ADSs outstanding after the initial public offering and the follow-on offerings are currently available for sale, subject to volume and other restrictions as applicable under Rule 144 and Rule 701 of the Securities Act. The issuance and sale of a substantial number of shares or ADSs, or the perception that such issuances and sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of the shares or ADSs and impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities.

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As a holder of our ADSs, you may not have the same voting rights as the holders of our shares and may not receive voting materials in time to be able to exercise your right to vote.

Holders of ADSs do not have the same rights as our shareholders and may only exercise the voting rights with respect to the underlying shares in accordance with the provisions of the deposit agreement. When a general meeting is convened, ADS holders may not receive sufficient notice of a shareholders’ meeting to permit such holders to withdraw their shares to allow them to cast their vote with respect to any specific matter. If requested in writing by us, the depositary will mail a notice of such a meeting to ADS holders. In addition, the depositary and its agents may not be able to send voting instructions to ADS holders or carry out ADS holders’ voting instructions in a timely manner. We will make all reasonable efforts to cause the depositary to extend voting rights to ADS holders in a timely manner. Furthermore, the depositary and its agents will not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote, for the manner in which any vote is cast, or for the effect of any such vote. As a result, you may not be able to exercise your right to vote. In addition, in your capacity as an ADS holder, you will not be able to call a shareholder meeting.

The depository for our ADSs may give us a discretionary proxy to vote our shares underlying your ADSs if you do not give voting instructions, which could adversely affect your interests.

Under the deposit agreement for the ADSs, if we asked for your instructions but the depositary does not receive your instructions by the cutoff date it sets, the depositary will give us a discretionary proxy to vote the shares underlying your ADSs as to all matters at the shareholders’ meeting unless:

The effect of this discretionary proxy is that if you do not give voting instructions, you cannot prevent the shares underlying your ADSs from being voted, except in the circumstances described above. This arrangement may make it more difficult for shareholders to influence the management of our company. Holders of our shares are not subject to this discretionary proxy.

You may not be able to participate in rights offerings and may experience dilution of your holdings as a result.

We may from time to time distribute rights to our shareholders, including rights to acquire our securities. However, we cannot make rights available to ADS holders in the United States unless we register the rights and the securities to which the rights relate under the Securities Act or an exemption from the registration requirements is available. Also, under the deposit agreement for the ADSs, the depositary will not offer those rights available to ADS holders unless the distribution to ADS holders of both the rights and any related securities are either registered under the Securities Act or exempt from registration under the Securities Act with respect to all holders of ADSs. We are under no obligation to file a registration statement with respect to any such rights or underlying securities or to endeavor to cause such a registration statement to be declared effective. In addition, we may not be able to take advantage of any exemptions from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly, in the event we conduct any rights offering in the future, the depositary may not make such rights available to holders of ADSs or may dispose of such rights and make the net proceeds available to such holders. As a result, holders of our ADSs may be unable to participate in our rights offerings and may experience dilution in their holdings.

You may be subject to limitations on transfer of your ADSs.

Your ADSs represented by the ADRs are transferable on the books of the depositary. However, the depositary may close its transfer books from time to time when it deems that it is expedient for the performance of its duties. In addition, the depositary may refuse to deliver, transfer or register transfers of ADSs generally when our books or the books of the depositary are closed, or at any time if we or the depositary deem it advisable to do so because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body, or under any provision of the deposit agreement, or for any other reason.

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If a United States person is treated as owning at least 10% of our ADSs or shares, such person may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.

If a United States person is treated as owning (directly, indirectly or constructively) at least 10% of the value or voting power of our ADSs or ordinary shares, such person may be treated as a “United States shareholder” with respect to each “controlled foreign corporation” in the Company’s group. Where the Company’s group includes one or more U.S. subsidiaries, in certain circumstances we could be treated as a controlled foreign corporation and certain of our non-U.S. subsidiaries could be treated as controlled foreign corporations (regardless of whether we are or are not treated as a controlled foreign corporation). A United States shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation may be required to annually report and include in its U.S. taxable income its pro rata share of “Subpart F income,” “global intangible low-taxed income” and investments in U.S. property by controlled foreign corporations, whether or not we make any distributions. An individual that is a United States shareholder with respect to a controlled foreign corporation generally would not be allowed certain tax deductions or foreign tax credits that would be allowed to a United States shareholder that is a U.S. corporation. A failure to comply with these reporting obligations may subject a United States shareholder to significant monetary penalties and may prevent starting of the statute of limitations with respect to such shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax return for the year for which reporting was due. We do not intend to monitor whether we or any of our non-U.S. subsidiaries are treated as a controlled foreign corporation or whether any investor is treated as a United States shareholder with respect to us or any of our subsidiaries or to furnish to any United States shareholders information that may be necessary to comply with the aforementioned reporting and tax paying obligations. A United States investor should consult its own advisor regarding the potential application of these rules in its particular circumstances.

We may be a passive foreign investment company for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. Holders of our ADSs or shares.

We will be a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year if, applying applicable look-through rules, either (i) at least 75% of our gross income for such year is passive income or (ii) at least 50% of the value of our assets (generally determined based on an average of the quarterly values of the assets) during such year is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income. A separate determination must be made after the close of each taxable year as to whether we were a PFIC for that year. Although the application of the PFIC rules is unclear in many important respects and the required calculations yield results very close to the line, based on the market price of our ADSs, the value of our assets, and the composition of our income and assets, we do not believe that we were a PFIC for our taxable year ended December 31, 2021, but there can be no assurances in this regard. The determination of PFIC status involves extensive factual investigation, including ascertaining the fair market value of all of our assets on a quarterly basis and the character of each item of income that we earn, and is subject to uncertainty in several respects. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, will agree with any positions that we take or that we will not be treated as a PFIC for our taxable year ended December 31, 2021, the current taxable year or any future taxable year.

While we do not expect to be or become a PFIC, no assurance can be given in this regard because the determination of whether we are or will become a PFIC for any taxable year is a fact-intensive inquiry made on an annual basis that depends, in part, upon the composition and classification of our income and assets. Fluctuations in the market prices of our ADSs and ordinary shares may cause us to be or become a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years because the value of our assets for the purpose of the asset test, may be determined by reference to the market price of our ADSs from time to time (which may be volatile). The composition of our income and assets may also be affected by how, and how quickly, we use our liquid assets.

If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder (as defined in “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Taxation”) holds an ADS or a share, certain adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences could apply to such U.S. Holder. See “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Taxation—Passive foreign investment company.”

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You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under British Virgin Islands law, conduct some of our operations in China and Europe, and some of our officers and directors reside outside the United States.

We are incorporated in the British Virgin Islands and conduct substantially all of our operations in China, United States and Europe through our wholly owned subsidiary in these regions. Some of our directors and officers reside outside of the United States, and some or all of the assets of those persons are located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for you to bring an original action against us or against these individuals in a British Virgin Islands or China court in the event that you believe that your rights have been infringed under the U.S. federal securities laws or otherwise. It may also be difficult for you to enforce in U.S. courts judgments obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our officers and directors, some of whom are not residents of the United States and the majority of whose assets are located outside of the United States. In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the British Virgin Islands or China would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts against us or such persons predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state. There is no statutory recognition in the British Virgin Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, although the courts of the British Virgin Islands will generally recognize and enforce a non-penal judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits. It is uncertain whether such British Virgin Islands or China courts would be competent to hear original actions brought in the British Virgin Islands or China against us or such persons predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state.

Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association and by the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 and common law of the British Virgin Islands. The rights of shareholders to take legal action against our directors and us, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under British Virgin Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the British Virgin Islands. The common law of the British Virgin Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the British Virgin Islands as well as from the common law in England and other countries in the Commonwealth, which has persuasive, but not binding, authority on a court in the British Virgin Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under British Virgin Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedents in the United States. In particular, the British Virgin Islands has no securities laws as compared to the United States and provides significantly less protection to investors. In addition, British Virgin Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action before the federal courts of the United States.

As a result of all of the above, our public shareholders may have more difficulties in protecting their interests through actions against our management, directors or major shareholders than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction in the United States.

Our ADSs may not comply with the minimum listing requirements of the NYSE and may therefore be subject to delisting if we are not able to regain compliance within the prescribed timeframe.

Our ADSs are currently listed on the NYSE. The NYSE has minimum requirements that a company must meet in order to remain listed on the NYSE. These requirements include maintaining a minimum average closing price of $1.00 per ADS over a period of consecutive 30 trading days and an average market capitalization of not less than $50 million over a 30-trading day period and stockholders’ equity of not less than $50 million. On November 7, 2016, we received a notice from the NYSE that the average closing price of our ADSs (prior to the ADS Ratio Change) was below the listing requirements. In order to bring the price of the ADSs into compliance with the listing requirements, we executed the ADS Ratio Change. As a result, effective from February 10, 2017, the number of our shares represented by each ADS has been changed from two shares to 10 shares. On March 1, 2017, we received a notice from the NYSE that a calculation of the average closing price of our ADSs for the 30-trading days ended February 28, 2017 indicated that the average closing price of our ADSs was above the minimum requirement of $1.00 based on a 30-trading day average. Accordingly, we have resumed compliance with all NYSE continued listing requirements.

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On July 26, 2017, we received another notice from the NYSE that the total market capitalization and the stockholders’ equity were below the listing requirements. In order to regain compliance, we conducted a non-cash restructuring to dispose of substantially all of the assets and liabilities related to our manufacturing businesses, including polysilicon, solar wafer and solar module manufacturing, as well as the LED distribution business, such that we could dispose of our asset-heavy and debt-heavy businesses and focus on our asset-light and high-margin project business. The disposition was completed in September 2017. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions—Transaction with our Chief Executive Officer and ReneSola Singapore Pte. Ltd.” for details. On October 24, 2017, we submitted a business plan to the NYSE to demonstrate our plan to regain compliance within the continued listing requirements of the NYSE. On December 7, 2017, the NYSE accepted our business plan and recognized that we were trading at levels in excess of $50 million average market capitalization. We resumed compliance with all NYSE continued listing requirements and the NYSE will continue to perform quarterly reviews during the 18 months from the date of the NYSE notice on July 26, 2017. On January 3, 2018, we provided the NYSE with an updated analysis of our third quarter 2017 progress and the plan submission and it was accepted by the NYSE on January 26, 2018.

On September 9, 2019, we received a notice from the NYSE again that we did not meet the NYSE’s criteria for continued listing standard because the average closing price of the Company’s ADSs was less than $1.00 per ADS over a consecutive 30-trading-day period. On October 1, 2019, we received a confirmation from the NYSE that we had regained compliance with continued listing standards after the average closing price for our ADSs for the consecutive 30-trading-day period ended September 30, 2019 exceeded $1.00.

We cannot assure you that we will maintain compliance with all the NYSE’s continued listing requirements. If we were unable to regain compliance with the minimum share price within the prescribed timeframe or if we are unable to maintain compliance with any of the NYSE’s continued listing requirements in the future, our ADSs would be subject to delisting. A delisting of our ADSs could negatively impact us by, among other things, reducing the liquidity and market price of our ADSs; reducing the number of investors willing to hold or acquire our ADSs, which could negatively impact our ability to raise equity financing; decreasing the amount of news and analyst coverage for us; and limiting our ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. By complying the NYSE’s listing requirements will enable our business gains worldwide audience through NYSE’s platform and improved reputation with potential customers.

ITEM 4.INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY

Prior to our business restructuring in September 2017, the Company’s business was initially operated through its former subsidiary ReneSola Zhejiang Energy Co., Ltd., whose predecessor Zhejiang Fengding Construction Material Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd., or Fengding Construction, was established as a limited liability company in the PRC in 2003. Following a series of share transfers, Fengding Construction was renamed as ReneSola Zhejiang Energy Co., Ltd. in June 2005 and commenced the solar power business in July 2005.

ReneSola Ltd was incorporated as a limited liability company in the British Virgin Islands on March 17, 2006. Our choice of the British Virgin Islands as the jurisdiction of incorporation was motivated in part by its relatively well-developed body of corporate law, various taxes and other incentives, and its acceptance among internationally recognized securities exchanges as a jurisdiction of incorporation for companies seeking to list securities on such exchanges. As we are a limited liability company under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, the liability of our shareholders to our company is limited to (i) any amount unpaid on a share held by the shareholder and (ii) any liability to repay a distribution by our company that was not made in accordance with the laws of the British Virgin Islands. Our principal executive offices are located at 3rd floor, 850 Canal St, Stamford, CT 06902, U.S.A.. Our telephone number is + 1 (347) 577-9055 x115. Our registered office is located at the offices of Harneys Corporate Services Limited, Craigmuir Chambers, P.O. Box 71, Road Town, Tortola, VG1110, British Virgin Islands. Our agent for service of process in the United States is CT Corporation System, located at 111 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10011.

As of December 31, 2021, we conduct our business primarily through the following subsidiaries:

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For our organization structure as of the date of this annual report, see “Item 4. Information on the Company—C. Organizational Structure.”

In January 2008, we and certain selling shareholders completed our initial public offering of 2,000,000 ADSs, representing 20,000,000 of our shares, on the NYSE.

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Our board of directors authorized the ADS Ratio Change in January 2017. Effective from February 10, 2017, the number of our shares represented by each ADS has been changed from two shares to 10 shares. For our ADS holders, this ADS Ratio Change had the same effect as a one-for-five reverse split. No new shares were issued in connection with the ADS Ratio Change. Our ADSs continue to be traded on the NYSE under the symbol “SOL.” The ADS Ratio Change did not reduce any ADS holder’s percentage ownership interest in us, except for minor adjustments that may result from the treatment of fractional ADSs. Proportionate voting rights and other rights and preferences of the ADS holders were not reduced by the ADS Ratio Change, subject to the treatment of fractional ADSs.

On July 26, 2017, we received a notice from the NYSE that the total market capitalization and the stockholders’ equity were below the listing requirements. In order to regain the compliance, we conducted a non-cash restructuring to dispose of substantially all of the assets and liabilities related to our manufacturing businesses, including polysilicon, solar wafer and solar module manufacturing, as well as the LED distribution business, such that we could dispose of our asset-heavy and debt-heavy businesses and focus on our asset-light and high-margin project business. On October 24, 2017, we submitted a business plan to the NYSE to demonstrate our plan to regain compliance within the continued listing requirements of the NYSE. On December 7, 2017, the NYSE accepted our business plan and recognized that we were trading at levels in excess of $50 million average market capitalization. We resumed compliance with all NYSE continued listing requirements and the NYSE will continue to perform quarterly reviews during the 18 months from the date of the NYSE notice on July 26, 2017. On January 3, 2018, we provided the NYSE an update analyzing our third quarter 2017 progress and the plan submission, and it was accepted by the NYSE on January 26, 2018.

In September 2017, the disposition of substantially all of the assets and liabilities related to our manufacturing businesses, including polysilicon, solar wafer and solar module manufacturing, as well as the LED distribution business, was completed.

Prior to our business restructuring in September 2017, our capital expenditures were used primarily to optimize and maintain our Sichuan polysilicon factory, our cell and module manufacturing plant in Yixing, Jiangsu Province, to purchase production equipment, to acquire land-use rights for each of the plants and to build up our solar power product business and solar power projects business. After the completion of the business restructuring, our capital expenditures have been used primarily for our solar power projects business. For details of our capital expenditures, see “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Capital Expenditures.”

In October 2019, we issued and sold to Shah Capital Opportunity Fund LP (“Shah”) 100,000,000 newly issued ordinary shares at a price of $0.11 per Share, for a total consideration of $11.0 million. The newly issued shares are subject to a 180-day lockup period. Net proceeds from the transaction are intended to be used to expand our global project development activities.

During 2020, we raised $45 million from the public market. The capital was and will be used to expand our solar project pipeline and penetrate the solar-plus-storage market, as well as for working capital and potential strategic M&A opportunities. We believe that these capital infusions will enable us to execute our long-term strategic growth plan as we continue our transformation into an asset-light solar project developer.

In January 2021, we raised additional $40 million at price of $16 per ADS and $250million at price of $25 per ADS, a total of $290 million in 2021. The capital was and will be used to expand our solar project pipeline and penetrate the solar-plus-storage market, as well as for working capital and potential strategic M&A opportunities. We also intended to use some of the capital raised for the Company share repurchase activities. This further strengthened our balance sheet with debt to assets ratio below 11% by the end of 2021 and enable us to drive long term growth.

After the completion of our business restructuring in September 2017, we have become a solar project developer and operator, a pure downstream player with robust pipeline projects around the world. We develop and sell solar power projects or sell project SPVs (project development business), and own and operate solar power projects and sell the electricity generated by our operated solar power plants (IPP business).

In December 2019, we switched our multi-year transformation from money-losing equipment maker to money-making and asset-light solar project developer. We have continued to evolve our long-term growth strategy from focusing on our traditional market in China to a global expansion roadmap. We now primarily focus on the promising markets in the United States and Europe. We already obtained a leading market share in Poland and Hungary, as well as some states in the United States such as Minnesota and New York. We moved our headquarters to Connecticut, the United States where our senior management team will be based going forward.

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In addition, we successfully recruited a new management team with tremendous industry insights and experiences that we believe will contribute to our long-term growth following our global expansion strategy. We appointed Mr. Yumin Liu as the chief executive officer. Mr. Liu brings to us more than 20 years of experience in energy management, power generation and solar technology sectors. Before joining us, he was a highly successful and prominent executive at Canadian Solar Inc., a leading global manufacturer of solar photovoltaic modules and provider of solar energy solutions. We appointed Mr. Ke Chen as our chief financial officer. Mr. Chen has over 13 years of experience in the global capital markets, including vast investment experiences in solar industry in China. He is aligned with one of our largest shareholders, Shah Capital, and is highly incentivized to drive shareholder-friendly disclosure and outreach policies.

During 2020, we raised $45 million from the public market. The capital was and will be used to expand our solar project pipeline and penetrate the solar-plus-storage market, as well as for working capital and potential strategic M&A opportunities. We believe that these capital infusions will enable us to execute our long-term strategic growth plan as we continue our transformation into an asset-light solar project developer.

In January 2021, we raised additional $40million at price of $16 per ADS and $250million at price of $25 per ADS, a total of $290million in 2021. The capital was and will be used to expand our solar project pipeline and penetrate the solar-plus-storage market, as well as for working capital and potential strategic M&A opportunities. We also intended to use some of the capital raised for the Company share repurchase activities This further strengthened our balance sheet with debt to assets ratio below 11% by the end of 2021 and enable us to drive long term growth.

In 2021, we continued to focus on core business growth of solar project development to sell high margin projects at NTP or RTB in Europe and USA. We sold 128MW projects in Maine, Utah, Minnesota of USA, Poland, Spain and Hungary. Project sales accounts for 76% of our total revenue in 2021. Our revenue increased by 8% from $73.5 million in 2020 to $79.7 million in 2021, and our net income increased by 147% from $2.8 million in 2020 to $6.9 million in 2021.

As of December 31, 2021, we completed an accumulated 880 MW megawatts (“MW”) of solar power projects and have successfully sold a total of 128 MW of solar projects during 2021. The Sales included 28.8 MW of community solar projects in the U.S., 75 MW of DG projects in Poland, 12.3 MW of DG projects in Hungary, and 12 MW of DG projects in Spain. We were operating and recording electricity generation revenue from approximately 180 MW solar power projects globally as of December 31, 2021, including 156 MW in China, and recorded electricity generation revenue from these projects. As of December 31, 2021, we had 2.2 GW within the late-stage pipeline.

Our net revenue decreased from $119.1 million in 2019 to $73.5 million in 2020, and increased to $79.7 million in 2021. We recorded operating income of $12.7 million and net income of $6.6 million in 2021, compared to operating income of $6.8 million and net income of $2.2 million in 2020, and operating loss of $1.0 million and net loss of $11.7 million in 2019. Net income attributed to ReneSola Ltd was $6.9 million in the full year 2021, compared to net income attributed to ReneSola Ltd of $2.8 million in 2020 and net loss attributed to ReneSola Ltd of $8.8 million in 2019. Net income attributed to ReneSola Ltd per ADS was $0.10 in 2021, compared to net income attributed to ReneSola Ltd per ADS of $0.06 in 2020 and net loss attributed to ReneSola Ltd per ADS of $0.22 in 2019. Adjusted EBITDA grew 58% in 2021 to $25.9 million, compared to $16.4 million in 2020. Non-GAAP net income attributed to ReneSola Ltd was $14.7 million in the full year 2021, compared to $3.7 million in 2020. Non-GAAP net income attributed to ReneSola Ltd per ADS was $0.21 in 2021, compared to $0.08 in 2020. Additionally, in the fourth quarter of 2021, we sold 37 MW of solar projects in Poland, 12 MW in Spain, 4 MW in Hungary, and 4 MW in the U.S. for a combined price of more than $16 million, resulting in meaningful operating income. Project Development segment revenue increased 23% year-over-year to $61.0 million and represented 76.6% of revenue in 2021, up from 67.1% in 2020. Gross margin improved to 39.4% from 22.7% in 2020. See “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—A. Operating Results—Overview of Financial Results—Net Revenue.”

Our Business

Our business primarily includes the sale of project SPVs or development and sale of solar power projects as a developer and the sale of electricity generated by the solar power projects operated by us as an IPP.

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Project Development Business

We started our solar power project development business in 2012. We have recorded revenue from continuing operations from the sales of solar power projects since 2015. We have focused on small-scale DG projects, specifically commercial projects, with a few in small-scale utility projects and community solar gardens, in stable, mature, conservative country risk profile markets, including China, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, other developed countries with infrastructure upgrade needs, with attractive subsidies. See “—Our Sales and Customers.”

As a developer, we have two basic project development models.

Besides the two basic models, we develop community solar gardens as developers and hold the community solar gardens through project SPVs. Prior to the delivery of the community solar gardens, SPVs enter into PPAs, which generally have a term of 20 years, with the power subscribers. After investors are found, we will sell the project rights, that is, the project SPV holding the community solar gardens, to the investors.

The prices of our solar power projects or projects SPVs are primarily based on the cash flow such projects can generate and the rate of returns. The cash flow can be affected by drivers such as electricity generation, electricity price (such as FIT or PPA), operating expenses, tax policy or a number of other reasons. Investors may compare the rate of returns generated from the solar power projects with the rate of returns in the financing or investment markets. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—Volatility or large decrease in the prices of solar power project may cause significant fluctuations or declines in our revenue.”

Purchasers of our developed solar power projects normally pay the purchase price in stages. Substantially all of these purchasers may require us to provide retention money, performance bond or bank guarantee for a certain period of time to secure the quality and performance of our developed solar power projects. During the covered period of time, if any significant defects or efficiency problem arises from sold solar power projects, it may cause the retention money to be deducted or forfeited.

The project development business continues to be our important strategy for the foreseeable future.

IPP Business

We started our IPP business in 2013 by owning and operating solar power projects and selling electricity generated by these solar power projects in 2013. We have built our business as an IPP to develop and operate DG projects in well-developed regions for high PPA/FIT users.

We primarily conduct our IPP business in China through our wholly and partially owned subsidiaries, where we can sell electricity in gross metering or net metering. In China, our IPP portfolio is the solar power projects which we developed. Since 2016, we are building our in-house O&M team in China to operate and maintain our entire owned and operated IPP portfolio in China.

In China, NEA and NDRC published the Notice on the Pilot of Distributed Generation Traded in Markets (file 2017-1901) to establish electricity trading market for DG projects which are similar to virtual net metering and US community solar gardens, allowing the IPP one of following:

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Under gross metering, except for grid parity/low pilot projects in areas with ample resource, good conditions and high market consumption, each solar project approved by China’s National Development and Reform Commission, or the NDRC, is eligible to receive an attractive fixed FIT which was determined by NDRC at the time when the project was filed for 20 years in principle and we expect our solar power projects to be long-term contracted assets. Therefore, except for grid parity/low pilot projects, we can sell all electricity generated by our gross metering projects to the State Grid and receive a total amount of FIT amount, which comprise an agreed electricity sales price from the State Grid and the subsidies from the government, for 20 years. Net metering is important to achieve grid parity. We develop and operate net metering DG projects in well-developed regions in China. Under net metering, we sell majority of the electricity to non-State Grid power purchasers at an agreed negotiated electricity sales price, which is usually at a market discount rate of the public retail rate, and then sell the remaining unpurchased electricity to the State Grid at a price based on the local desulphurized coal benchmark. Aside from the electricity sale, each KWh of electricity generated (sold to non-Sate Grid power purchasers or State Grid) will receive subsidies from the government. State Grid is an enterprise which constructs and operates power grids and is a pilot state holding company approved by the State Council of China to carry out state-authorized investment. The non-State Grid power purchasers are primarily commercial and industrial users. See “—Our Solar Power Projects.” The governmental subsidies in gross metering and net metering may be different. We have focused and will continue to focus on net metering projects with high return on invested capital.

On January 20, 2020, the MOF, NDRC and NEA promulgated Notice on the issuance of Measures for the Administration of Additional Subsidy Funds for Renewable Energy Power Prices, to be effective as from January 20, 2020, which specifies: (i) The renewable energy power generation projects entitled to the subsidy funds shall be determined according to the following methods: (1) For the new renewable energy power generation projects needing subsidies after the promulgation of the Measures (hereinafter referred to as new projects), the MOF shall reasonably determine the total subsidies for the new renewable energy power generation projects supported by the subsidy funds in the current year according to the annual increase level of the subsidy funds, technological progress, industry development and other situations. The NDRC and the NEA shall, according to the renewable energy development plan, technological progress and other situations, reasonably determine the newly-installed capacity of renewable energy power generation projects that are subject to subsidy and within the total annual new subsidies determined by the MOF; (2) The existing renewable energy power generation projects which need subsidies before the promulgation of the Measures (hereinafter referred to as the “existing projects”) shall meet the requirements of the national competent energy authority. Those projects under scale management shall be included in the scope of annual construction scale management, and be included in the list of subsidy projects upon examination and approval by power grid enterprises in accordance with the procedures. (ii) The NDRC and the NEA shall, under the principle of determining expenditure based on revenue, formulate administrative measures for different types of renewable energy power generation projects, specifying project scale management and specific regulatory measures which shall be released to the public as early as possible. The projects that have administrative measures and that are included in the scope of national subsidy scale management for power generation by renewable energy resources shall be given subsidies accordingly. (iii) Power grid enterprises shall, as required by these Measures, regularly release and timely adjust the list of projects subject to subsidy for power generated by renewable energy resources that meet the subsidy conditions, and regularly submit the release information to the MOF, the NDRC and the NEA. The specific conditions for inclusion in the list of subsidy projects include: (1) New projects shall be included in the scope of the total subsidies for renewable energy power generation in the current year; existing projects shall comply with the requirements of the national competent energy authority and shall be included in the scope of annual construction scale management if under scale management. (2) The examination, approval and archival filing have been completed according to the relevant provisions of the state; and the state policies on the price of renewable energy sources are complied, and the on-grid price has been examined and approved by the competent price authority. (3) The grid connection time of all power generation units meets the subsidy requirements. (4) The relevant approval, ratification, filing and grid connection documents have been examined and approved by the national renewable energy information management platform. The State Grid Corporation of China and China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd. shall be respectively responsible for releasing the list of subsidy projects within their respective business scope; local independent power grid enterprises shall be responsible for releasing the list of subsidy projects within their respective business scope upon submission to local provincial competent authorities of finance, price and energy for examination and approval.

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On January 20, 2020, the MOF, NDRC and NEA promulgated Several Opinions on Promotion of the Sound Development of Power Generation with Non-hydropower Renewable Energy Resources to be effective as from January 20, 2020, which specifies: (i) Determining expenditure by revenue so as to reasonably determine the scale of new subsidy projects. The MOF shall, in consultation with relevant authorities, release the total amount of the annual new subsidy. The NDRC and the NEA shall, within the scope of total annual subsidy, reasonably determine the scale of newly-installed power generation projects of various types of renewable energy requiring subsidy, which shall be released to the public as soon as possible so as to guide the steady development of the industry. any existing offshore wind power generation project or solar photo-thermal power generation project for which the approval (record-filing) has been completed as required and all power units have been connected to the grid by December 31, 2021 shall be subsidized by the central finance according to the relevant price policies. (ii) Continuously driving down the prices of onshore wind power, PV power plants, and industrial and commercial distributed PV. We should continue to implement the mechanism for lowering guiding on-grid prices of onshore wind power, PV power plants, and distributed PV for industry and commerce, set a reasonable downgrading range, and guide onshore wind power, PV power plants, and distributed PV for industry and commerce to achieve on-grid parity as soon as possible. (iii) Simplifying the catalogue system management. The State shall not issue the catalogue of surcharges on renewable energy power prices. The information on application for power price surcharges of all renewable energy projects shall be filled in through the national renewable energy information management platform. Power grid enterprises shall, under principles determined by the MOF and other authorities and in light of conditions such as project types, grid connection time and technical levels, determine and regularly disclose to the whole society the list of renewable energy power generation projects meeting subsidy conditions, and report examination and verification results of the list to the MOF, NDRC and NEA. The projects in the 1-7 batches of catalogues that have been previously released by the three authorities shall be directly included in the subsidy list of renewable energy power generation projects of power grid enterprises.

On September 29 2020, the MOF, NDRC and NEA promulgated Supplementary Notice on Matters Relating to Several Opinions on Promoting the Sound Development of Non-Hydro-Renewable Energy Power Generation, which specifies: (i) the quota of subsidy funds from the central budget for renewable energy power generation projects shall be approved based on the reasonable utilization hours, the whole-life-cycle reasonable utilization hours of PV power generation projects in the resource areas of Category I, II and III of PV are 32,000 hours, 26,000 hours and 22,000 hours respectively, while the whole-life-cycle reasonable utilization hours of projects in PV pioneer bases determined by the State and the bidding projects in 2019 and 2020 will increase by 10% on the basis of the hours in the resource areas where such projects are located; (ii) Subsidized electric quantity in the whole life cycle of a project = project capacity × whole-life-cycle reasonable utilization hours of a project. To be specific, the project capacity shall be subject to the capacity determined at the time of approval (filing). If the actual capacity of a project is less than the approved (filed) capacity, the actual capacity shall prevail; (iii) For the projects that are included in the scope of subsidy list for renewable energy power generation in accordance with the Measures for the Administration of Additional Subsidy Funds for Renewable Energy Power Prices (Cai Jian [2020] No.5, hereinafter referred to as Document No.5), subsidies will be granted based on the on-grid price for the electric quantity generated within the whole-life-cycle subsidized electric quantity. Subsidy standards = (renewable energy benchmark on-grid price (including on-grid price determined through bidding and other competitive methods) – local benchmark on-grid price for coal-fired power)/(1 + applicable value-added tax rate). If the whole-life-cycle reasonable utilization hours of a project are not exceeded, subsidies will be granted based on the actual electric quantity generated in the current year by a renewable energy power generation project. For a project that is included in the scope of subsidy list for renewable energy power generation according to Document No.5, the part of electricity generated in excess of the subsidized electric quantity in the whole life-cycle shall not be entitled to the subsidy funds from the central finance, for which a green certificate will be issued for trading in such certificates. For the projects that are included in the scope of subsidy list for renewable energy power generation according to Document No.5, after 20 years of grid connection for wind power and PV power generation projects, regardless of whether the projects reach the subsidized electric quantity in the whole life-cycle, they will not be entitled to the subsidy funds from the central finance and will be issued green certificates for trading in such certificates.

On June 7, 2021, the NDRC issued the Notice on Matters Related to New energy Feed-in Tariff Policy in 2021, which specifies: (i) From 2021, newly filed centralized photovoltaic power plants, distributed photovoltaic projects deployed on commercial and industrial sites and newly approved onshore wind power projects will no longer be entitled to subsidiary from the Central Government and parity will apply; (ii) The feed-in tariff of new projects built in 2021 shall be subject to the local benchmark price of coal-fired power generation; new projects may voluntarily participate in the formation of feed-in tariffs through market-based transactions to better reflect the value of photovoltaic power generation and wind power; (iii) Encourage the local governments to introduce policies to support the sustainable and healthy development of new energy industries such as photovoltaic power generation, onshore wind power, offshore wind power and solar thermal power generation. The Notice was implemented as from August 1, 2021.

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In our IPP business, power purchasers may pay us monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly or half-yearly based on the terms in the Energy Management Contract (EMCs) and PPAs. The EMCs, which, among others, provide the terms and pricing of the sales and include the PPAs, are long-term, generally 20 years with a possible 5 year extension. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks related to Our Business—Our ability to transmit and sell the electricity generated from the solar power projects operated by us relies on the grid connection, dispatch agreements, PPAs and other contractual agreements.”

As of December 31, 2021, we had more than 100 solar power projects in operation globally with an aggregate capacity of approximately 180 MW. See “—Our Solar Power Projects.”

Owning self-consumption DG projects is an attractive business model for us, as it generates very high margin recurring revenue. However, following our long-term transformation plan to be an asset-light project developer and our new global expansion strategy, we may strategically dispose our China DG assets depending on the market situation.

Operations and Maintenance Business

Since 2016, we have been building our Operations and Maintenance (“O&M”) team to operate and maintain all of our owned and operated IPP portfolios not only in China, but also in Europe and the United States. We utilize customized software to monitor the performance and security of our solar power projects on a real-time basis. We maintain our solar power projects to maximize the utilization rate, rate of power generation and system life of our solar power projects.

In addition to the O&M services provided by our in-house O&M team, we also engaged third party contractors to operate and maintain substantially all of our solar power projects overseas. We are responsible for the maintenance of those projects and perform overall maintenance obligations. We subcontract certain specific O&M tasks such as security and repair to third party contractors who are on-call to deliver such services on demand. We generally require warranties for defects in materials or components and warranties for module capacity under normal testing conditions.

Engineering, Procurement and Construction Business

Our Engineering, Procurement and Construction Business (“EPC”) includes engineering design, procurement of solar modules, balance-of-system components and other components, and construction contracting and management. We may engage our in-house EPC team or engage external experienced and qualified EPC contractors to handle and monitor the EPC process for our developed projects. Despite that, as the developer, we may procure the key components, such as solar modules and balance-of-system components.

We typically enter into short-term contracts with our suppliers and contractors on project-by-project basis or project portfolio basis based on the market prices.

Engineering

Through engineering design, we aim to reduce the risks, reduce the costs and improve the performance of our solar power projects. The engineering design process includes the site layout and the electrical design as well as assessing a variety of factors to choose an appropriate technology and the modules and inverters in particular. In additional to relying on our in-house EPC team, we may engage independent third party EPC contractors to conduct and monitor this process.

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Procurement

We procure solar modules and other key components for our developed solar power projects primarily by entering into short-term contracts to purchase at market prices. Suppliers of our solar modules and key components are primarily our related parties and third-party suppliers and contractors. Our purchasing decisions may take into consideration of technical specifications (including size, type and power output) bid price, warranty and insurance programs, spectral response, performance in low light, nominal power tolerance levels, degradation rate, technical support and the reputation of the supplier. We generally require warranties for defects in materials or workmanship for the components and a warranty for module capacity under normal testing conditions. Our in-house EPC team or external EPC contractors work in areas such as logistics, installation, construction and supervision. We maintain an updated list of qualified and reliable suppliers and third-party contractors with a proven track record with which we have established relationships. We choose our third-party suppliers and contractors through a bidding or quotation request process or through our affiliates or other cooperative arrangements with various manufacturers and contractors. The relevant departments of our local offices organize and collect bids/quotations, communicate with potential suppliers and contractors and coordinate with our local development teams to meet the local technical and legal requirements.

Construction

We engage third-party contractors for construction. We employ a number of measures to manage and monitor the performance of such contractors in terms of both quality and delivery time and to ensure compliance with the applicable safety and other requirements. For example, we generally have on-site supervisors and hold regular on-site meetings with the third-party contractors to monitor their work to ensure that projects progress according to schedule and adhere to quality standards. We also conduct periodic inspections to examine project implementation and quality standards compared to our project planning and prepare periodic reports for review and approval by the relevant departments in our corporate headquarters. If we identify any quality or progress issues which are attributable to the work of the third-party contractors, we will have further follow-up discussions with the third party contractors and monitor their rectification work.

We also require our third-party contractors for construction and installation to comply with applicable laws and regulations regarding work safety as well as our own production safety rules and policies. We examine and keep records of the production-related safety documentation and insurance policies of our third-party contractors. All production-related tools and equipment used by our third party contractors must be compliant with and certified by applicable regulatory standards. Our third-party contractors should also regularly provide their internal records relating to production safety (for example safety production training and safety inspections) to us, and we also conduct regular safety supervision and inspection on the third-party contractors.

Under our third-party contracting agreements, we are generally entitled to compensation if the third-party contractors fail to meet the prescribed requirements and deadlines under their contracting agreements. In general, our contractors require us to pay all of the contract price upon completion of the solar power projects and we require the contractor to provide a performance bond, which is usually for a period of one year to two years, in respect of the warranty obligations.

Commissioning and Warranties

When the EPC contractor notifies the regional solar power project team of on-grid operation, the regional solar power project team thoroughly tests each aspect of the solar power project. Commissioning tests generally include a detailed visual inspection of all significant aspects of the plant, an open circuit voltage test and short circuit current test prior to grid connection, and a direct-current test after connecting to the power grid. These tests are conducted in order to ensure that the plant is structurally and electrically safe and is sufficiently robust to operate as designed for the specified project lifetime. We have not experienced any material delays in construction or unsatisfactory workmanship with respect to our solar power projects. Following the commissioning, the solar power projects, which are intended for sale, will be handed over to the purchasers.

In addition to the warranties provided by the manufacturers of modules, balance-of-system components and other key components, EPC contractors also typically provide a limited warranty against defects in workmanship, engineering design, and installation services under normal use and service conditions for a period of time following the energizing of a section of a solar power plant or upon substantial completion of the entire solar power plant. In resolving claims under the workmanship, design and installation warranties, the new owner has the option of remedying the defect to the warranted level through repair, refurbishment, or replacement.

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Our Solar Power Projects

Since 2019, we have built our business as project developer and have selectively owned high quality projects. We have focused on small-scale DG projects and community solar gardens with individual project size of 5 MW-25MW. Our competitive advantages lie in small-scale projects with high PPA/FIT price in diversified jurisdictions which we believe are of attractive return and will be the trend for the development of the industry. Geographically, we are currently taking a new global expansion roadmap and strategically switching from our traditional market in China to the promising markets in the United States and Europe.

Projects for Sale

As of December 31, 2021, we completed an accumulated 880 MW of solar power projects and have successfully sold a total of 128 MW of solar projects during 2021. The Sales included 28.8 MW of community solar projects in the U.S., 75 MW of DG projects in Poland, 12.3 MW of DG projects in Hungary, and 12 MW of DG projects in Spain. We were operating and recording electricity generation revenue from approximately 180 MW solar power projects globally as of December 31, 2021, including 156 MW in China, and recorded electricity generation revenue from these projects. As of December 31, 2021, we had 2.2 GW within the late-stage pipeline.

Operating Assets

As of December 31, 2021, we owned 180 MW of solar power projects globally in operation, including 156 MW of solar power projects in China, and generated 137.1 million kilowatt-hours, or kWh, of electricity from this IPP portfolio in China in 2021.

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Project Pipeline

Our solar power projects pipeline includes early- to mid-stage projects pipeline and late-stage projects pipeline. Due to different processes of developing projects in various regions, our early- to mid-stage projects pipeline refers to projects that we have internally approved to commit operational or financial resources to develop, including projects that we have conducted internal studies and are bidding for, that we are developing the financing plans, or working to obtain external approval or permits for such projects, or that we have agreed on preliminary terms or entered into memorandum of understandings. Late-stage projects mainly refer to projects that we have the legal right to develop based on definitive agreements, including the projects held by project SPVs or joint ventured project SPVs whose controlling power belongs to us, or can be purchased by us once the late stage is reached.

As of December 31, 2021, we had late-stage project pipeline in the United States, Poland, Hungary, France, Spain, Germany, UK, Italy and China with an aggregate capacity of approximately 2.2GW.

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The following table sets forth the information of our late-stage pipeline as of December 31, 2021 (excluding sold, ready for sale and delivered projects):

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The following tables set forth our late-stage project pipeline by location:

United States

Our late-stage projects total 728 MW, of which approximately 76 MW are community solar projects in Minnesota, Maine, Pennsylvania, and New York. Additionally, we have projects under development in Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California. Meanwhile, we operate 24 MW of utility projects in North Carolina.

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Poland

Business momentum accelerated in recent months. As of December 31, 2021, we had 594 MW of projects in our late-stage pipeline.

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Hungary

In Hungary, we invest in small-scale DG projects and utility projects. Our late-stage pipeline has multiple “micro projects,” with an average size of 0.5 MW per project, and utility projects with 48 MW, bringing total capacity to 52 MW.

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France

In France, we have a project pipeline of 100 MW, all of which are ground-mounted projects.

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Spain

We have a late-stage pipeline of 286 MW of ground-mounted projects located in various regions across Spain.

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Germany

We have secured a late-stage pipeline of 37 MW of ground-mounted projects now under development.

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U.K.

We have a late-stage pipeline of 214 MW of ground-mounted projects under development.

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