.19 Nov 2012 09:45
Group turnover has increased significantly to £4.4 million (2011 £0.8 million) as the operating results reflect 12 months of electricity sales and 9 months of steam sales from the Group's plant in South Africa, as compared to just a few weeks of sales reported in the period ended 31 March 2011. Although the combined revenue of £4.4 million from electricity and steam sales was not sufficient to record an operating profit after depreciation, it does nonetheless represent a major improvement as, excluding depreciation, the plant recorded a gross profit of £730,000 (2011: gross loss £630,000) and an operating loss, excluding depreciation, of just £60,000 (2011: £970,000 loss).
The profit for the year also includes a profit of £6.1m arising from the sale of the two turbines and, as a result of this sale, I am pleased to report a major reduction in debt and trade creditors. Debt, comprising loans and bank borrowings, at 31 March 2012 amounted to £7.3 million as compared to £19 million at 31 March 2011. Trade creditors have fallen from £21 million to a little under £8 million. As previously reported the Company originally acquired the four turbines for a proposed project in South Africa and when it became clear that the project would be delayed, the Board decided that it would be in the best interests of shareholders to sell the turbines to a third party rather than sell them to a Group owned project company