BLUEPOINT ENERGY SIGNS JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT WITH TEFCO, LLC
TEFCO Granted Right of First Offer to Finance Next $300 Million of Turnkey Projects
BluePoint to Receive $10 Million for General Working Capital Purposes
El Dorado Hills, CA, December 19, 2007 - Chapeau, Inc. d/b/a BluePoint Energy (OTC BB: CPEU) announced today that it has entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with TEFCO, LLC, a Virginia limited liability company formed for the purpose of owning turnkey projects employing BluePoint’s EnviroGen™ Energy Modules for the tolling of energy in combined heat and power and combined cooling, heat and power applications pursuant to BluePoint’s proprietary discount energy service agreements (DESAs). TEFCO has been capitalized with $26 million from an investor group that includes as a significant member owning approximately 37%, Gordon V. Smith, a shareholder and director of BluePoint. In addition to the investor group, BluePoint has a 10% equity interest in TEFCO.
Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, among other things, TEFCO is granted a right of first offer to finance the next $300 million of BluePoint’s turnkey projects on the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement. In the event TEFCO declines to finance a turnkey project, BluePoint may seek alternative financing for such turnkey project(s). TEFCO will advance BluePoint 35% of the total funds necessary for each turnkey project upon execution of a related DESA by the customer and an additional 25% shortly thereafter. TEFCO will advance the remaining funds pursuant to a mutually agreed upon funding schedule. This schedule and other opportunities within TEFCO allows BluePoint to convert over $100 million in prospective backlog of turnkey projects into signed DESAs without BluePoint having to raise additional funding to finance these projects. BluePoint will operate, service and maintain each such turnkey project.
Also pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, BluePoint shall receive $10 million for general working capital purposes under the terms of a senior secured two-year promissory note that can be prepaid at any time without penalty.
Guy A. Archbold, Chief Executive Officer of BluePoint Energy, stated, "In implementing our strategic plan to establish BluePoint as a nationally known major solution provider in the demand response market, we have in recent months signed demand-side energy partnerships with multiple nationally recognized utilities and Independent Service Operators in the major US markets. We have signed an exclusive national development agreement for demand response with an internationally recognized hotel and leisure company and are currently in final negotiation for similar agreements with other industry leaders in both the hospitality and retail market sectors"
Archbold continued, "Based upon our current and anticipated business prospects for both our demand response asset aggregation program (D-RAAP™) and related products and services as well as our combined heat and power suite of products incorporating EnviroGen™ Energy Modules, we strongly believe that the $10 million working capital loan and funds available to finance turnkey projects under this latest JV Agreement with TEFCO should be sufficient for BluePoint to reach sustainable profitability."
Archbold concluded, "With the holidays approaching, BluePoint is ending 2007 positioned for a breakout year in 2008. We anticipate not only attaining sustainable profitability next year but also comparable or greater revenue growth to other nationally recognized commercial and industrial demand response solution providers. We continue to pursue combined heat and power solutions nationally and internationally with established and new customers in a wide range of industries. We are confident that our success in these two business lines shall establish BluePoint Energy as a major energy management company providing economic and environmentally responsible solutions for the nation’s critical and worsening energy needs."
About Chapeau, Inc. d/b/a BluePoint Energy
Chapeau is an energy management company that provides state-of-the-art, technology-based, environmentally responsible (green) demand response (DR) and combined heat and power (CHP) solutions to commercial and industrial energy users across the majority of public and private industry sectors, including hospitality, retail, healthcare, manufacturing and government. To-date, the Company's efforts have focused principally on incorporating innovative and proprietary engineering solutions into its D-RAAP™ (Demand Response Asset Aggregation Program) and EnviroGen™ Energy Modules, both solutions utilizing Chapeau's proprietary, robust, multi-layered, Internet and microprocessor-based GenView™ control systems.
The foregoing is news relating to Chapeau, Inc. d/b/a BluePoint Energy, Inc. (the "Company") and contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. When used in this report, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to the Company or its management, including without limitation, Chapeau, Inc. d/b/a BluePoint Energy, Inc. (as defined herein) and/or the Company’s other subsidiaries, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. The Company’s actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from the results expressed in, or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a discussion of additional factors that may affect actual results, investors or interested parties should refer to the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission; in particular, its annual report on Form 10-K, most current 10Q and other filings as may be relevant. This does not constitute an offer to buy or sell securities by the Company, its subsidiaries or any associated party and is meant purely for informational purposes.
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