Nature of Business, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2022

Oct. 31, 2021

Nature of Business, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Business and Basis of Presentation

Nature of Business and Basis of Presentation

Headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut, FuelCell Energy, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company,” “FuelCell Energy,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) has leveraged five decades of research and development to become a global leader in delivering environmentally responsible distributed baseload power platform solutions through our proprietary fuel cell technology. As an innovator and an American manufacturer of clean fuel cell power platforms, our current commercial technology delivers clean, distributed generation and distributed hydrogen, as well as heat, carbon separation and utilization, and water. We plan to increase our investment in developing and commercializing future technologies expected to deliver hydrogen and long duration hydrogen-based energy storage through our solid oxide technologies, as well as carbon capture solutions.

As a leading global manufacturer of proprietary fuel cell technology platforms, we are uniquely positioned to serve customers worldwide with sustainable products and solutions for businesses, utilities, governments, and municipalities. Our solutions are designed to enable a world empowered by clean energy, enhancing the quality of life for people around the globe. We target large-scale power users with our megawatt-class installations globally, and currently offer sub-megawatt solutions for smaller power consumers in Europe. To provide a frame of reference, one megawatt is adequate to continually power approximately 1,000 average sized U.S. homes. Our customer base includes utility companies, municipalities, universities, hospitals, government entities/military bases and a variety of industrial and commercial enterprises. Our leading geographic markets are currently the United States and South Korea, and we are pursuing opportunities in other countries around the world. Our product offerings drive our mission to help our customers realize their environmental goals, strengthen resiliency, manage energy and other commodity costs, and deliver valuable goods and services to their customers.

The consolidated financial statements include our accounts and those of our wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

On May 8, 2019, the Company effected a 1-for-12 reverse stock split, reducing the number of the Company’s common shares outstanding on that date from 183,411,230 shares to 15,284,269 shares. The number of authorized shares of common stock remained unchanged at 225,000,000 shares and the number of authorized shares of preferred stock remained unchanged at 250,000 shares. Additionally, the conversion rate of our Series B Preferred Stock (as defined elsewhere herein), the conversion price of our then outstanding Series C Preferred Stock and Series D Preferred Stock (each as defined elsewhere herein), the exchange price of the then outstanding Series 1 Preferred Shares (as defined elsewhere herein), the exercise price of all then outstanding options and warrants, and the number of shares then-reserved for future issuance pursuant to our equity compensation plans were all adjusted proportionately in connection with the reverse stock split. All share and per share amounts, conversion prices, and exercise prices presented herein with respect to periods or dates prior to, or instruments in existence prior to, May 8, 2019 have been adjusted retroactively to reflect these changes.

Liquidity

Liquidity

Our principal sources of cash have been sales of our common stock through public equity offerings, proceeds from third party debt, project financing and tax monetization transactions, proceeds from the sale of our projects as well as research and development and service and license agreements with third parties. We have utilized this cash to develop and construct project assets, perform research and development on our Advanced Technologies, pay down existing outstanding indebtedness, and meet our other cash and liquidity needs.

As of October 31, 2021, unrestricted cash and cash equivalents totaled $432.2 million compared to $149.9 million as of October 31, 2020.

In December 2020, the Company closed an underwritten offering of 25.0 million shares of the Company’s common stock. Net proceeds to the Company were approximately $156.4 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses. Proceeds from this offering have been utilized as follows:

● Extinguishment of Senior Secured Debt: On December 7, 2020, the Company paid $87.3 million to settle the outstanding principal, accrued but unpaid interest, prepayment premium, fees, costs and other expenses due and owing to the Orion Agent and the lenders under the Orion Facility and the Orion Credit Agreement (in

each case as defined elsewhere herein) and related loan documents. Concurrently, the Orion Agent released all of the collateral from the liens granted under the security documents associated with the Orion Facility, which included the release of $11.2 million of restricted cash to the Company.

● Extinguishment of the Series 1 Preferred Shares: On December 17, 2020, the Company paid all amounts owed to Enbridge Inc. (“Enbridge”) under the Series 1 Preferred Shares (as defined elsewhere herein), totaling Cdn. $27.4 million, or approximately $21.5 million in U.S. dollars. Following such payment, Enbridge surrendered its shares in FCE Ltd. (as defined elsewhere herein) and the related Guarantee and January 2020 Letter Agreement (in each case, as defined elsewhere herein) were terminated.

● Working Capital: The remaining $47.5 million of proceeds from the offering was utilized as working capital and included in unrestricted cash.

In February 2021, the Company further reduced its debt by repaying the outstanding $6.5 million Paycheck Protection Program Promissory Note from Liberty Bank under the CARES Act.

On June 11, 2021, the Company entered into an Open Market Sale Agreement with Jefferies LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. with respect to an at the market offering program under which the Company may, from time to time, offer and sell shares of the Company’s common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $500 million. From the date of the Open Market Sale Agreement through October 31, 2021, approximately 44.1 million shares were sold, resulting in gross proceeds to the Company totaling approximately $377.2 million before deducting expenses and sales commissions. Net proceeds to the Company totaled approximately $369.7 million. The Company plans to use the net proceeds from this offering to accelerate the development and commercialization of our Advanced Technologies products, including our solid oxide platform, for project development, for internal research and development, to invest in capacity expansion for solid oxide and carbonate fuel cell manufacturing, and for project financing, working capital support, and general corporate purposes. The remaining availability under the Open Market Sale Agreement as of the date of filing of this report is approximately $122.8 million. See Note 15. “Stockholders’ Equity and Warrant Liabilities” for additional information regarding the Open Market Sale Agreement.

We believe that our unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, expected receipts from our contracted backlog, and release of short-term restricted cash less expected disbursements over the next twelve months will be sufficient to allow the Company to meet its obligations for at least one year from the date of issuance of these financial statements.

To date, we have not achieved profitable operations or sustained positive cash flow from operations. The Company’s future liquidity will depend on its ability to (i) timely complete current projects in process within budget, (ii) increase cash flows from its generation operating portfolio, including by meeting conditions required to timely commence operation of new projects, operating its generation operating portfolio in compliance with minimum performance guarantees and operating its generation operating portfolio in accordance with revenue expectations, (iii) obtain financing for project construction, (iv) obtain permanent financing for its projects once constructed, (v) increase order and contract volumes, which would lead to additional product sales, service agreements and generation revenues, (vi) obtain funding for and receive payment for research and development under current and future Advanced Technologies contracts, (vii) successfully commercialize its Advanced Technologies platforms, including its solid oxide, hydrogen and carbon capture platforms, (viii) implement the product cost reductions necessary to achieve profitable operations, (ix) manage working capital and the Company’s unrestricted cash balance and (x) access the capital markets to raise funds through the sale of equity securities, convertible notes, and other equity-linked instruments.

We are continually assessing different means by which to accelerate the Company’s growth, enter new markets, commercialize new products, and enable capacity expansion. Therefore, from time to time, the Company may consider and enter into agreements for one or more of the following: negotiated financial transactions, minority investments, collaborative ventures, license arrangements, joint ventures or other business transactions for the purpose(s) of geographic or manufacturing expansion and/or new product or technology development and commercialization.

Our business model requires substantial outside financing arrangements and satisfaction of the conditions of such financing arrangements to construct and deploy our projects and facilitate the growth of our business. The Company expects to seek long-term debt and tax equity (e.g., sale-leaseback and partnership transactions) for its project asset portfolio as these projects commence commercial operations. The proceeds of any such financing, if obtained, may allow the Company to fund other projects. We may also seek to obtain additional financing in both the debt and equity markets in the future. If

financing is not available to us on acceptable terms if and when needed, or on terms acceptable to us or our lenders, if we do not satisfy the conditions of our financing arrangements, if we spend more than the financing approved for projects, if project costs exceed an amount that the Company can finance, or if we do not generate sufficient revenues or obtain capital sufficient for our corporate needs, we may be required to reduce or slow planned spending, reduce staffing, sell assets, seek alternative financing and take other measures, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and operations.

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

All cash equivalents consist of investments in money market funds with original maturities of three months or less at the date of acquisition. We place our temporary cash investments with high credit quality financial institutions.

Inventories and Advance Payments to Vendors

Inventories and Advance Payments to Vendors

Inventories consist principally of raw materials and work-in-process. Cost is determined using the first-in, first-out cost method. Included in our inventory balance are used modules that are brought back into inventory upon installation of new modules. When a new module is installed, a determination is made as to whether the module has remaining useful life or should be scrapped and materials recycled. Modules that are deemed to have remaining useful life are put into inventory at an estimated value based on the expected remaining life of the module and its projected output. In certain circumstances, we will make advance payments to vendors for future inventory deliveries. These advance payments are recorded as Other current assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Inventories are reviewed to determine if valuation allowances are required for excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory. This review includes analyzing inventory levels of individual parts considering the current design of our products and production requirements as well as the expected inventory requirements for maintenance on installed power platforms and inventory will be recorded at a new cost basis if a valuation allowance is required.

Project Assets

Project Assets

Project assets consist of capitalized costs for fuel cell projects in various stages of development, including those projects with respect to which we have entered into power purchase agreements (“PPAs”), those projects with respect to which we expect to secure long-term contracts and those projects retained by the Company under a merchant model. Such development costs are generally incurred prior to entering into a definitive sales or long-term financing agreement for the project. Project assets also include capitalized costs for fuel cell projects which are the subject of a sale-leaseback transaction with PNC Energy Capital, LLC (“PNC”) or Crestmark Equipment Finance, a division of MetaBank (“Crestmark”). Project asset costs include costs for developing and constructing a complete turn-key fuel cell project. Development costs can include legal, consulting, permitting, interconnect, and other similar costs. To the extent we enter into a definitive sales agreement, we expense project assets to cost of sales after the respective project asset is sold to a customer and all revenue recognition criteria have been met.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation which is recorded based on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets. Leasehold improvements are amortized on the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful lives of the assets or the term of the lease. When property is sold or otherwise disposed of, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in operations for the period.

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangibles

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangibles

Goodwill represents the excess of the aggregate purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired in a business combination and is reviewed for impairment at least annually. The intangible asset represents indefinite-lived in-process research and development for cumulative research and development efforts associated with the development of solid oxide fuel cell stationary power generation and is also reviewed at least annually for impairment.

Accounting Standards Codification Topic 350, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other" (“ASC 350”) permits the assessment of qualitative factors to determine whether events and circumstances lead to the conclusion that it is necessary to perform the goodwill impairment test required under ASC 350.

The Company completed its annual impairment analysis of goodwill and the in-process research & development assets (“IPR&D”) as of July 31, 2021. The goodwill and IPR&D asset are both held by the Company’s Versa Power Systems, Inc. (“Versa”) reporting unit. Goodwill and the IPR&D asset are also reviewed for possible impairment whenever changes in conditions indicate that the fair value of a reporting unit or IPR&D asset is more likely than not below its carrying value. No impairment charges were recorded with respect to goodwill or the IPR&D asset during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets (including Project Assets)

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets (including Project Assets)

Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset group may not be recoverable. If events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset group may not be recoverable, we compare the carrying amount of an asset group to future undiscounted net cash flows, excluding interest costs, expected to be generated by the asset group and their ultimate disposition. If the sum of the undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying value, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset group exceeds the fair value of the asset group.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

The Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“Topic 606”) effective as of November 1, 2018. Under Topic 606: Revenue from Contracts with Customers, the amount of revenue recognized for any goods or services reflects the consideration that the Company expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods and services. To achieve this core principle, the Company applies the following five-step approach: (1) identify the contract with the customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract; and (5) recognize revenue when or as a performance obligation is satisfied.

A contract is accounted for when there has been approval and commitment from both parties, the rights of the parties are identified, payment terms are identified, the contract has commercial substance and collectability of consideration is probable. Performance obligations under a contract are identified based on the goods or services that will be transferred to the customer that are both capable of being distinct and are distinct in the context of the contract. In certain instances, the Company has concluded distinct goods or services should be accounted for as a single performance obligation that is a series of distinct goods or services that have the same pattern of transfer to the customer. To the extent a contract includes multiple promised goods or services, the Company must apply judgment to determine whether the customer can benefit from the goods or services either on their own or together with other resources that are readily available to the customer (the goods or services are distinct) and if the promise to transfer the goods or services to the customer is separately identifiable from other promises in the contract (the goods or services are distinct in the context of the contract). If these criteria are not met, the promised services are accounted for as a single performance obligation. The transaction price is determined based on the consideration that the Company will be entitled to in exchange for transferring goods or services to the customer. To the extent the transaction price includes variable consideration, the Company estimates the amount of variable consideration that should be included in the transaction price, generally utilizing the expected value method. Determining the transaction price requires judgment. If the contract contains a single performance obligation, the entire transaction price is allocated to the single performance obligation. Contracts that contain multiple performance obligations require an allocation of the transaction price to each performance obligation based on a relative standalone selling price basis. Standalone selling price is determined by the price at which the performance obligation is sold separately. If the standalone selling price is not observable through past transactions, the Company estimates the standalone selling price by taking into account available information such as market conditions and internally approved pricing guidelines related to the performance obligations. Performance obligations are satisfied either over time or at a point in time as discussed in further detail below. In addition, the Company’s contracts with customers generally do not include significant financing components or non-cash consideration. The Company has elected practical expedients in the accounting guidance that allow for revenue to be recorded in the amount that the Company has a right to invoice, if that amount corresponds directly with the value to the customer of the Company’s performance to date, and that allow the Company not to disclose related unsatisfied performance obligations. The Company records any amounts that are billed to customers in excess of revenue recognized as deferred revenue and revenue recognized in excess of amounts billed to customers as unbilled receivables.

Revenue streams are classified as follows:

Product. Includes the sale of completed project assets, sale and installation of fuel cell power platforms including site engineering and construction services, and the sale of modules, balance of plant (“BOP”) components and spare parts to customers.

Service. Includes performance under long-term service agreements for power platforms owned by third parties.

License and royalty. Includes license fees and royalty income from the licensure of intellectual property.

Generation. Includes the sale of electricity under PPAs and utility tariffs from project assets retained by the Company. This also includes revenue received from the sale of other value streams from these assets including the sale of heat, steam, capacity and renewable energy credits.

Advanced Technologies. Includes revenue from customer-sponsored and government-sponsored Advanced Technologies projects.

See below for a discussion of revenue recognition under Topic 606 by disaggregated revenue stream.

Completed project assets

Contracts for the sale of completed project assets include the sale of the project asset, the assignment of the service agreement, and the assignment of the PPA. The relative stand-alone selling price is estimated and is used as the basis for allocation of the contract consideration. Revenue is recognized upon the satisfaction of the performance obligations, which includes the transfer of control of the project asset to the customer, which is when the contract is signed and the PPA is assigned to the customer. See below for further discussion regarding revenue recognition for service agreements.

Contractual payments related to the sale of the project asset and assignment of the PPA are generally received up-front. Payment terms for service agreements are generally ratable over the term of the agreement.

Service agreements

Service agreements represent a single performance obligation whereby the Company performs all required maintenance and monitoring functions, including replacement of modules, to ensure the power platform(s) under the service agreement generate a minimum power output. To the extent the power platform(s) under service agreements do not achieve the minimum power output, certain service agreements include a performance guarantee penalty. Performance guarantee penalties represent variable consideration, which is estimated for each service agreement based on past experience, using the expected value method. The consideration for each service agreement is recognized over time using costs incurred to date relative to total estimated costs at completion to measure progress.

The Company reviews its cost estimates on service agreements on a quarterly basis and records any changes in estimates on a cumulative catch-up basis.

Loss accruals for service agreements are recognized to the extent that the estimated remaining costs to satisfy the performance obligation exceed the estimated remaining unrecognized consideration. Estimated losses are recognized in the period in which losses are identified.

Payment terms for service agreements are generally ratable over the term of the agreement.

Advanced Technologies contracts

Advanced Technologies contracts include the promise to perform research and development services and, as such, this represents one performance obligation. Revenue from most government sponsored Advanced Technologies projects is recognized as direct costs are incurred plus allowable overhead less cost share requirements, if any. Revenue is only recognized to the extent the contracts are funded. Revenue from previous fixed price Advanced Technologies projects is recognized using the cost to cost input method. Revenue recognition for research performed under the EMRE Joint

Development Agreement (as defined elsewhere herein) also falls into the practical expedient category where revenue is recorded consistent with the amounts that are to be invoiced.

Payments are based on costs incurred for government sponsored Advanced Technologies projects and upon completion of milestones for previous fixed-price Advanced Technologies projects. Payments under the EMRE Joint Development Agreement are based on time spent and material costs incurred.

License agreements

The Company entered into the License Agreements (as defined elsewhere herein) with POSCO Energy Co., Ltd. (“POSCO Energy”) in 2007, 2009 and 2012. In June 2020, the Company notified POSCO Energy that it was terminating the License Agreements and POSCO Energy disputed such termination (for more information, refer to Note 22. “Commitments and Contingencies” and Note 24. “Subsequent Events”).

Prior to the date of the Company’s notice of termination, in connection with the adoption of Topic 606, several performance obligations were identified under the License Agreements, including previously satisfied performance obligations for the transfer of licensed intellectual property, two performance obligations for specified upgrades of the previously licensed intellectual property, a performance obligation to deliver unspecified upgrades to the previously licensed intellectual property on a when-and-if-available basis, and a performance obligation to provide technical support for previously delivered intellectual property.

● The performance obligations related to the specified upgrades would have been satisfied and the related consideration recognized as revenue upon the delivery of the specified upgrades. The Company did not recognize any revenue in fiscal years 2021 and 2020 related to specified upgrades.

● The performance obligations for unspecified upgrades and technical support were being recognized on a straight-line basis over the license term on the basis that this represented the method that best depicted the progress towards completion of the related performance obligations. The Company recognized revenue totaling $0.8 million for the year ended October 31, 2020 related to unspecified upgrades and technical support.

All fixed consideration for the License Agreements was previously collected. The Company discontinued revenue recognition of the deferred license revenue related to the License Agreements in July 2020 given the then pending arbitrations.

The Company entered into the EMRE Joint Development Agreement on November 5, 2019. The Company recorded license revenue of $4.0 million in association with this agreement for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 which revenue was considered at a point-in-time upon the signing of the contract as the license is considered functional intellectual property because it has standalone functionality. The customer can use this intellectual property as it exists at a point in time and no further services are required from the Company.

Effective as of June 11, 2019, the Company entered into a License Agreement with EMRE (the “EMRE License Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company agreed, subject to the terms of the EMRE License Agreement, to grant EMRE and its affiliates a non-exclusive, worldwide, fully paid, perpetual, irrevocable, non-transferrable license and right to use the Company’s patents, data, know-how, improvements, equipment designs, methods, processes and the like to the extent it is useful to research, develop, and commercially exploit carbonate fuel cells in applications in which the fuel cells concentrate carbon dioxide from industrial and power sources and for any other purpose attendant thereto or associated therewith. Such right and license is sublicensable to third parties performing work for or with EMRE or its affiliates, but shall not otherwise be sublicensable. Upon the payment by EMRE to the Company of $10.0 million, which was received by the Company on June 14, 2019, EMRE and its affiliates were fully vested in the rights and licenses granted in the EMRE License Agreement, and any further obligations under the EMRE License Agreement are considered by the Company to be minimal. As a result, the total contract value of $10.0 million was recorded as revenue for the year ended October 31, 2019.

Generation revenue

For certain project assets where customers purchase electricity from the Company under PPAs, the Company has determined that these agreements should be accounted for as operating leases pursuant to ASC 842, Leases. Revenue is recognized when electricity has been delivered based on the amount of electricity delivered at rates specified under the contracts, assuming all other revenue recognition criteria are met. Generation sales, to the extent the related PPAs are within the scope of Topic 606, are recognized as revenue in the period in which the Company provides the electricity and completes the performance obligation, which is the same as the monthly amount billed to customers.

Variable Interest Entity and Noncontrolling Interests

Variable Interest Entity and Noncontrolling Interests

The Company closed on a tax equity financing transaction in August 2021 for the 7.4 MW fuel cell project (the “Groton Project”) located on the U.S. Navy Submarine Base in Groton, CT, which has been structured as a “partnership flip.” A partnership (the “Groton Partnership”) was organized with East West Bancorp, Inc. (“East West Bank”) to acquire from FuelCell Energy Finance II, LLC all of the outstanding equity interests in Groton Station Fuel Cell, LLC (“Groton Project Company”). East West Bank has a conditional withdrawal right which they can exercise and which would require the Company to pay 101% of the amount contributed by East West Bank  to date. In addition, under this partnership flip structure, the Company has an option to acquire all of the equity interests that East West Bank holds in the Groton Partnership starting approximately five and a half years after the Groton Project is operational. If the Company exercises this option, the exercise price to be paid by the Company will be the greater of (1) the fair market value of East West Bank’s equity interest at the time the option is exercised, (2) five percent of the $15 million tax equity commitment and (3) East West Bank’s claim in liquidation determined using the hypothetical liquidation at book value method.

The Groton Partnership is a Variable Interest Entity (VIE) under U.S. GAAP. The Company has determined that it is the primary beneficiary in the Groton Partnership for accounting purposes. The Company has considered the provisions within the financing-related agreements (including the limited liability company agreement for the Groton Partnership) which grant the Company power to manage and make decisions affecting the operations of the Groton Partnership. The Company considers the rights granted to East West Bank under the agreements to be more protective in nature than participatory. Therefore, the Company has determined under the power and benefits criterion of Accounting Standards Codification 810, Consolidations that it is the primary beneficiary of the Groton Partnership. As the primary beneficiary, the Company consolidates in its consolidated financial statements the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Groton Partnership, and all intercompany balances and transactions between the Company and the Groton Partnership are eliminated in the consolidated financial statements. The Company recognized East West Bank’s share of the net assets of the Groton Partnership, which is $3.0 million as of October 31, 2021, as a noncontrolling interest in mezzanine equity on its Consolidated Balance Sheet and will continue to do so until the conditional withdrawal period lapses upon commencement of operations. Upon commencement of operations of the related project asset, the Company expects to allocate profits and losses to the noncontrolling interest under the hypothetical liquidation at book value ("HLBV") method. HLBV is a balance sheet-oriented approach for allocating net income or loss to the noncontrolling interest when there is a complex structure, such as the partnership flip structure.

Sale-Leaseback Accounting

Sale-Leaseback Accounting

The Company, through certain wholly-owned subsidiaries, has entered into sale-leaseback transactions for commissioned project assets where we have entered into a PPA with a customer who is both the site host and end user of the power. Due to the Company not meeting criteria to account for the transfer of the project assets as a sale, sale accounting is precluded. Accordingly, the Company uses the financing method to account for these transactions.

Under the financing method of accounting for a sale-leaseback, the Company does not derecognize the project assets and does not recognize as revenue any of the sale proceeds received from the lessor that contractually constitutes payment to acquire the assets subject to these arrangements. Instead, the sale proceeds received are accounted for as financing obligations and leaseback payments made by the Company are allocated between interest expense and a reduction to the financing obligation. Interest on the financing obligation is calculated using the Company’s incremental borrowing rate at the inception of the arrangement on the outstanding financing obligation.

Service Expense Recognition

Service Expense Recognition

We warranty our products for a specific period of time against manufacturing or performance defects. Our U.S. warranty is generally limited to a term of 15 months after shipment or 12 months after acceptance of our products. We accrue for estimated future warranty costs based on historical experience. We also provide for a specific accrual if there is a known issue requiring repair during the warranty period. Estimates used to record warranty accruals are updated as we gain further operating experience.

In addition to the standard product warranty, we have entered into service agreements with certain customers to provide monitoring, maintenance and repair services for fuel cell power platforms. Under the terms of these service agreements, the power platform must meet a minimum operating output during the term. If the minimum output falls below the contract requirement, we may be subject to performance penalties or may be required to repair and/or replace the customer’s fuel cell module.

The Company records loss accruals for service agreements when the estimated cost of future module exchanges and maintenance and monitoring activities exceeds the remaining unrecognized contract value. Estimates for future costs on service agreements are determined by a number of factors including the estimated remaining life of the module, used replacement modules available and future operating plans for the power platform. Our estimates are performed on a contract by contract basis and include cost assumptions based on what we anticipate the service requirements will be to fulfill obligations for each contract.

At the end of our service agreements, customers are expected to either renew the service agreement or, based on the Company’s rights to title of the module, the module will be returned to the Company as the platform is no longer being maintained.

Research and Development Costs

Research and Development Costs

We perform both customer-sponsored research and development projects based on contractual agreements with customers and company-sponsored research and development projects.

Costs incurred for customer-sponsored projects include manufacturing and engineering labor, applicable overhead expenses, materials to build and test prototype units and other costs associated with customer-sponsored research and development contracts. Costs incurred for customer-sponsored projects are recorded as cost of Advanced Technologies contract revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss.

Costs incurred for company-sponsored research and development projects consist primarily of labor, overhead, materials to build and test prototype units and consulting fees. These costs are recorded as research and development expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss.

Concentrations

Concentrations

We contract with a concentrated number of customers for the sale of our products, for service agreement contracts and for Advanced Technologies contracts. For the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, our top customers accounted for 79%, 80% and 77%, respectively, of our total annual consolidated revenue.

The percent of consolidated revenues from each customer for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, are presented below.

	2021		2020		2019
ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company (EMRE)	29	%	32	%	40	%
Connecticut Light and Power	20	%	17	%	11	%
Korea Southern Power Company (KOSPO)	12	%	—	%	—	%
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)	8	%	9	%	6	%
UIL Holdings Corporation	5	%	18	%	1	%
Pfizer, Inc.	5	%	4	%	6	%
Dominion Bridgeport Fuel Cell, LLC (a)	—	%	—	%	13	%
Total	79	%	80	%	77	%

(a) All of the outstanding membership interests in Dominion Bridgeport Fuel Cell, LLC were acquired by the Company on May 9, 2019. As a result of this acquisition, revenue is now (subsequent to the acquisition) recognized under the related PPA for electricity sales to Connecticut Light and Power.

Derivatives

Derivatives

We do not use derivatives for speculative or trading purposes. The Company has an interest rate swap that is adjusted to fair value on a quarterly basis. The fair value adjustment is based on Level 2 inputs including primarily the forward LIBOR curve available to swap dealers. The fair value methodology involves comparison of (i) the sum of the present value of all monthly variable rate payments based on a reset rate using the forward LIBOR curve and (ii) the sum of the present value of all monthly fixed rate payments on the notional amount which is equivalent to the outstanding principal amount of the loan. Refer to Note 14. “Debt and Financing Obligations” for further details.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Estimates are used in accounting for, among other things, revenue recognition, lease right-of-use assets and liabilities, contract loss accruals, excess, slow-moving and obsolete inventories, product warranty accruals, loss accruals on service agreements, share-based compensation expense, allowance for doubtful accounts, depreciation and amortization, impairment of goodwill and in-process research and development intangible assets, impairment of long-lived assets (including project assets), and contingencies. Estimates and assumptions are reviewed periodically, and the effects of revisions are reflected in the consolidated financial statements in the period they are determined to be necessary. Due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making estimates, actual results in future periods may differ from those estimates.

Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation

The translation of the financial statements of FCE Korea Ltd., FCES GmbH and Versa Power Systems Ltd. results in translation gains or losses, which are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss within stockholders’ equity.

Our Canadian subsidiary, FCE FuelCell Energy Ltd., is financially and operationally integrated and the functional currency is the U.S. dollar. We are also subject to foreign currency transaction gains and losses as certain transactions are denominated in foreign currencies. We recognized net foreign currency transaction gains (losses) of $(0.9) million, $0.2 million and $(0.1) million for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. These amounts have been included in Other (expense) income, net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss.

Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance and Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Effective

Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13 (ASU 2016-13), “Measurement of Credit Losses (Topic 326) on Financial Instruments,” which replaces the existing incurred impairment model for trade receivables with an expected loss model which requires the use of forward-looking information to calculate expected credit loss estimates. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 as of November 1, 2020, which had no impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Effective

There is no recent accounting guidance not yet effective that is expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements when adopted.