Gevo, Inc. Commitments Disclosure
22. Commitments and Contingencies
Legal Matters. From time to time, the Company has been and may again become involved in legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of its business. The Company is not presently a party to any litigation and is not aware of any pending or threatened litigation against the Company that it believes could have a material adverse effect on its business, operating results, financial condition or cash flows.
State Tax Audit. During 2023, the Company was notified of a pending sales and use tax audit by the South Dakota Department of Revenue for the period covering January 2021 through December 2023. Although the final resolution of the Company’s sales and use tax audit is uncertain, based on current information, in the opinion of the Company’s management, the Company concluded that certain losses on litigation were probable and estimable; as a result, the Company recorded $1.8 million accrual for use tax contingencies, included in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Indemnifications. In the ordinary course of its business, the Company makes certain indemnities under which it may be required to make payments in relation to certain transactions. As of December 31, 2025, and 2024, the Company did not have any liabilities associated with indemnities.
In addition, the Company indemnifies its officers and directors for certain events or occurrences, subject to certain limitations. The duration of these indemnifications, commitments, and guarantees varies and, in certain cases, is indefinite. The maximum amount of potential future indemnification is unlimited; however, the Company has a director and officer insurance policy that may enable it to recover a portion of any future amounts paid. The Company accrues losses for any known contingent liability, including those that may arise from indemnification provisions, when future payment is probable. No such losses have been recorded to date.
Environmental Liabilities. The Company’s operations are subject to environmental laws and regulations adopted by various governmental authorities in the jurisdictions in which it operates. These laws require the Company to investigate and remediate the effects of the release or disposal of materials at its locations. Accordingly, the Company has adopted policies, practices and procedures in the areas of pollution control, occupational health and the production, handling, storage and use of hazardous materials to prevent material environmental or other damage, and to limit the financial liability which could result from such events. Environmental liabilities are recorded when the Company’s liability is probable, and the costs can be reasonably estimated. No environmental liabilities have been recorded as of December 31, 2025 and 2024.
Fuel Supply Commitment. The Company has three long-term fuel supply contracts to source feedstock for the anaerobic digesters at the NW Iowa RNG project. These contracts provide an annual amount of feedstock to be used in the production of RNG.
Zero6 Commitments. In September 2022, the Company entered into a development agreement with Zero6 to construct and operate a wind project for the provision of electric energy for our Lake Preston project. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company has committed to pay Zero6 total development charges of $8.6 million, comprised of advanced development fee payments of $0.9 million, certain reimbursable costs of $1.2 million, and $6.5 million upon completion of the project. The Company is not contractually obligated for the specified development charges until certain milestones are met in future periods, and upon completion of the project.
Further, the Company has committed to fund certain discretionary, budgeted costs associated with long lead equipment and engineering services for the Lake Preston project, totaling an estimated $36.0 million. The amount is expected to be fully reimbursed upon completion of the project. Gevo and the developer are evaluating alternative uses for the wind-farm project and the distribution facilities given the current status of Lake Preston. Gevo has contractual priority liens against the equipment and constructed facilities under the contracts.
Additionally, the Company’s investment in Zero6, see Note 15, Deposits and Other Assets, is pledged separately as collateral for two commitments for the purchase of wind electricity, as well as the purchase of 100% of RCWF’s renewable energy credits. Gevo has a commitment to purchase all of RCWF’s electricity. The portion not used is charged to the Company at a lower price. Due to the indefinite delay at Lake Preston, the Project LLCs are actively evaluating options to redeploy resources, including supplying power to other sites and advancing or completing projects in other viable locations.
The estimated commitments as of December 31, 2025, and thereafter are shown below (in thousands):
2031 and | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | | 2027 | | 2028 | | 2029 | | 2030 | | thereafter | | Total | ||||||||
Fuel supply payments | $ | 1,851 | $ | 2,055 | $ | 1,748 | $ | 2,202 | $ | 2,333 | $ | 27,716 | $ | 37,905 | |||||||
East River commitment | 6,861 | — | — | — | — | — | 6,861 | ||||||||||||||
Firm purchase commitments for corn | 5,308 | — | — | — | — | — | 5,308 | ||||||||||||||
Renewable energy credits |
| 142 |
| 142 |
| 142 |
| 142 |
| 142 |
| 1,326 |
| 2,036 | |||||||
Water purchases | 944 | 944 | 944 | 944 | 944 | 4,012 | 8,732 | ||||||||||||||
Total | $ | 15,106 | $ | 3,141 | $ | 2,834 | $ | 3,288 | $ | 3,419 | $ | 33,054 | $ | 60,842 | |||||||
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mar 5, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Mar 27, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Mar 7, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Mar 9, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 24, 2022 | |
About Commitments Disclosures
Commitments and contingencies disclosures catalog a company's off-balance-sheet obligations and legal exposures — purchase commitments, guarantee arrangements, pending litigation, and regulatory proceedings. These items represent potential future cash outflows that may not appear as liabilities on the balance sheet until they become probable and estimable.
Key signals: litigation reserves and disclosed loss ranges quantify management's estimate of legal exposure, but unquantified "reasonably possible" losses often represent the larger risk. Watch for changes in language around pending cases — shifts from "remote" to "reasonably possible" or increases in estimated loss ranges signal deteriorating outcomes. Unconditional purchase obligations and take-or-pay contracts create fixed cost structures that reduce operational flexibility. Guarantee arrangements for subsidiaries or joint ventures can create cascading obligations. Compare the total commitment schedule against projected free cash flow to assess whether the company can meet its obligations without additional financing.