REG - Powerhouse Energy Gp - European Patent update

Powerhouse EnergyAnnouncement

06/11/2023 07:00

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RNS Number : 4158S  Powerhouse Energy Group PLC  06 November 2023

6 November 2023

 

Powerhouse Energy Group plc

 

European Patent update

 

Powerhouse Energy Group plc (the "Company" or "PHE") makes reference to its
announcement on 15 September 2023 regarding the grant of its European patent
application (the "Grant).

 

On 3 November 2023 the Company received notification from the European Patent
Office ("EPO") that the process for publication of the specification of the
patent covered by the Grant was stayed on 9 October 2023. The Company has been
advised by its Patent Attorneys that this is standard practice where a third
party advises the European Patent Office that proceedings for entitlement to a
patent have been commenced in the Courts of a contracting State. The Company
has also been advised that the 'stay' attached to a granted patent would be
removed upon the dismissal of such a claim.

 

 On 6 October 2023 an as-yet unspecified claim against the Company brought by
GetGo Recycling Limited (14520867) ("GetGo" or the "Claimant") was filed in
the High Court in London (Patents Court (the "Claim").

 

The Company considers the Claim to be entirely without merit and vexatious and
will vigorously defend any claim on its Intellectual Property.

 

The Company has not had any dealings or any communication with GetGo informing
the Company of the Claim. The Company became aware the Claim had been filed
via a third party. There is no detail or information in the filing of the
Claim. In addition, the Claimant (i) did not send to the Company a letter of
claim in accordance with the Code of Practice for pre-action conduct in
intellectual property disputes, (ii) has not filed Particulars of Claim in
accordance with the Civil Procedure Rules applicable to actions in the High
Court, and (iii) has not served the Claim on the Company.

 

The Company understands that, if GetGo decides to pursue the Claim, service
has to take place within four months from the date of filing, i.e. by 6
February 2024, and that timescales then apply for delivering to the Company
the Claimant's detailed Particulars of Claim.

 

Antony Gardner-Hillman, Chairman of PHE, commented:

"As regards the European Patent Office Communication, I am advised by our
patent attorneys there is no significance in this and that it is a normal
procedural step when entitlement proceedings have been commenced in respect of
a patent.

 

As regards the proceedings themselves, we do not foresee any impact on PHE's
ongoing work or interference with the company's business. We will deal with
this as an ordinary day-to-day challenge of a kind I have seen and dealt with
successfully before in my career, acting in the appropriate way and with due
regard. I do not know the claimant company and I believe its action is
intended to "soften" PHE as the targeted party before a follow-on approach on
something unrelated. We shall wait and see whether this is the case and we
shall respond accordingly. In the meantime, the Company has filed a claim for
defence legal costs indemnity under its Intellectual Property insurance policy
and is in the process of instructing IP litigation solicitors. Whether or not
the Claimant's actions are strategic and for a peripheral purpose, we will be
well positioned to respond appropriately.

 

From the perspective of PHE, I regard these events as just another stage in
the journey of a company which is developing and protecting proprietary
technology which is sufficiently exciting to attract the attention of others
who can see that it holds value."

 

 

 

For more information, contact:

 

 Powerhouse Energy Group plc

 Antony Gardner-Hillman                            +44 (0) 7733 146326

 WH Ireland Limited (Nominated Adviser)            +44 (0) 207 220 1666

 James Joyce

 James Bavister

 Turner Pope Investments (TPI) Ltd (Joint Broker)  +44 (0) 203 657 0050

 Andrew Thacker

 James Pope

 Tavistock (Financial PR)                          powerhouse@tavistock.co.uk

 Simon Hudson

 Nick Elwes

 Heather Armstrong

 

The information contained within this announcement is deemed to constitute
inside information as stipulated under the retained EU law version of the
Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 (the "UK MAR") which is part of UK
law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. The information is
disclosed in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of the
UK MAR. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is
now considered to be in the public domain.

 

About Powerhouse Energy Group plc

Powerhouse Energy has developed a process technology which can utilise waste
plastic, end-of-life-tyres, and other waste streams to convert them
efficiently and economically into syngas from which valuable products such as
chemical precursors, hydrogen, electricity, heat and other industrial products
may be derived.

 

Powerhouse Energy's process produces low levels of safe residues and requires
a small operating footprint, making it suitable for deployment at enterprise
and community level.

 

Powerhouse Energy is quoted on the London Stock Exchange's AIM Market under
the ticker: PHE and is incorporated in England and Wales.

 

For more information see www.powerhouseenergy.co.uk
(http://www.powerhouseenergy.co.uk)

 

 

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