Forward into the Future of Energy: Investing strategically with BASF, Blackrock Silver and JinkoSolar

Asia engagement: BASF between opportunities and risks under new CEO Markus Kamieth

Investor legend Warren Buffett believes that the quality of a company's management is a decisive factor in determining whether a share is a good investment. At BASF, the cards are being reshuffled at the top. CEO Martin Brudermüller will hand over his chairmanship of the Board of Executive Directors to his successor, Markus Kamieth, at the upcoming Annual General Meeting in April 2024. Brudermüller is leaving behind some unfinished business that Kamieth must address directly. The chemical company is in the middle of a turnaround and has been caught off guard by international and German energy policy. The Company, which was even involved in the construction of the gas pipeline to Russia, had to transform itself with all its might from February 2022 due to Putin's attack on Ukraine and from September 26, 2022, at the latest, since the destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline. It has been clear since August: BASF will also work with liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the other side of the Atlantic at its German site. From 2026 to 2043, the US company Cheniere plans to supply BASF with 800,000 tons of US LNG annually. The term of the contract that BASF has entered into for this is 17 years.

Markus Kamieth, a BASF veteran, who has been responsible for the Asian business at the Hong Kong site for the last three years in particular, is now taking over the helm. He will manage more than 111,000 employees in a global chemical group with sales of EUR 87 billion in 2022. The selection of an internal candidate as a successor is highly valued at BASF and offers "great advantages", according to HR consultant Heiner Thorborg. Internal candidates are already known, and their strengths and weaknesses are familiar, which enables a better assessment. External candidates, on the other hand, may find it more difficult to fit into the corporate culture. Thorborg emphasizes that many DAX companies prefer this internal approach as they build and develop internal talent.

China is openly seeking to integrate Taiwan. For BASF, this presents both opportunities and risks, especially in terms of the Company's exposure to China. Markus Mayer, Head of Equity Research at Baader Bank, notes that public awareness of this commitment has become more critical. Despite the risks, he emphasizes that there is no reversible path for BASF. **Not being present in an emerging market like China is considered riskier. In addition, Kamieth is also currently managing BASF projects in India, which is also part of Asia.

Kamieth has a lot to fix in the BASF business. BASF was originally supposed to have already completed the separation from Wintershall Dea, in which the group holds just over 72%. Currently, Putin has unceremoniously annexed some areas that legally belong to Wintershall. The separation of the subsidiary from BASF is now expected to be completed by mid-2024. Investors can look forward to seeing how Kamieth will maximize the benefits of this balancing act of geopolitics for 'his' company.

Blackrock Silver - A treasure trove for commodity investors with a focus on gold, silver and lithium

Blackrock Silver is the right place for those who want to invest directly in commodities for the energy transition. With gold, silver and lithium deposits, the exploration company is ideally positioned to meet the growing demand in a wide range of industries in the coming years. The Company is increasing shareholder value through increasing drilling and associated commodity deposits.

**Blackrock Silver has a proven track record of exploration success with 6.12 million tons and a valuation of 508.5 g/t silver equivalent at its Tonopah West project and a newly discovered bonanza grade gold vein at its Silver Cloud project.

Known as the "Queen of Silver Deposits", the US Tonopah Silver District produces over 174 million oz Ag and 1.8 million oz Au from approximately 7.5 million tons of material. This makes it the second largest silver district in Nevada's "Silver State" after the Comstock Lode.

CEO William Howald is a successful entrepreneur and founder of several publicly traded companies. His extensive experience in building effective exploration teams and developing high-quality resources characterizes his leadership role. Most recently, he successfully led the Florida Canyon Mine in Nevada to commercial production and has over 34 years of international mining and exploration expertise. With him and his experienced leadership team, the Company's value is bound to increase, considering Buffet's words.

China on the rise: JinkoSolar focuses on intelligent energy storage solutions

Future CEO Kamieth recommends reading the Handelsblatt article on the LinkedIn career network, which describes how the image of China in the European media is one-sidedly distorted. "If you want to mediate, you have to be able to talk to both sides openly and at any time," writes Liu Zhengrong. As a result, investors are also focusing on shares from China. And not just since Alibaba. The solar module manufacturer JinkoSolar sells its products and solutions worldwide in the energy supply, commercial and residential sectors. JinkoSolar is present in countries such as China, the US, Japan, Germany, the UK, Chile, South Africa, India, Mexico, Brazil and others. The Company has a competitive advantage in technology innovation, a global distribution network and vertical integration of supply chains.

According to Saur News, JinkoSolar has just implemented a 42 MWh storage system in the Yunnan region of China, which will be connected to the grid in 2024. The integrated ESS SunTera system uses advanced liquid cooling technology that limits uneven temperature between cells to a remarkable 2.5°C. This extends service life and significantly improves charge/discharge efficiency by avoiding the so-called "barrel effect" caused by uneven cell temperatures. The "Barrel effect" means that the total power generation of a series of solar modules depends more on the output characteristics of the weakest module in the series.

The system's safety performance is optimized by a five-stage anti-fire and anti-explosion design and a fire extinguishing system. JinkoSolar's highly integrated 'ESS SunTera' can be used in various applications, including reducing abandoned photovoltaic power, participating in the peak frequency regulation of the power grid, and improving the operation and control capability of PV projects as well as their stable and reliable operability.

Thanks to companies such as JinkoSolar, China has been expanding the grid, which is necessary to ensure a nationwide power supply from renewable energies. Investors should take a close look at this player - also in view of the ADR risk.

Change at BASF: CEO Martin Brudermüller hands over the chairmanship of the Executive Board to Markus Kamieth in April 2024, who faces challenges in the global energy market and especially in China. Kamieth, with experience in the Asian market, will continue to expand the business towards the Far East while keeping an eye on the US, with LNG contracts spanning a term of 17 years. Blackrock Silver presents itself as a haven for commodity investors focusing on gold, silver and lithium. Successful drilling and the discovery of new gold deposits at projects such as Tonopah West and Silver Cloud underline the Company's success story. Commodities should not be missing in any portfolio. JinkoSolar relies on intelligent energy storage solutions, as demonstrated by the 42 MWh storage system in Yunnan. China, as a pioneer in the expansion of renewable energies, is increasingly relying on such technologies to ensure a nationwide power supply. The change in leadership at BASF and developments at Blackrock Silver and JinkoSolar highlight the dynamic situation in the commodity and energy sectors, offering both opportunities and challenges for investors.