The end users view, page-2

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End users would be needing supply guarantees.

Finance and off takes seem to cover this."

Problem is it is a bit of a chicken and an egg scenario - you need finance to demonstrate to a customer that you have a chance of delivering, but in order to get any sort of bank like finance they will need to see you have some iron clad sales agreements. Problem for the whole sector given the robust end user requirements and is why equity finance though not optimal is probably the best way to to get things kick started in any timely sort of manner.

"They would want a product to be produced environmentally friendly, (why be aiming to help when your creating carnage along the way)"

Nice to have and certainly more important these days - but don't kid yourself at the end of the day companies will be focusing on their bottom line while doing their best to be environmentally friendly (if they are responsible).

"They would want a product which can be specifically created to achieve any desired specifications."

Nothing particularly unique about anyones product as most fit this bill.

Cutting out the middleman is a great aspiration, but you have to get your side man up and running first or there will be no middleman to cut out.