Kibo Supports First Company Through 'K-Taxonomy' Suitability Assessment

First Evaluation of Core Manufacturing Technology for 'Haps' Hydrogen Fuel Cell Components in Gyeongbuk

The Korea Technology Finance Corporation (Kibo) announced on the 22nd that it has supported Haps, a manufacturer of core components for hydrogen fuel cells, as the first company under the ‘K-Taxonomy Linked Guarantee Fee Support Agreement Guarantee’ program.

The ‘K-Taxonomy Linked Guarantee Fee Support Agreement Guarantee’ is a system that calculates the green credit recognition ratio through the Kibo-type K-Taxonomy Assessment System (KTAS), provides the guarantee certificate to banks along with this ratio, and supports part of the guarantee fee.

Haps, located in Gumi-si, Gyeongbuk, is a startup founded in 2021 that manufactures the core component for hydrogen fuel cells called the ‘stack.’ Based on stack platform technology, it develops and produces power packs applicable to various applications and is planning to expand its business into fuel cell system engineering in the future.

As a result of the Kibo-type K-Taxonomy assessment, Haps met all four conformity evaluation criteria of the Korean green classification system, and the green credit recognition ratio was calculated at 98.9%. Accordingly, it received benefits such as ▲an increase in the guarantee ratio (from 85% to 95%) ▲a reduction in guarantee fees (0.4 percentage points decrease for 5 years) ▲and guarantee fee support from the partner bank (0.7 percentage points for 2 years).

The Kibo Central Technology Evaluation Institute, which conducted the K-Taxonomy conformity assessment, is a specialized evaluation organization established in 2005, mainly staffed by PhD-level personnel to perform high-level technical evaluations. It conducts evaluations related to ▲in-kind contributions ▲technology transactions ▲M&A ▲and damage assessments due to patent disputes. To enhance the reliability and fairness of the K-Taxonomy conformity assessment, which is being implemented for the first time this year, Kibo is carrying out the project centered on a dedicated organization within the Central Technology Evaluation Institute.

Kim Jong-ho, Chairman of Kibo, stated, “The K-Taxonomy conformity assessment system is the result of Kibo’s accumulated technical evaluation expertise,” adding, “Kibo will play a pivotal role in promoting carbon neutrality by 2050 by revitalizing green finance applying the Korean green classification system together with partner banks.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.