Proposed Greentech Special Economic Zone at Atlantis Feasibility Report

This feasibility report, commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry and produced by GreenCape, evaluates the establishment of a greentech Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Atlantis, a suburb of Cape Town. The report concludes that a small-scale SEZ is viable, particularly if it focuses on manufacturing rather than services, and recommends a 'high road refurbishment' model as the most financially and economically attractive option to attract both large anchor tenants and smaller greentech firms.

• The report concludes that demand is sufficient to support a small-scale greentech SEZ in Atlantis, noting that the area is better suited for the manufacturing of green technologies and materials than for greentech services due to its existing industrial infrastructure and distance from the city centre.
• Immediate high-potential opportunities for the SEZ (2014-2017) include the manufacturing of wind turbine blades and towers, selected photovoltaic (PV) module components, solar water heaters, and basic components for LED and CFL lights.
• The 'high road refurbishment' option is identified as the most financially attractive development path, with a projected net present value (NPV) of R77.1 million over 20 years. In contrast, the 'high road new build' option is projected to result in a net loss of R10 million.
• Economic impact projections indicate that 'high road' scenarios would create 1,060 permanent jobs, compared to 720 jobs in 'low road' scenarios. The 'high road refurbishment' option is noted as being more capital efficient than the 'high road new build' while achieving the same employment outcomes.
• The report recommends that the SEZ entity be established as a Provincial Government Business Enterprise in the form of a Non-Profit Company (NPC), with the MEC for Finance and Economic Development applying for the designation on behalf of the Western Cape Provincial Government.
• The proposed commercial model suggests that all greentech firms and their direct suppliers within the ASEZ boundaries qualify for fiscal incentives, while non-qualifying enterprises still benefit from public infrastructure improvements.
• Infrastructure funding is expected to be primarily sourced from the dti's SEZ Fund, which is assumed to fund 60% of basic and green infrastructure and 50% of top structures in high road scenarios.
• The report identifies several 'Critical Considerations' in its disaster risk assessment, including high winds and gusts, fire risk due to a lack of local emergency services, the condition of access roads, socio-cultural instability, and the proximity to the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station.
• The lack of local Fire and Rescue Emergency Management Services is categorized as a 'Potential Fatal Flaw', as existing services are located too far away to provide effective industrial-related disaster response.
• The report suggests that the SEZ could attract between R600 million and R650 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) between 2014 and 2017, including a R300 million investment already committed by Gestamp.
• Technical assessments indicate that the 4 MVA of electricity currently available to the two identified sites should be sufficient for the 2014-2017 period, but an additional ±1 MVA may be required for the 2018-2030 period.
• The report recommends a 'One-Stop-Shop' (OSS) investor services model, preferably an 'Account Managers' model, to streamline planning, licensing, utilities, financing, and environmental compliance for investors.

APA

GreenCape (2014). Proposed Greentech Special Economic Zone at Atlantis Feasibility Report. https://greencape.co.za/assets/Atlantis-SEZ-content/ASEZ-feasibility-report-final.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. Proposed Greentech Special Economic Zone at Atlantis Feasibility Report. 2014. https://greencape.co.za/assets/Atlantis-SEZ-content/ASEZ-feasibility-report-final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=Proposed Greentech Special Economic Zone at Atlantis Feasibility Report |date=11 December 2014 |url=https://greencape.co.za/assets/Atlantis-SEZ-content/ASEZ-feasibility-report-final.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencape2014proposed, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{Proposed Greentech Special Economic Zone at Atlantis Feasibility Report}}, institution = {GreenCape}, year = {2014}, month = dec, url = {https://greencape.co.za/assets/Atlantis-SEZ-content/ASEZ-feasibility-report-final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }