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This briefing analyzes the South African carbon and Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) markets, highlighting a significant supply deficit in the compliance market and the structural differences between tax-offsetting credits and voluntary offsets. It details the regulatory framework of the 2019 Carbon Tax, the upcoming mandatory carbon budgets starting January 1, 2026, and the risks posed to South African exports by the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

The Market Intelligent Report by GreenCape provides an overview of the water sector in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It details the regulatory framework, governance structures, and current challenges such as non-revenue water and skills shortages. The report identifies opportunities for the private sector in desalination, water re-use, and infrastructure maintenance, while outlining available municipal grant funding and regional projects like the Berg River Improvement Plan.

GreenCape has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a legal service provider to assist in developing a Waste Management Policy and Regulatory Tool. The tool is intended to help municipalities and project developers navigate the complex legal requirements for implementing alternative waste treatment technologies in South Africa, specifically within the Western Cape province.

This case study examines how the City of Cape Town (CCT) and GreenCape adapted green economy skills training in Atlantis to ensure continuity during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns in 2020. The initiative focused on building economic resilience for vulnerable youth and residents by transitioning to digital platforms and adjusting technical training to meet health protocols.

The GreenUp initiative in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, is a collaborative recycling model involving the City of Cape Town, Distell, and Waste Plan. Launched in 2019, it integrates informal waste reclaimers into the waste management system, providing them with training, PPE, and infrastructure. The project grew from 62 to 120 members by 2022, diverting 60-100 tonnes of recyclables from landfills in 2020 and providing a replicable model for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.

GreenCape has issued RFP SIDAFF 01/2025 to appoint a Professional Service Provider for the project preparation of two water infrastructure projects in the Swartland Municipality. Project A involves upgrading the Swartland Water Treatment Works from 29Ml/d to 40Ml/d (est. R305 million), and Project B involves upgrading the bulk pipeline between Malmesbury and Darling (est. R200 million). The preparation must follow ECSA guidelines and IFC/World Bank environmental and social standards, focusing on technical feasibility, financial bankability, and climate resilience. The procurement is phased, with initial stages fixed-fee and later stages based on confirmed project costs.

This Request for Proposal (RFP No. SIDAFF 01/2026), issued by the GreenCape Sector Development Agency on 24 June 2026, seeks a service provider to conduct a 7-day sampling, testing, and analysis campaign at the Vredenburg Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) in the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality. The data collected will inform the design of proposed upgrades to the facility. The project is part of the Sustainable Infrastructure Development and Financial Facility (SIDAFF) Programme, an initiative of the Western Cape Government supported by international donors including the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and Impact Fund Denmark (IFD).

This document is a Request for Quotation (RFQ) issued by GreenCape for a service provider to conduct project close-out evaluations for an intervention titled "Active climate change citizenship for a just transition in South Africa." The project, co-financed by the European Union, aims to empower citizens, women, and youth to participate in democratic processes regarding climate mitigation and adaptation, specifically within the renewable energy sector.

This document is a Request for Quotation (RFQ) issued by the GreenCape Sector Development Agency to secure additional office space in Cape Town to accommodate team members for the JUST SA project.

GreenCape is requesting quotations for a service provider to manage, monitor, and deliver training activities for the project “Active climate change citizenship for a just transition in South Africa” from April 2021 to February 2022. The project, co-funded by the European Union and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, targets rural communities, women, and youth in the Northern, Eastern, and Western Cape to increase their representation in renewable energy policy and decision-making.

This document is a reference sheet providing contact details for officials, a list of official documents and presentations, and a glossary of abbreviations related to the groundwater application process in the Western Cape region of South Africa.

GreenCape has issued a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for a full conference package to support a project for the German International Climate Initiative (JUST SA). The package includes venue hire, catering, accommodation, and a recreational activity for 30 delegates in the Kruger Lowveld region of Mpumalanga from 21 to 25 May 2024.

This industry brief by GreenCape outlines the opportunities and challenges for large-scale renewable energy development in Mpumalanga, South Africa. It highlights the province's significant grid capacity and strategic location while detailing the regulatory and environmental hurdles—specifically regarding mining rights and bird flight paths—that developers must navigate to facilitate a just energy transition.

This industry brief by GreenCape examines the potential for electricity wheeling in the Western Cape, South Africa. It outlines the financial and technical mechanisms that allow independent power producers (IPPs) to transport energy across Eskom or municipal grids to end customers. The document identifies a significant market opportunity for new renewable energy investment in the province and discusses the regulatory, financial, and capacity-related barriers that currently limit the uptake of wheeling, while highlighting emerging solutions like virtual wheeling.

This industry brief by GreenCape reviews water and sanitation by-laws across municipalities in the Western Cape, South Africa. It evaluates the completeness and clarity of these local regulations against a 2005 model by-law, highlighting the implications for businesses—particularly water-intensive industries—regarding fees, audits, industrial effluent, and alternative water sources.

The document identifies systemic failures in water resource planning, including top-down governance, a lack of municipal capacity for off-budget financing, and the failure of Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) to account for water availability and environmental impacts.

This fact sheet by GreenCape provides a statistical snapshot of the green economy in Cape Town, focusing on the energy, water, and waste sectors. It details company counts, employment, revenue, and municipal expenditure for the 2019/20 period, while highlighting investment opportunities in the Atlantis Special Economic Zone for Green Technologies (ASEZ).

This case study by GreenCape describes the 'Flexible Packaging Solutions Showcase', an initiative by the South African Plastics Pact to identify and promote recyclable alternatives to problematic flexible plastic packaging, specifically targeting flexible polypropylene (PP) and multilayer multi-polymer structures.

This intervention brief describes the Alternative Service Delivery Unit (ASDU), implemented by the GreenCape Sector Development Agency to provide energy services to unserviced communities using a co-design framework. It focuses specifically on Freedom Farm, a settlement in Cape Town, detailing its socio-economic profile and the community's prioritized energy and connectivity needs.

This intervention brief describes the Alternative Service Delivery Unit's (ASDU) work in Malawi Camp, Cape Town. It details the community's socio-economic profile, current energy deficiencies, and the results of co-design sessions aimed at implementing community-led energy provision before the settlement's planned relocation.