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The workshop addressed the emerging waste stream of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in South Africa, noting that while most current waste stems from damage, obsolete panels will increase significantly within five years. Participants discussed the legal ban on solar panels in landfills starting August 2021, the need for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, and the trade-offs between centralized recycling facilities and local dismantling hubs. The report highlights the importance of the waste management hierarchy—preventing, reusing, and repairing—and suggests that while full local recycling may not be feasible in the short term, local pre-processing and the export of PV cells are viable options.

The document outlines the legal obligations for solar PV producers in South Africa under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and a landfill ban on e-waste. It forecasts a significant increase in decommissioned solar PV modules starting in 2033, creating a long-term opportunity for reuse, refurbishment, and material recovery industries. While current e-waste aggregators exist, the report notes a lack of local closed-loop recycling for glass and solar cells, meaning recovered materials are currently exported.

The report argues that South Africa can transition its mobility sector to zero-emission vehicles by leveraging the Atlantis Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) to attract EV assembly and component manufacturing. It highlights a strategic opportunity in public transport, noting a potential market of 350,000 minibus taxis and 65,000 buses. The document identifies high import taxes (at least 42% for EVs) as a barrier to uptake that local manufacturing at the ASEZ could overcome. It recommends targeting global OEMs like Tesla and BYD, as well as local startups like MellowVans and Green Riders, while emphasizing the need to localize the production of lithium-ion battery cells and semi-conductors to secure the value chain.

The document argues that urban agriculture (UA) provides a pathway to community resilience by improving food security, creating jobs, and reducing environmental impact. It highlights the transition of Nazeer Sonday from intensive hydroponic tomato farming to a regenerative polyculture system at Vegkop Polyculture Farm in Philippi. By implementing practices such as no-till, mulching, and crop rotation, the farm increased its soil organic content (SOC) from 0.5% to 2% and expanded its crop variety from one to approximately thirty. The case study emphasizes that regenerative practices mitigate economic risks, such as the 2008 spike in potassium nitrate fertiliser prices, and reduce dependence on costly synthetic inputs. It also notes the role of co-operatives and Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) in helping small-scale farmers access larger markets and ensure sustainable production.

The document demonstrates that short-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) allow municipalities to integrate renewable energy quickly and cost-effectively without the rigid financial commitments of long-term contracts.

This document is a Terms of Reference (TOR) issued by the GreenCape Sector Development Agency for the provision of energy services to the Freedom Farm and Malawi Camp communities in Cape Town. The project, managed by the Alternative Service Delivery Unit (ASDU) and partnered with Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), aims to provide sustainable electrification to approximately 950 homes, promote community empowerment, and create local jobs between April 2020 and December 2022.

The document identifies Cape Town as a strategic hub for textile recycling due to its concentration of clothing manufacturers and retailers. It argues that transitioning from a linear to a circular textile economy can mitigate supply chain volatility and reduce landfill pressure. The brief highlights two primary opportunities: creating a commercial open-loop recycling hub to process over 70,000 tonnes of annual textile waste and establishing Africa's first commercial-scale closed-loop fibre-to-fibre recycling facility. Key barriers include a lack of textile-specific waste data, high capital requirements for advanced technology, and the complexity of processing post-consumer mixed materials. The document recommends the development of mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements and the use of the Retail-CTFL Masterplan to unite the industry under circularity targets.

The report argues that solar PV is highly suitable for packhouses because their peak energy demands for cooling and packing align with daytime solar generation. Through modelling an apple packhouse, the report finds that large-scale systems (500 kWp) are consistently profitable across various tariff and financing scenarios, while smaller systems (≤10 kWp) require favourable financing to be viable. It emphasizes that the primary value is derived from replacing expensive grid electricity rather than selling excess power back to the grid, which offers lower returns. The report also identifies regulatory hurdles, noting that feed-in tariffs are only available in specific Western Cape municipalities.

This report analyzes the implications of the European Green Deal (EGD) for South African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and broader trade. It examines the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the Farm to Fork strategy, and the Circular Economy Action Plan, identifying significant risks in the automotive, mining, and agricultural sectors while highlighting potential export opportunities for environmental goods.

The V&A Waterfront reduced its annual water consumption from 1,370,084 kℓ in 2010 to 479,018 kℓ by 2020, representing a 65% decrease. This was achieved through a phased 'Water Resilience Journey' that prioritised low-cost interventions—such as awareness campaigns and water-efficient fittings—before moving to complex systems like greywater reuse and seawater cooling. Total investments of approximately R7 million in water-saving measures resulted in estimated cost savings of R40 million. The property also utilised 'green leases' to mandate tenant adherence to sustainability principles, with some tenants reducing consumption by 25% to 60%.

The Southern Sun Newlands hotel improved its water resilience following the 2015-2018 Cape Town drought by combining behavioral changes, water-efficiency technologies, and the installation of a groundwater treatment plant. These measures reduced water consumption by over 40% and allowed the hotel to operate entirely off the municipal water grid, meeting a maximum daily demand of 40–50kl. The hotel's efforts earned it a four-star rating from the City of Cape Town's Water Star Rating programme.

The Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) is a free service delivered by GreenCape and initiated by the Western Cape Government. It employs an industrial symbiosis approach to match unused resources—including energy, water, and materials—from one company to another to create economic and environmental benefits. The programme specifically targets gaps faced by SMEs in implementing resource and energy efficiency, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions and landfill costs while increasing profits and innovation.

The document details a synergy facilitated by the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) between Pallet Cycle, a recycled timber manufacturer, and Cabrico, a clay brick manufacturer. In early 2020, Cabrico took 4.6 tonnes of wood waste from Pallet Cycle to use as fuel for its kiln and dryers, resulting in a reduction of 1.7 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and decreased reliance on fossil fuels like coal. The partnership provided economic benefits through lower fuel and material costs for Cabrico and increased storage space for Pallet Cycle.

The South African agtech sector is expanding as farmers seek to improve productivity and climate resilience, though adoption is hindered by financing gaps and farmer resistance. The agricultural drone market, valued at approximately R1 billion in 2024, is forecast to exceed R3 billion by 2030, with high viability in field monitoring and precision spraying. Emerging opportunities include digital twin technology, which uses drone data to create virtual farm replicas for predictive modeling.

The document argues that Black Soldier Fly (BSF) agriculture can transform organic waste liabilities into economic opportunities by producing high-value protein meal, oil, and frass. It highlights Cape Town as a global leader in BSF innovation and identifies key opportunities in waste management, livestock and pet food, and soil security to future-proof food supply chains against climate instability and geopolitical tensions.

The document identifies Cape Town as a potential medicinal cannabis hub, leveraging its existing pharmaceutical infrastructure and medical tourism status. It outlines opportunities across the value chain, from cultivation to agro-technology services, while noting significant barriers such as electricity instability (load shedding), financing difficulties due to licensing requirements, and a reliance on volatile international export markets.

The document argues that the circular economy is a strategic tool for businesses to navigate a 'decade of polycrisis' characterized by supply chain uncertainty and material insecurity. It focuses specifically on the City of Cape Town, noting that the city is expected to run out of landfill space by 2035 and currently has the highest landfill gate fees among South African metros. The guide introduces a 7-step process for CEOs to transition from linear to circular models, ranging from mapping resource flows to influencing supply chains. It details '9R' strategies—such as refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, and recycle—supported by local examples like Zerocrete and Barloworld Equipment. Additionally, it outlines regulatory pressures, including mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for sectors like packaging and electronics, and a provincial target for 100% organic waste diversion from landfills in the Western Cape by 2027.

The City of Cape Town (CCT) is developing a permanent 70 Mℓ/day seawater desalination plant at Paarden Eiland to enhance water supply resilience. Currently in the feasibility design phase, the project is part of the New Water Programme (NWP), which aims to add 300 million litres of water per day from diversified sources. The plant will utilize a multi-barrier process including reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation. Procurement opportunities for technologies, construction, and consumables are expected to reach the market in 2027, with the project estimated to create 30 direct jobs and 100-150 indirect construction jobs.

The document identifies the secondary treatment stage as the highest energy consumer in wastewater treatment works, particularly in systems using activated sludge where aeration can account for 50% of process energy. It recommends benchmarking specific power consumption (SPC) and implementing interventions such as fine bubble aeration, dissolved oxygen control, and cascade aeration to reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Financing options for these projects include municipal budgets, grants, concessional loans, and energy performance contracts.

The document outlines how anaerobic digestion (AD) in South African wastewater treatment works can be leveraged via combined heat and power (CHP) systems to produce electricity and heat, reducing municipal energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. It provides technical benchmarks, such as an average electrical yield of 70kWh per tonne of sludge, and financial estimates, noting that retrofitting existing AD systems with CHP can have a payback period of 5-15 years and an IRR of 18-30%. The factsheet identifies that projects are generally financially feasible for WWTWs with an inflow capacity exceeding 15 million litres per day.