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This case study by GreenCape examines The Clothing Bank, a non-profit intermediary in South Africa that diverts excess retail clothing from landfills to create entrepreneurial opportunities for unemployed single mothers, demonstrating a circular economy model that addresses both waste and poverty.

This case study by GreenCape examines resilience-led economic interventions implemented in 2020 to support the green business community in Cape Town and the broader South African economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy follows a 'survive, adapt and thrive' framework, focusing on supporting small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) through international collaborations, innovative funding, and policy alignment to ensure a green recovery.

This case study examines the implementation of a Cooling as a Service (CaaS) model at a Pick ‘n’ Pay supermarket in Ceres, Western Cape Province. By replacing an inefficient, end-of-life simplex refrigeration system with a high-efficiency multiplex rack configuration provided by Energy Partners Refrigeration (EPR) via a shared savings model, the store reduced average refrigeration energy consumption by 35% and overall cost per refrigeration-hour by 30%.

This 2021 GreenCape briefing details the financing landscape for rooftop solar PV in South Africa's commercial and industrial sectors. Driven by rising Eskom tariffs and load shedding, the market has seen significant growth, supported by traditional bank loans, innovative models like PPAs and crowdfunding, and tax incentives such as accelerated depreciation.

This case study details how Excellent Meat, a wholesale meat supply and packaging company, reduced its water consumption by 30% between 2017 and 2020 through the implementation of smart water flow meters, a monitoring system, and internal awareness campaigns.

This case study by GreenCape examines the Century City Urban Square (CCUS), a mixed-use development by Rabie Property Group in Cape Town. The project demonstrates how the integration of treated effluent (TE) for non-potable uses—such as irrigation, cooling towers, and toilet flushing—reduces potable water demand, lowers operating costs, and increases resilience against climate-related shocks like droughts.

This 2021 industry brief by GreenCape examines the regulatory requirements for Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) in South Africa, specifically the distinction between registration with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) and applications for connection with electricity distributors.

This 2021 industry brief by GreenCape outlines the market opportunity for circular economy solutions to manage wastewater sludge in the City of Cape Town (CCT). Driven by national and provincial landfill bans on liquid and organic wastes, the CCT is transitioning toward anaerobic digestion via Biosolids Beneficiation Facilities (BBFs) to produce treated digestate cake and recover energy and nutrients.

This 2021 industry brief by GreenCape provides a guide for businesses and water users in South Africa on the sustainable use and management of groundwater. It outlines the legal framework under the National Water Act, the risks associated with unmonitored abstraction, and technical recommendations for borehole monitoring to ensure long-term water security.

This 2021 GreenCape industry brief outlines waste-to-energy (WtE) options for businesses in South Africa, focusing on anaerobic digestion, thermal processes, and biofuels. It highlights the potential for reduced waste costs and improved energy security while detailing the complex legislative framework (including NEM:WA and NERSA) and the necessary project development stages from scoping to execution. The document emphasizes that while WtE can be expensive in isolation, it becomes viable when integrated as a collective solution for waste and energy management.

GreenCape issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) on June 19, 2020, to appoint a Product Development Organisation (PDO) to support the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP). The project aims to develop viable products or value chains from unwanted manufacturing materials in the Atlantis Industrial Area to improve resource efficiency and reduce landfill waste.

Pitstop Lodge in Gordon's Bay, South Africa, overcame grid access limitations and load shedding by installing a hybrid-microgrid comprising 70kWp solar PV, a 100kVA generator, and a 178kWh battery. This system provides constant power, saves approximately 105,014kWh annually, and offsets 104 tCO2 per year.

This case study by GreenCape details the waste management strategies implemented by the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town to divert organic and general waste from landfills, highlighting the financial and environmental benefits of their approach.

This 2020 industry brief by GreenCape examines the business case for energy storage in South Africa, focusing on the role of hybrid solar PV and battery systems in mitigating the impact of severe load shedding.

This case study examines how Elgin Fruit Juice in South Africa addressed seasonal energy demand imbalances by transitioning from a planned grid-feed electricity model to using biogas as a coal replacement in steam boilers.

This case study describes the Cape Agulhas Municipality's (CAM) transition toward a "Smart City 2.0" by implementing a smart groundwater monitoring and management system. To replace costly and inefficient manual monitoring of boreholes and reservoirs, CAM deployed a municipal-wide LoRaWAN Internet of Things (IoT) network. The project, piloted in Suiderstrand, uses real-time sensors and variable speed drives (VSDs) to improve resource oversight, reduce operational costs, and lower carbon emissions.

This case study examines the GreenPitch Innovation Challenge 2019, a partnership between GreenCape, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), and the City of Cape Town's Invest Cape Town initiative. The program aimed to build economic resilience by supporting early-stage green SMMEs, providing them with networking opportunities, expert feedback, and business development support to overcome barriers such as information asymmetry and lack of resources.

This case study by GreenCape examines how FoodForward SA, a Public Benefit Organisation, utilizes a circular economy model to recover and redistribute surplus food in South Africa, specifically focusing on the impact within Cape Town during 2020/21.

This case study examines the adoption of battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) by District Watch Group, a Cape Town-based security company, to improve operational resilience and reduce costs. The company has integrated 8 BMW i3 EVs into a 60-vehicle fleet, demonstrating a significant reduction in maintenance and fuel expenses compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

This case study by GreenCape describes a solar energy initiative in the Malawi Camp and Freedom Farm informal settlements in Cape Town, South Africa. The project, led by GreenCape with support from iSolar Ngoku and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, provides solar home systems to communities that have lacked formal electricity for approximately 30 years. The initiative aims to support post-COVID-19 economic recovery through community-led development, job creation for local installers, and the provision of sustainable energy services.