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The report highlights the South African agriculture sector as a robust investment environment, particularly in the Western Cape, which contributes 24% of the national agricultural GDP. It identifies key growth areas in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), drone technology for precision farming, and renewable energy, while emphasizing water scarcity as a primary driver for the adoption of these green technologies.

The report highlights a critical need for water resilience in the Western Cape due to severe drought and climate change. It identifies four primary investment areas: water metering and monitoring, water efficiency, water reuse, and alternative water supplies (groundwater, rainwater, and desalination). The document details market potentials, such as a R2 billion potential market for potable water reuse in Cape Town and a R5.8 billion potential residential market for alternative water systems in the Western Cape. It also outlines significant barriers, including municipal creditworthiness, high capital costs, and public perception of wastewater reuse.

The document outlines three business case studies in Cape Town—Woolworths Head Office, Peninsula All-Suite Hotel, and K-way Manufacturers—demonstrating the use of groundwater for toilet flushing, car washing, and air conditioning. It details the technical systems used, the associated installation costs, and the resulting water savings, while promoting GreenCape's support services for businesses seeking water efficiency solutions.

The report examines the Berg Water Management Area (WMA) as a 'constrained catchment' where water demand is projected to outstrip supply due to climate change, population growth, and urbanisation. It identifies a misalignment between legislated water allocation processes and economic development planning, noting that water is often treated as an independent variable rather than a co-dependent factor. To address this, the study developed a regional hydro-economic GIS model to forecast water requirements and value the economic opportunity costs of supply deficits, and a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) tool for the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality to prioritise development applications based on socio-economic outcomes rather than a first-come-first-served basis. Findings indicate that while the City of Cape Town dominates regional economic value, the West Coast municipalities of Swartland, Saldanha Bay, and Bergrivier face the most significant constraints to future development. The report recommends the creation of a regional water utility and the use of the provincial government's Sustainable Water Management Plan (SWMP) as a forum for integrated planning.

The report examines the biogas industry in the Western Cape, South Africa, which it describes as being in a "nascent or infant state". Through five case studies and two financial scenarios, it concludes that biogas project viability is highly site-specific and depends heavily on economies of scale, high on-site energy requirements, and high waste management costs. The analysis suggests that small-scale commercial installations (<50 kWe) are generally not financially viable, while medium-scale installations (>50 kWe; <1MW) at abattoirs can be viable, particularly when waste disposal costs are high due to legislative changes regarding landfill classifications.

The report identifies five primary lignocellulosic waste streams in the Western Cape: invasive alien vegetation (IAV), industrial composite wood materials, pallets, paper sludge, and green waste. It evaluates the current utilisation of these resources, the barriers to unlocking their value—such as high logistics costs for IAV and chemical toxicity in composites—and identifies potential business partners and stakeholders. The analysis concludes that while some streams like paper sludge and green waste have established markets, others like IAV and composite woods offer opportunities for higher-value products and energy recovery if technical and logistical challenges are addressed.

The report identifies significant volumes of organic waste from dairies, piggeries, poultry farms, and abattoirs in the Western Cape, noting that most are currently underutilised or disposed of via landfill and burial. It highlights anaerobic digestion and composting as primary value-addition opportunities, while noting regulatory hurdles regarding fertiliser sales and strict landfill requirements for animal carcasses. The document provides a directory of waste providers and technology partners to facilitate business-matching.

The report identifies a significant gap in the adoption of value-addition technologies for industrial organic wastewater in the Western Cape, noting that only 1% of companies have implemented such solutions. While biogas generation is the most common application, other recovered resources include white starch, whey, and composting materials. Key barriers to adoption include high capital requirements, lack of awareness, and the fact that many Western Cape companies produce wastewater volumes below the 1ML/D threshold typically required for a viable business case. The document highlights specific companies already implementing these solutions, such as Simba PepsiCo and Parmalat, and identifies potential partners and technology providers within South Africa.

The document outlines five South African case studies focused on livestock residue valorization. These include biogas installations at Zandam Piggery & Cheese and Uilenkraal Dairy, insect protein production from organic waste by AgriProtein and Khepri Innovations, and open wind-row composting at the Robertson Abattoir.

The City of Cape Town is issuing a Green Bond of up to R1 billion, accredited by the Climate Bonds Initiative’s Standard, to fund a variety of climate action projects. These projects include the procurement of electric buses, building energy efficiency, water management, sewerage effluent treatment, and coastal protection. The City intends to raise the bond in July 2017, requiring updates to its Domestic Medium Term Note (DMTN) programme to comply with JSE Debt Listing Requirements and the Municipal Finance Management Act.

The report identifies significant opportunities for solar thermal energy in South Africa's agri-processing and textile sectors due to their need for heat below 160°C. It quantifies the potential installation area and greenhouse gas savings, while analyzing the financial drivers, such as rising energy prices, and barriers, including high capital costs and a lack of component-level certification. The document advocates for the use of Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) and government support to transition the 'infant' solar thermal industry toward cost-competitiveness.

The document outlines the economic drivers and practical implementation of solar PV for businesses in the Western Cape, noting that systems can reduce electricity costs by up to 16% with payback periods typically between 3 and 8 years. It details three financing models—self-funded, bank-funded, and power purchase agreements (PPAs)—and lists the municipalities in the province that support small scale embedded generation (SSEG). Additionally, it highlights available tax incentives, such as 100% accelerated depreciation, and the Western Cape government's goal to reach 135MW of rooftop PV capacity by 2020.

The document outlines the economic and sustainability benefits of organic waste separation for Western Cape businesses, highlighting a provincial goal to ban the landfilling of all organic waste by 2027. It categorizes available waste-to-value solutions—including waste-to-pharma, food, feed, soil, and energy—and provides a framework for onsite management, such as appointing a waste champion and implementing source separation. The brief also details relevant legal frameworks, including the National Environmental Management: Waste Act and City of Cape Town by-laws, emphasizing the need for accredited service providers.

The 2017 Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape examines the transition to sustainable agriculture in South Africa, particularly the Western Cape. It identifies key drivers for green technology adoption, such as climate change, water scarcity, and rising energy costs. The report details specific opportunities in energy efficiency, solar PV, solar-powered irrigation, conservation agriculture, precision agriculture, and controlled environment agriculture, while outlining the regulatory landscape and available funding mechanisms to support these transitions.

The South African energy services market is expanding due to rising electricity costs, decreasing technology prices, and supportive policies. Growth is primarily driven by the commercial and industrial sectors, particularly through rooftop solar PV and energy efficiency retrofits. While national regulations have lagged behind the rapid uptake of small-scale embedded generation (SSEG), local municipalities, especially in the Western Cape, are developing their own guidelines to unlock investment. Significant opportunities exist in public building retrofits, the water-energy nexus in municipal wastewater treatment, and industrial solar thermal applications in the food and beverage sector.

The report assesses the South African utility-scale renewable energy sector, primarily driven by the REIPPPP. It highlights the programme's success in procuring over 6,300 MWp of capacity and attracting R194 billion in investment. The document details the role of government policies, the shift toward competitive tariffs for wind and solar PV, and the strategic importance of local content and socio-economic development. It also identifies opportunities for municipal power procurement and the development of green technology hubs, specifically in the Western Cape.

The report examines the transition of South Africa's waste sector from a landfill-centric model to a sustainable waste economy. It highlights a significant gap between current recycling rates (approximately 10%) and the potential resource value of R17 billion that could be unlocked through full recycling. In the Western Cape, the report identifies key opportunities in recyclables, organics, e-waste, and construction and demolition waste, while noting that municipal financial constraints necessitate public-private partnerships to achieve a 20% waste diversion target by 2019.

The report highlights a significant market for green water technologies in South Africa, driven by resource scarcity, rising costs, and climate change. Key opportunities include industrial water reuse, smart water management, desalination, and groundwater development. In the Western Cape, the industrial water reuse market is estimated at R600 million, while the direct potable municipal reuse market is valued at R4.5 billion. The document also emphasizes the water-energy nexus and the need to reduce municipal non-revenue water, which currently stands at 37% nationally.

The document serves as a resource for municipal officials to manage the implementation of small scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems under 1MW. It details the technical components of solar PV, the differences between grid-tied and off-grid configurations, and the economic trends driving adoption, such as a 40% price drop for systems under 10kWp between 2013 and 2016. The guide outlines a sustainable tariff framework that includes network costs, service charges, and feed-in rates, while emphasizing the need for cost-of-supply studies and high-resolution load profiles. It provides a comprehensive 9-step application process for grid-tied systems and lists the necessary legal documentation, including Certificates of Compliance and Supplemental Contracts. Finally, it identifies the national standards (such as NRS 097-2) and municipal by-laws required to ensure grid stability, public safety, and the prevention of illegal connections.

This briefing by GreenCape outlines the potential for processing and reusing builders' rubble in South Africa, highlighting road construction as a primary opportunity and emphasizing the necessity of regional operations to manage logistics costs.