Since its official launch on November 5, 2010, GreenCape has leveraged its funding partnerships and industry networks to facilitate about R41-billion worth of investment into the South African green economy, supporting the creation of about 19 000 direct green jobs, the organisation says.

“When I first launched GreenCape as a nonprofit green economy sector development agency in 2010, I envisaged impact on a scale that would make a significant difference to the green economy of this region.

"Over the past ten years, GreenCape has delivered this impact. These green economy projects have driven green economic growth in the Western Cape and South Africa. While much has been achieved over the last ten years, all of us need to redouble our efforts and focus on delivering an economic recovery that will deliver jobs and dignity for our people," says Premier Alan Winde.

Originally established to facilitate the achievement of growth of the Western Cape’s renewable energy sector, GreenCape’s operations has expanded to include a national footprint with a broader green economy focus, including water, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and green finance.

The GreenCape team has grown from an initial staff of three in 2010, to a team of about 45 this year. As a cluster organisation, GreenCape’s business membership has grown to more than 2 200 business.

“Investment aimed at growing the green economy ensures the sustainability of future economic opportunities. It also creates jobs now, which remains a strategic priority especially at this time when economic recovery is a critical focus," states GreenCape.

Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities David Maynier notes that, over the past decade, GreenCape has implemented multiple keystone projects that have unlocked barriers to green economy growth, importantly with projects that focus on building energy security and resource resilience in the Western Cape.

Initially funded by the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism, GreenCape’s funding partnerships have diversified to include the City of Cape Town’s Department of Enterprise Development and Investment as a core funder, as well as multiple national government departments, development finance institutions, international funders, foundations and the private sector.

HIGHLIGHTS

Some of the highlights include the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP), a multiple award-winning free facilitation service to businesses, which is now funded by the City of Cape Town.

The WISP facilitators provide business members with dedicated time and technical expertise, connecting companies with unused or residual resources such as materials, energy, water, assets, logistics and expertise.

Further, the Small Scale Embedded Generation Municipal Framework: GreenCape has supported local municipalities to build capacity related to small-scale embedded generation (SSEG), while creating policy certainty for investors.

Changes in municipal regulations governing SSEG system installations have improved market conditions for investors, equipment suppliers, project developers and technical advisers.

GreenCape was also the appointed Atlantis Special Economic Zone project management unit from 2013 to September 2019, responsible for coordinating the successful application for designation.

Further, GreenCape’s drought support team offered free support to businesses in the province and continues to do so through ongoing funding from the provincial government. The goal is to help businesses reduce their water use, so they can sustain business operations and build resilience.

Through a partnership officially signed on January 31 between the National Treasury’s Jobs Fund and GreenCape, the Green Outcomes Fund provides outcomes-based matched (concessional) funding to local investment funds to support investments into local small, medium-sized and microenterprises that make a demonstrable contribution to South Africa’s green economy, as well as job and enterprise creation in priority impact areas.

The Atlantis skills development programme, meanwhile, aims to empower residents and young people of Atlantis with valuable skills, so that they are able to access potential employment opportunities created by the growth of the Atlantis Special Economic Zone.

GreenCape’s yearly Market Intelligence Reports, developed in partnership with the Western Cape government’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism, highlight the investment opportunities in key sectors of the green economy.

GreenCape is currently the secretariat for the South African Plastics Pact, as well as the coordinator of the development of the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan.

Recently, a formal memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development and Tourism to collaborate on using a cluster approach to build a green economy in Mpumalanga, starting from October.

GreenCape is the only African member of the International Cleantech Network. Through this global network of leading global cleantech clusters, there are various opportunities to connect local green businesses to global market opportunities.