About Sustainable Energy Systems for Industrial Development
Background on the role of Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones in South Africa
The transition of Industrial Parks (IPs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) towards sustainable energy supply and demand will strongly support South Africa’s NDC target and accelerate the decarbonization of the country’s energy system and industry.
The country has established a Green Recovery Plan due to the COVID-19 crisis as a vehicle to transform society by investing in profitable infrastructure which creates economic, environmental and social benefits, short-term creation of jobs and long-term greening of the economy. Renewable and sustainable energy solutions and infrastructure are a core feature of the focus on Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Industrial Parks (IPs).
The development of industrial parks in South Africa is intended to integrate with local and regional development activities. Therefore, the impact and benefits of interventions in SEZs/IPs have positive downstream effects on the surrounding community, cities/towns, and municipalities.
Objective 1
- Reducing GHG emissions and accelerating the decarbonization of SEZs and IPs by providing support to IP managements, tenants, municipalities and other core stakeholders at the six pilot SEZs/IPs in addressing both energy supply and demand.
Objective 2
- Enabling Government and local authorities to ensure a conducive IP-associated policy and regulatory environment, especially with regard to sustainable energy generation and consumption.