Green Industry Special Economic Zones to Catalyze Renewable Energy Manufacturing: Translating Vision to Investments
Developing domestic renewable energy manufacturing is becoming a critical policy priority across the Global South. It is seen as a key strategy to reduce import dependency, build local industries, and maximize job creation, aligning with energy transition and green growth initiatives. Achieving this requires a comprehensive industrial policy framework that includes supply- and demand-side incentives, education and training, trade, technology transfer, logistics, and infrastructure development.
Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have emerged as effective tools to support the manufacturing of renewable energy technologies by offering attractive incentives and streamlined regulations. These designated areas offer attractive incentives and streamline regulations to attract investment and foster innovation in the renewable energy sector.
Examples of SEZs in the Global South include Zambia and DRC's transboundary battery and electric vehicle zone, Indonesia's PV industrial park, and South Africa's Atlantis SEZ. Additionally, Nigeria has established the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions to oversee the creation of its first Green Industrial Zone, Evergreen City.
Organized in partnership with Project Evergreen, this third webinar in the Africa Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative (REMI) South-South Virtual Policy Dialogue Series will deep-dive into how Special Economic Zones are serving as an industrial policy tool to attract investments in renewable energy manufacturing. It will convene representatives from government, SEZ leadership, industry and financing institutions to identify key actions needed to translate visions into investments, including on infrastructure development, trade policy and incentive design, investment mobilization and demand creation policies.
