Traditional business models are replaced with sustainable business models to ensure socioeconomic and environmental considerations in manufacturing processes. This study provides a sustainable business model for green energy transition and advanced manufacturing development in emerging economies. This study uses existing local and global frameworks to conceptualise a sustainable business model enabling a localized green energy adoption. The case study of Eskom, the national electricity company in South Africa is applied to investigate green energy transition practices and the shift towards advanced manufacturing. Findings showed that the Green Energy Transition sustainable business model (GET-SBM) includes dimensions of green manufacturing, technology innovation, localization and energy value proposition following decentralized ownership, collaborative ecosystem, privatization and stakeholder involvement. Local requirements like the Just Energy Transition Strategies, National Development Plan and the integrated resource plan are supported by the smart solutions offering Energy, product and infrastructure as a service (EaaS, PaaS and IaaS) to create affordability, agility and customer ownership. The government should promote public-private partnerships, community energy projects, upgraded infrastructure and network privatization to optimise the green energy transition. The repurposing of coal-fired power stations should compensate job losses after decommissioning. Sustainable energy models should be liberalized to manage the initial high cost of green implementation.