The developments around Trias Westland continue. The entrepreneurs behind the deep geothermal drilling closely monitor progress on their blog. "When I enter Kees Stijger’s barn it’s just before the holidays. Due to crop rotation there are currently no tomato plants in the greenhouse. It reminds me of the time I worked in a pepper nursery in Maasdijk myself," they write. "Those were fun times with very different activities than the rest of the year."
Still there is some hard work being done because everything has to be ready when the new tomato plants are delivered. The conversation soon turns to why he is interviewed for Trias Westland.
Kees: "I think it's because I take a positive critical attitude. I like to think along and give my opinion and I find that this is appreciated. Also because I don’t just think about my wallet, but about leaving a sustainable future behind for our children."
"Geothermal energy is crucial in this regard. Who would have thought that there would be such low gas prices? Still, dependence on Groningen or Russian gas is inadvisable for several reasons. Geothermal energy is an additional element in the total energy mix of electricity, gas, heat and CO2. CO2 especially is very promising in terms of delivery reliability and independence."
Kees has been a grower for 27 years now and grows red, yellow and orange tomatoes in Honselersdijk. His energy usage has been optimized with a CHP. So it bothers him that horticulture is often seen as an energy guzzling segment. "Together with Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and the Port of Rotterdam, horticulture in Westland is one of the three mainports of the Netherlands. The knowledge of cultivation is very high here and all expertise is fully utilized. With energy as well. We generate electricity ourselves and byproducts like heat and CO2 are not lost. We use CO2 to grow plants. With geothermal energy we’re taking this one step further, for sustainable horticulture in the long term."
If gas prices rise again, geothermal energy will be the most interesting alternative. Kees: "It strengthens the competitiveness of the Dutch growers, purveyors for a world economy. But above all it contributes to the achievement of the objectives of the energy agreement that makes the world a bit more sustainable."