At the end of February 2018 horticultural supplier Mertens organised a informational meeting for growers of soft fruit. The subject of the meeting was making growing more sustainable. Californië BV, developmental company for the Dutch horticulture, represented by Peter Smulders, was asked to provide insight in the sustainability options regarding energy, and to tell a bit about geothermics, one of the important pillars on which the energy sustainability rests. With two doublets Californië is one of the few areas where this energy source is deployed optimally at the moment and where there is a lot of experience.
Peter Smulders and Frank van Lipzig
Van Lipzig Tuinderijen
One of the geothermic energy sources in horticultural area Californië is in front of Frank Van Lipzig's company. Frank is one of the initiators, together with Roland Gielen, the Van Leeuwen Brothers of Sweet Lions BV and Californië BV. In 2017 the source became operational and water of 83o C is transported through a heat distribution system to the companies.
Frank: "Since spring 2017 we heat our greenhouses primarily by using geothermics. The use of this energy source requires a bit different approach from what we were using to burn gas."
"Cooling off as well as possible is very important. The cooling of hot water from deep underground is an important factor in the efficiency when using geothermics. In a gas-heated installation water is only a means of transport to bring the water from the boiler to the greenhouse. In geothermics the water is returned to the earth after cooling. Every degree of extra cooling is added without any additional costs. That is interesting, and for this reason we have taken a critical look at our heating installation to see where we could make the return colder with no or minimal investment and without harming the crops. With a small adjustment to the manifolds in the greenhouse we can mix the return water of one grid with and the supply water of the second."
Tube temperatures
"What is even more important is that we have been regulating our tube temperatures much more stable. An irregular setting of the heating system gives an irregular return temperature and a much lower efficiency of the available heat. By now we are convinced that a more regular setting will have a positive influence on crop health and thus on production and quality.
"What is even more important is that we have been regulating our tube temperatures much more stable. An irregular setting of the heating system gives an irregular return temperature and a much lower efficiency of the available heat. By now we are convinced that a more regular setting will have a positive influence on crop health and thus on production and quality.
There is much to learn and to improve but geothermics are positive from the growing results, besides being beneficial to sustainability and stability of the cost price.
Clear tasks
The Dutch horticulture has a clear task. In 2050 the entire energy supply of the sector has to be sustainable. That means that fossil energy can no longer be used. In the area of CO2 emissions the sector is doing well according to Peter:"In 2010 we noted an emission of 8.2 Mton CO2 in our sector, which was substantially reduced to 5.6 Mton in 2016, well below the target of 6.2 Mton in 2020. That target has now been reset at 4.6 Mton in 2020. No time to rest!"
The reduction of the availability of gas from Groningen is also a point of attention. Peter outlined three ways to deal with this: energy saving, more energy from sustainable sources, and a more efficient use of energy.
Initiatives
In the area of energy saving many successful initiatives are already underway. In horticultural area Californië two geothermal doublets have been realized together with two growers, supplying four companies about 70 ha in size with geothermal energy. Soon a fifth will be connected. Water is being pumped up at a temperature of 80 to 85 °C, divided over the growers, and when cooled off it is being pumped back where it came from.
Geothermal energy for growers of soft fruit
Californië, according to Smulders, has still some locations left which are very suited to smaller soft fruit companies with ambition. On this location the sustainable energy source can be used, but even the back-up heat, required for peak heating and in case the geothermal energy source is shut down for maintenance, can be supplied by the co-generation of neighboring greenhouse companies. This means no investment in energy systems is required, and which makes it very interesting.
For more information:
Californië
www.californie.nu
info@Californie.nu
Van Lipzig Tuinderijen
www.vanlipzigtuinderijen.com
info@vanlipzigtuinderijen.com