Netherlands: Energy, Cultivation and Consumer Awareness during Svensson event

"Good cultivation is no longer enough," said Svensson CEO Maarten Oostenbrink. "A good tomato is no guarantee of success. Your financial management, use of energy, marketing and sales strategy all play a huge part." 

The day began with a video message from astronaut Wubbo Ockels. Due to illness he was unable to attend the event. Since his illness he tries to persuade people to commit themselves to a more sustainable society. "The earth is a big blue sphere. Basically a spaceship," he said. “We human beings are its crew: we are responsible for the spacecraft. Supporting a bright future is not only good for the spacecraft, but also for people themselves.”

Sustainable future 

Ruud Koornstra believes there are big changes afoot for sustainability. "We cannot go on like this," he says. "We must have the courage to change our way of doing business as well as our use of energy." Within his own sector he notes that there is still much resistance. One example is the development of the Pharox LED lamp, which people regularly told Koorstra would not work. The lamp is now being tested for greenhouse use at RedStar. 

To tackle said developments, trend analyst Christine Boland proposed four major developmental venues. First, the New Start, where people look for simplicity and clarity and anonymity. This is expressed in simple design, “not continuous and dynamic contact with everyone and all these bells and whistles.” The second is the togetherness, connect with people around you, but also connect with nature. Instead, opt for healthy food products for example. In the third trend, the (hi) story, Boland sees young people presenting themselves: tell your own story through pictures, profiles. The final trend that Boland brings up is the New Territory: new reference-free products and concepts. “Do something completely new, think differently.”

The third presentation, by Hans Koenen of Gasunie, had a slightly more factual impact. He spoke about the developments in gas infrastructure, Gasunie and how they see a different energy future for themselves. According to Koenen, the debate of tomorrow isn’t so much about energy availability, but about energy distribution. He discussed issues such as flywheels, compressed air, reservoirs and converting energy into gas (gas to power, with electrolysis). 

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More information:
Ludvig Svensson BV
Clarinda Gros - den Boer
Marconiweg 2
3225 LV Hellevoetsluis
Nederland
T: +31 181 39 26 63
F: +31 181 39 26 62
clarinda.gros@svenssonglobal.com
www.svenssonglobal.com