Announcements
Job offersmore »
- Australia: Account Manager, Third Party Services
- Export Produce Trader - Spain
- Dutch/German Speaking Sales Executive - United Kingdom
- Sales/Project Manager - New Zealand
- Category Manager (fruit), Australia
- International Produce Trader - Spain
- Account manager Climate & Energy - Netherlands
- Account Manager, Salads/ Fruits - W. Europe
- Transport Planner - W. Europe
- Chief Executive - Australia
Recent commentsmore »
- Succesfull Haifa spring seminars "Fertigation in Greenhouse Crops" (1)
- Uganda: Greenhouse gives veg grower better yields, more cash (1)
- South Africa: First retractable roof system from Cravo arives (1)
- Shanghai’s ‘green lung’ gets sustainable 2ha greenhouse complex (2)
- Yemen: Tuta Absoluta affecting crops, tomato price on the rise (1)
- US(LA): 16 year old designs hydroponics that use fish and rotting wood (1)
- India: Government to promoto organic farming (1)
- Hawaii: Senate defers GMO food labeling bill (1)
- "Our research-based approach set new quality standard in Coir Substrate" (1)
- UK: HTA call for change on Easter Sunday trading (1)
Top 5 - yesterday
- No news has been published yesterday.
Top 5 - last week
- Horti Asia looks set for growth
- UK: First harvest at new £17m greenhouse at Thaneth Earth
- UK: LEDs make pea shoot grower capable of delivering quality produce year round
- US: Latest edition of Urban AG Products now available online
- Canada: Certhon project is running smoothly at st. David's Hydroponics
Top 5 - last month
- CAP and OCM's reform to be discussed at European Committee
- Horti Asia looks set for growth
- Japan: Kagome optimizes coco mix to achieve balanced growth
- Video of test in cucumber greenhouse with the Multifan V-FloFan
- North America: First tomatoes harvested at Mastronardi, grown with Philips LED interlighting
Exchange ratesmore »
- USD: 1.2869
- JPY: 131.87
- GBP: 0.84475
- AUD: 1.3216
- BRL: 2.6100
- CAD: 1.3220
- CNY: 7.9040
- NZD: 1.5917
- ZAR: 12.0764
Euro foreign exchange reference rates
Source: ECB
Netherlands: First geothermal energy cucumbers harvested
Since the frost has disappeared from the Netherlands, René Kalter of breeding company Voorhof is back to using geothermal energy. At the neighbouring farm, the Vahl Bros, gas consumption has severely dropped as well since the geothermal installation being turned on. This week, the first geothermal cucumbers of the two farms were auctioned.
"It felt like I had to learn the game all over again," says René Kalter. "First we had a tube of 60 degrees going through the greenhouse. Now we have a second heat system with an average temperature of 45 degrees. With a much lower pipe temperature, but with more capacity, we can reach the same greenhouse temperature.” The second tube also ensures that the water with a lower temperature goes back into the ground.
René Kalter, Kees Vahl, and Radboud Vorage
The well provides geothermal energy to eleven hectares of greenhouses. The test phase began in March 2012, and the well went in full operation six months ago. "There were still a few things we had to adjust," says project director Radboud Vorage. "It concerned a few technical issues. But now the pump runs smoothly and we’re saving quite a bit of natural gas, around 80% I reckon. In the long run, we can probably achieve 70% on a daily basis."
The innovations so far have benefited cultivation. "Things just seem to be a little more efficient. The moisture is better kept within limits," says Kalter. Whether or not the production is actually higher, is not yet clear. But time will tell.
For more information:
Radboud Vorage
Greenhouse Geo Power
greenhousegeopower@hotmail.com
http://www.greenhousegeopower.nl/
Since the frost has disappeared from the Netherlands, René Kalter of breeding company Voorhof is back to using geothermal energy. At the neighbouring farm, the Vahl Bros, gas consumption has severely dropped as well since the geothermal installation being turned on. This week, the first geothermal cucumbers of the two farms were auctioned.
"It felt like I had to learn the game all over again," says René Kalter. "First we had a tube of 60 degrees going through the greenhouse. Now we have a second heat system with an average temperature of 45 degrees. With a much lower pipe temperature, but with more capacity, we can reach the same greenhouse temperature.” The second tube also ensures that the water with a lower temperature goes back into the ground.
René Kalter, Kees Vahl, and Radboud Vorage
The well provides geothermal energy to eleven hectares of greenhouses. The test phase began in March 2012, and the well went in full operation six months ago. "There were still a few things we had to adjust," says project director Radboud Vorage. "It concerned a few technical issues. But now the pump runs smoothly and we’re saving quite a bit of natural gas, around 80% I reckon. In the long run, we can probably achieve 70% on a daily basis."
The innovations so far have benefited cultivation. "Things just seem to be a little more efficient. The moisture is better kept within limits," says Kalter. Whether or not the production is actually higher, is not yet clear. But time will tell.
For more information:
Radboud Vorage
Greenhouse Geo Power
greenhousegeopower@hotmail.com
http://www.greenhousegeopower.nl/
Publication date: 2/1/2013
Other news in this sector:
