Kenya: Solar-powered greenhouse officially operational

With the newly “Solar-powered Greenhouse” project, Green Farming and its partners wish to demonstrate a cost-effective way of using solar energy in the horticulture sector of Kenya, and East Africa. Due to the high increase in energy costs Kenyan businesses are increasingly focusing on applying alternative energy sources.

Yesterday, October 30, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Minister Ploumen, officially opened the solar-powered greenhouse. The opening was part of a trade mission to Kenya with a focus on infrastructure and agriculture. During her visit to Kenya the Minister visited the project at rose breeder Olij in Naivasha where she was welcomed by Green Farming partners Van Zaal, Bosman, Hoogendoorn Growth Management and Olij.

Harm Maters, Chairman of Green Farming, presented the project to the Minister and delegation of 25 companies during the opening ceremony. Together with Harm Maters, the Minister officially opened the project by revealing the project board. At the end of the ceremony the project brochure containing all background information and technical project details was presented to the Minister.

The project “Solar-powered Greenhouse” aims to enable grower Olij to run the farm independent of the Kenyan electricity grid. By means of solar panels and heat collectors combined generation of heat and electricity is realized. This is used to heat the greenhouse at night and provide for the electricity needed to run the farm. Heating the greenhouse in the night has a positive effect on the production results.
Excess heat and electricity are stored in a heat storage tank and battery pack. In case of too much generated electricity, it can be transformed into heat by an electrical boiler and stored.

The system is more reliable than the Kenyan grid due to its constant and stable supply of electricity, and is an environmental friendly way of generating energy. The project partners expect to realize a saving in energy costs of 40% for Olij.
In her closing words Minister Ploumen emphasized the importance of sustainable energy solutions for the East African horticulture sector.

Click here to download the project brochure from the Green Farming website

For more information:
Green Farming
F. Hoogerwerf
francis.hoogerwerf@greenfarming.nl