A large symposium about modernizing greenhouse horticulture, "Together we grow further in the Westland", is the kick-off for an exploration of the Westland area. The exploration of the area under the instructions of the province South-Holland and the local council of Westland should at the end of 2016 lead to an concrete investment agenda for Greenport Westland.

Commissioners, aldermen, entrepreneurs and knowledge institutions spoke in October about a healthy horticulture, the role of energy transition and area development in the Westland. The participants acknowledged that horticulture in the Greenport Westland-Oostland is known worldwide. But to maintain their excellent internationally competitive position, modernization, and transition towards sustainable methods of this sector is necessary. At the symposium experts discussed what is needed for this transition and how the cooperation can be shaped best. The revenue of the day will be used to give shape to the exploration of the area.



Greenport in development
In the vision of the industry of Greenport, Westland-Oostland entrepreneurs discussed their ambition to develop the glasshouse horticulture sector in the coming years to the most sustainable sector in the world by entering new markets and developing new products. Also the restructuring of the nurseries and the application of new, high tech greenhouses using other heat sources for heating their greenhouses was discussed. This will reduce CO2 carbon dioxide emissions. "In the so called warmterotonde residual heat from the industry in the Rotterdam harbor area and geothermal energy will be used for heating the greenhouses. For companies which will use the warmterotonde, a CO2-reduction of 60% is possible. In this way, the region will benefit by providing a boost to the local economy so we support a sustainable work and living environment,” says alderman Theo Duijvestijn.

Accessibility Westland
Earlier in the day the realisation of the comprehensive 3-in-1 road-building project was celebrated. Sub projects are the Snelbinder, de bike bridge crossing the Vlietpolderplein and the three turbo-traffic squares which so far were only implemented in South-Holland but which can handle high volumes of traffic in a efficient manner.

Alderman Bram Meijer: "The finalisation of the road-building project 3 in 1 is an important milestone in improving the accessibility, traffic safety and the living environment of the Westland. But we’re not there yet, in the coming years money needs to be invested in the accessibility of the Westland."

N211 in Westland
Innovation in the field of sustainable heat consumption is not limited to the horticultural cluster. The N211 goes one step further, the road becomes an experimental garden in the field of sustainable energy generation. The councils of the province and the city invite innovative companies, citizens and educational institutes to contribute to this reflection.

The province and the water board of Delfland have given tech pioneer Plant-e the assignment to generate electricity from living plants in the wet grasslands near the road. Plant-e is a young company which generates electricity from living plants and soil bacteria.