As many Dutch suppliers and growers continue to lead innovation in horticulture, the Dutch trade show HortiContact is the ideal place to see what is currently happening in the greenhouse industry – and what will shape its future. With energy prices still largely determining the cost price of horticultural products in the Netherlands, cost reduction and sustainability remain continuous priorities. Electrification is becoming an increasingly important theme, alongside heat storage, heat pumps, the use of low-grade residual heat, and optimizing energy consumption in response to fluctuating electricity prices. Dynamic lighting anyone? And what about your CO2 supply?
HortiContact recently shifted from a three-day event to a two-day format, a decision that resulted in a more vibrant atmosphere and received positive feedback from both visitors and exhibitors. On Monday, we will publish a full photo report, but several trends are already clearly visible – trends that may also indicate what growers in other countries and regions will face in the near future.
Energy
Generating energy is one challenge; storing it until the moment it is needed is another. The exhibition floor featured numerous suppliers of battery systems and thermal energy storage solutions. Energy storage was also extensively discussed in the KasLokaal (Greenhouse Knowledge Center), organized by Kas als Energiebron.
© Priscilla Heeffer | HortiDaily.comYongli Chang, Marius Bouwers and Mahdkht Hemati, BessQ with their E-Charger
© Priscilla Heeffer | HortiDaily.comVictor goes green showing the Blockdias E-Boiler
A key topic was Medium-Temperature Storage (MTO). Wageningen University & Research and IF Technology demonstrated how heat surpluses can be stored efficiently and utilized during the winter period. Visitors were presented with concrete case studies and practical tools to assess how MTO could be implemented in their own operations.
During a workshop on dynamic lighting strategies, Wageningen University & Research highlighted the opportunities that arise when energy prices become a leading factor in lighting strategies, as well as the crop-related limitations growers must consider. Visitors also received practical guidance on selecting and implementing the right sensors. AAB complemented the session with directly applicable energy solutions for growers, ranging from heat pumps to smart system integrations.
© Arlette Sijmonsma | HortiDaily.com Joris Jansen, DCL. DCL's methane catalysts are engineered for use in methane destruction, crucial for engines in industries like gas compression and biogas CHP (Combined Heat and Power) systems.
© Arlette Sijmonsma | HortiDaily.comAnother player is NOXCON, having expertise in Gas Capture (CO2 as well as NOX)
CO2
Many great initiatives, but what do you do with your CO2 when your CHP is no longer running smoothly? You could find inspiration for that at HortiContact as well. Various participants demonstrated the possibilities of CO2 capture from flue gas ducts or from the outside air, its storage, and its application in cultivation.
More on Monday!
