SoilSteam has initiated the development of a new machine specifically designed for the reuse of substrate in commercial greenhouse production. The initiative is based on documented research results from a close collaboration with Proefcentrum Hoogstraten in Belgium in 2025. The results demonstrate that steam-treated substrate can be reused while delivering the same yield, quality, and plant health as new, virgin substrate.
© Soil Steam
"Trials conducted in collaboration with Proefcentrum Hoogstraten confirm that substrate treated with SoilSteam technology achieves results equivalent to new substrate in terms of yield, quality, and plant health. These findings provide a solid scientific foundation for introducing the technology into a new international market", says Ken Roar Riis, CEO of SoilSteam. "These results are highly significant for us. They show that substrate reuse is not only possible, but also agronomically sound and commercially viable. This opens up substantial opportunities for cost reduction and more circular resource use in the greenhouse industry."
At the same time, this represents a major opportunity to reduce the CO₂ footprint of greenhouse production. Based on these research findings, SoilSteam is now launching the development of a dedicated machine optimized for substrate treatment in greenhouse production. The project is being carried out in collaboration with Proefcentrum Hoogstraten and Saint-Gobain Cultilene BV, among others, with the aim of developing a solution tailored to capacity requirements, quality standards, and integration into modern greenhouse operations. The project is also supported by Innovation Norway.
© Soil Steam
"The greenhouse industry is facing increasing demands related to resource efficiency, costs, and sustainability. The ability to reuse substrate without compromising yield or quality is an important contribution to this transition. With this project, we aim to develop a robust and practical solution that can be implemented at commercial scale", says Hans Kristian Westrum, founder and Chief Sales Officer of SoilSteam. "So far we have been focusing on strawberry production, but now we are even testing treatment and reuse of substrate to salad, tomato and pepper as well."
In the initial phase, the development project will focus on design and testing of the machine concept to ensure consistent and verifiable substrate treatment. The project will also explore how the solution can be adapted to different substrate types and production systems. Parallel to the machine development, the research collaboration will continue.
© Soil Steam
"We have already documented that SoilSteam technology makes it possible to reuse substrate with yields equivalent to new substrate. We will now continue our research to investigate whether organic plant residues can be included in the steamed substrate. We will also test the use of steamed substrate in long-term berry crops and evaluate whether substrate quality remains consistently high after repeated steam treatment and reuse", says Peter Melis from Proefcentrum Hoogstraten.
Ralf Derksen from Saint-Gobain Cultilene BV also expresses strong confidence in the project: "As a leading player in the industry, we continuously seek solutions that improve efficiency and sustainability. The results so far are very promising, and we look forward to continuing the collaboration."
For more information:
Hans Kristian Westrum
Sales Manager at SoilSteam
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +47 4040 2090
Strawberry Research at Proefcentrum Hoogstraten
Peter Melis
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +32 3315 7052
