Dec. 15, 2010, the Netherlands – The Dutch floriculture sector aims to heat at least 500 hectares of glasshouse cultivation using geothermal energy by 2020. Earlier this year, a potted tropical plant operation became the latest company to tap into this heat source.
The use of geothermal energy is a typical example of the sector-wide co-operation that has so often proved to be the driving force behind innovation throughout the Dutch industry. Geothermal energy projects receive support from a program in the Netherlands designating greenhouses as energy sources.
Newly acquired knowledge from the project is made widely available. The result is the emergence of an increasingly detailed, experience-based script for new projects.
Research has shown that a large proportion of Dutch glasshouse cultivation is located in regions where geothermal energy could be used. A feasibility study indicates that the use of geothermal energy in glasshouse cultivation could lead to a reduction of more than 10 per cent in natural gas consumption.
|
