Loos Strawberry Growers is a sustainable greenhouse company. Its gas tap became redundant in autumn 2011 and thanks to combined heat and power (CHP), Loos produces biogas that generates power and heat for the company and the surrounding area. Waste products are ingeniously recycled. In addition the company does not use groundwater or drinking water. All of these techniques fully embrace the company’s key objective: to employ biological cultivation methods as much as possible.
Unique local initiative
Loos’ use of biogas is unique. A company called BioMoer Energy was co-founded with neighbouring businesses – two dairy farms and an arable farm. The company operates a
bio-digester that produces biogas from manure and various non-consumable waste products. Two CHP systems convert the biogas into heat and electricity. The bio-digester has a net capacity of 17 million kWh of power based on eight thousand hours of operation.
Zero gas consumption
The residual heat released by the CHP is fully utilised, which means that Loos no longer needs to purchase gas. The total savings on gas amounts to one million cubic metres each year. In addition, the system has also helped achieve a substantial, two-fold reduction in CO2 emissions. The residual heat released has enabled Loos to start growing a second product. A further six hectares of land is used to grow asparagus because the strawberry and asparagus growing seasons can be coordinated easily.
Thoughtful recycling
All the rainwater collected in two 4,000-cubic metre water basins is used entirely for cultivation purposes. Drainage water is disinfected and circulated, which eliminates the need to use groundwater or drinking water. Strawberries that are unsuitable for consumption are processed in the bio-digester. The foliage and potting soil are split up at the end of production and spread across the land where asparagus is grown, which is heated by the bio-digester.
Welcoming and easy to work with
Loos Strawberry Growers situated in Moerstraten in the Dutch province of West Brabant grows produce on three hectares of land, more than two hectares of which are illuminated. Loos produces some 400,000 kilos of strawberries a year with its growing season running from October through June. The company is one of the few growers to harvest Dutch strawberries as early as mid-January. In the off-season, Loos’ team comprises 12 employees but this total increases to 35 in the high season.
Recognition and credibility
Loos Strawberry Growers was recognised by GlobalGAP and Nature's Choice in 2008 for its innovative efforts. For Loos, the Nature Counts designation also proves that cultivation need not harm the environment. Seeking a close form of cooperation with the neighbouring farms has proven conclusively that energy consumption can be minimised, that residual heat can benefit both business and the environment, and that waste can be recycled efficiently.
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