A+G van den Bosch proves that it is possible to significantly reduce the amount of natural gas used in horticulture. By installing two geothermal energy systems, the family firm from Bleiswijk has reduced their energy consumption by 90%.
Pioneering family firm
Gas-fired heaters are used to keep greenhouses warm. This natural gas consumption is a major disadvantage of Dutch horticulture. There are alternatives available – such as geothermal energy systems – but implementation involves a major investment. The Nature Counts jury praises A+G van den Bosch, a family firm that was the first horticulture company to take that step.
Key role in the future of geothermal energy
A+G van den Bosch is the first horticulture company in the Netherlands to use geothermal energy to heat its greenhouses. As a pioneer in this field, A+G van den Bosch has gained a great deal of knowledge and other growers following their example can count on its support. In this advisory capacity, the grower plays a key role in the future of geothermal energy systems in Dutch greenhouses.
How does geothermal energy work?
The earth’s core can reach temperatures as high as 12,000ºC. Conductivity causes some of the heat to travel to the earth’s crust and geothermal energy systems can tap into this conducted heat. A pipe pumps hot water from a layer of water deep in the earth, bringing it up to the surface, where a heat exchanger transports it to the heating system. A second pipe carries the cooled water back into the ground. The water layer used by A+G van den Bosch is about 1700 meters below the surface and is about 65ºC.
Better than carbon-neutral
Tomato plants need CO2 to grow. Traditionally, the CO2 released during the combustion of natural gas is used for tomatoes. Since A+G van den Bosch hardly burns any gas anymore, the company now relies on CO2 from the OCAP, which transports the carbon dioxide gas in a pipeline that runs from the Botlek to Bleiswijk. As a result, the grower has become a CO2 consumer rather than a CO2 producer.
Facts and figures
Since 2005, A+G van den Bosch have been working to implement the geothermal heat system for a greenhouse of 148,000 m2 in Bleiswijk. The geothermal heat pumps went into operation at the end of 2007. The second system, which serves a greenhouse of 57,000 m2, was commissioned at the beginning of 2010. The geothermal energy projects save 8 million cubic metres of natural gas – which represents 90% of the energy used previously. A third greenhouse of 50,000 m2 is heated by residual heat from the ROCA power plant in Capelle (collective project since 1990).
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