Huge interest in sustainability at Energy Event

The enormous interest in the EnergieEvent Southeast Netherlands and Flanders on January 22 at Villa Flora on Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo demonstrated that entrepreneurs in this region have an eye for a sustainable future. They willingly immersed themselves in the large range of new, promising initiatives. The event is an initiative of Kas als Energiebron and GLITCH.

Knowledge sharing is the credo in the envisaged transition to a future in which fossil energy is replaced by sustainable options. The collaboration between the research and innovation programs Greenhouse as a Source of Energy and GLITCH for the organization of the event already sent a clear signal. Making use of each other's knowledge and experience is the most efficient way to reach the intended end goal. This certainly also applies to growers who have already taken the first steps towards fossil-free, through their involvement in trials and practical research. During the Energy Event Southeast Netherlands and Flanders, results were shared from projects carried out in the past year under the above research programs.

To fossil free

Sjaak van der Tak, chairman of Greenhouse Horticulture Netherlands opened the afternoon. Of course he briefly mentioned the ODE problems, where he has been very busy in recent months. But he also looked ahead with great determination: "I am convinced that the future of greenhouse horticulture in the Netherlands and Flanders lies in being fossil-free." That feeling also prevailed among the more than one hundred participants in the EnergieEvent, who were informed with great interest about the various projects and studies. They could choose from twelve topics, which were presented in three workshop rounds. The offerings ranged from lesser-known heat flows in the greenhouse and different types of screens to LED in high-wire cucumber and far-red light in lettuce cultivation on water.

Chairman of Glastuinbouw Nederland Sjaak van der Tak

Successful continuation

There was a lot of interest in the lectures on the research into the limit values of flue gases from the CHP, the possibilities of aquathermics, efficient dehumidification and sustainable tomato cultivation with LEDs. But the growers and energy specialists present were also happy to be updated on research projects that have already been reviewed in various trade journals over the past year. Such as: future CO2 supply, tools for the New Cultivation, cucumber cultivation in the Winter Light greenhouse and the New Cultivation in strawberry. A lot of water will have to flow through the Maas before all these projects are commonplace for greenhouse horticulture companies in the southeastern Netherlands and Flanders. The fact is, however, that many of the signs are green for a successful continuation of the course that has been set. On the websites of Kas als Energiebron and GLITCH the various projects can also be adequately followed in 2020.

Source: Good Morning Vegetables