2008: Van der Hoorn Orchids, First gas-less greenhouse
The ‘Eerste kas zonder Gas’ (First Gas-less Greenhouse) project started with the building of 15,000-square-metres of greenhouses in 2006 in the Dutch town of Ter Aar. Van der Hoorn opted for a semi-closed greenhouse with underground thermal energy storage. By means of a water pump, the stored, low-value heat can be upgraded to meet the total heating requirements of the greenhouses. One feature is that no natural gas is used in the nursery. The grower assumes a reduction of 40 percent in energy consumption, with respect to conventional systems in orchid cultivation. Moreover, he expects to see an annual reduction in carbon emissions of 1.2 million kg. The nursery shares its knowledge and experience with colleagues and others in the trade.
