"For many industries, residual heat below 100 degrees Celsius is considered waste—but in horticulture, it's a valuable resource," says Bart van Meurs of Division Q. "That means that the horticulture industry can play a role in the hydrogen transition."
The company is currently in talks with various partners to establish an electrolyzer in Monster, in the Westland region. The goal: to produce hydrogen directly on-site at the nursery.
© Thijmen Tiersma | HortiDaily.com
Sustainable heating
"Sustainable heating is a major topic in horticulture and within our company," says Bart van Meurs of Division Q. "We've been following the hydrogen industry for several years now. Heating a greenhouse with hydrogen isn't viable just yet—green hydrogen is still too scarce, the infrastructure isn't in place, and it's simply too expensive. But then it clicked: horticulture could actually be a great producer of hydrogen."
Hydrogen is produced using an electrolyzer, which converts electrical energy into hydrogen through the electrolysis of water. Not all of the energy is converted into hydrogen gas; a portion is released as heat. And that's where horticulture offers a clear advantage. "In many industrial processes, residual heat is lost to seas or rivers. But greenhouses are uniquely positioned to make good use of that heat—even when it's below 100°C," Bart explains. "What's more, the conditions are ideal: growers often already have large electrical connections and available space for solar PV."
That's exactly what Division Q is focusing on now. The company—a spin-off of cress grower Koppert Cress—operates as both a project developer and investor in sustainable horticultural innovations, with a focus on energy, mechanization, and water. In this case, Division Q could very well become the start-up born from its own initiative, Bart confirms. "The technical designs are finished, and we're now in the economic realization phase: working on customers, suppliers, financing, and permits," he summarizes. The aim is to give the green light in the second half of 2025, so that the installation can become operational in the course of 2026.
There's already a great deal of enthusiasm for the project. Division Q is collaborating with partners like Certhon, Metazet, De Rijke Techniek, and Accenda, and is also in talks with potential hydrogen off-takers. "We have a very solid business case," Bart says, explaining the positive response. "We've included the residual heat in our model at market-based value, and that results in a hydrogen price that's very acceptable to the market."
And demand for green hydrogen is growing fast. "A lot of generators, excavators, and other machinery need to become more sustainable—especially those operating in urban areas."
Division Q also sees opportunities in transportation. In fact, they've already acquired a hydrogen-powered truck. "For passenger transport, it's not quite there yet," Bart explains. "Battery technology has come far enough to make electric driving more attractive for cars. But as transport gets heavier, battery weight becomes a drawback. That's when hydrogen starts to make a lot more sense."
The project also highlights how growers can redefine their role within the energy landscape. "As a sector, we need to demonstrate our added value," Bart says. "That includes physical space, of course, but also the value we add to the energy grid. You can be a consumer—but also a producer. In this case, of hydrogen molecules."
Cucumbers and hydrogen
At the planned electrolyzer site in Monster, all of the residual heat can be used directly at the Koppert Cress nursery. In fact, when combined with geothermal energy supplied through the regional heat network, it could make it possible to heat the entire facility without any fossil fuels.
But the concept is both scalable and replicable. So, what does the future look like—growers producing not just vegetables, but also hydrogen? It may sound unusual, but according to Bart, it's actually a logical next step. "When combined heat and power (CHP) systems were introduced, growers also began producing electricity," he explains. "We're already accustomed to making good use of residual heat from electricity generation. What we're doing now is essentially the same—except it's residual heat from hydrogen production."
For more information:
Division Q
info@divisionq.nl
www.divisionq.nl