Kwekerij De Wieringermeer, a large-scale pepper grower, used the Market Introduction to Energy Innovations in Glasshouse Horticulture (MEI) grant to install an innovative heat system.
"We wanted to heat our new greenhouse with existing heat flows from geothermal heat. For this you need a slightly different installation than we already had," Arco Vreugdenhil says in an RVO article on Kas als Energiebron. He is financial director of nursery De Wieringermeer and responsible for energy consumption.
Like underfloor heating in a house
De Wieringermeer applied for the MEI subsidy in 2019. This was for a 16-hectare expansion of its greenhouses. "There was then some hassle with nitrogen and permits. Then we split the project into two anyway. We were first going to build 10 hectares and later another six."
The greenhouses at De Wieringermeer have been heated with 90°C geothermal heat since 2012. This heat passes through a system of pipes. After heating the greenhouse, the temperature is still 40 to 50°C. This also depends on weather conditions. They now use this low-grade heat in a second heating system, with a larger heating surface. "It's like underfloor heating in a house," says Wouter Opgenoort of Hollands Tuinbouwadvies, the consultant for Kwekerij de Wieringermeer. "With that, you heat slowly through an elaborate pipe system. As opposed to radio towers, with which you heat quickly with a high temperature."
The Wieringermeer uses low-grade heat from its own system. But Arco points out that low-grade heat is available in many places. Such as heat from industries and data centres. The investment in the low-grade heat system will probably pay for itself in 4 or 5 years. "Right now, we don't actually have to pay for CO2 emissions yet. But we will in the next few years," Arco thinks. He expects that the investment will pay for itself soon.
In the article on Kas als Energiebron, Arco and Wouter also talk more about the subsidy process and share tips.