Specializations

EnergieScan Hortimedes

How can we improve the yield of the installation without making concessions to the current way of growing?

That is the question that many growers ask themselves. We can provide support by conducting an extensive energy scan.

Performing an energy scan is one of Horti-Cultura's specializations.
We are involved in, among other things, the De Kabel in de Lier project.

The Hortimedes energy scan aims to provide insight into which efficiency improvements are possible in the installation, which disruptive factors there are and which optimisations are possible. The outcome is advice with which the grower can make well-founded decisions.

The first step is the inventory of the current installation and going through a checklist developed by us in order to obtain as much information as possible about the installation and its operations. Questions that arise here include
1. What are the maximum temperatures with which heating is carried out at which room temperature
2. How empty can you draw the tank
3. Is there any exposure
4. What is the strategy in the use of the CHP (s) and boiler in heat generation
5. How is the CO2 supply arranged
6. What are the flue gas temperatures leaving the chimney
7. How is fencing and with which screens
The on-site inventory generally takes a whole day. This includes a conversation with the grower of 1 to 1.5 hours.

The second step is the request for external information that is required for the analyzes and calculations. Ideal is if the grower still has the order confirmations and drawings of the installation of the installations.

Third step is analyzing the data and combining the results. It often happens that we come to the company again for a half day to record the latest information and ask questions.

The fourth step is making calculations of the available power, power requirement and transmission loss, pump capacities, possible temperature differences (ΔT's) and total power requirement. We actually recalculate the heating installation, based on data from practice.

Then we look in step five to:
- the flue-gas efficiency: we get as much kilowatts as possible from every cubic meter of gas
- the water-side efficiency: every kilowatt we extracted from that cubic meter of natural gas ends up as it is intended for and not too much is lost along the way in areas that do not need to be kept warm, such as the boiler house.
You will notice these optimization steps in a positive way in your gas bill.

Step six is the processing of all data and summarizing and processing everything in a clear report. The measures to be taken are divided into 4 classes according to impact and investment need. Where possible, the calculated savings are reported. This report is discussed with the client.

Extra: maintenance advice
During the inventory, we also note the observed maintenance points and also state these in the report with advice. It is important to make a person in the company responsible for maintenance and that all reports come together there. In this way, preventive maintenance becomes part of the business process and you prevent most of the stagnant business failures.

We prefer not to make reports that end up in the drawer. So after the energy scan has been completed and the report discussed, we would like to remain involved and draw up a step-by-step plan of the measures to be taken.

Read more:
Energiescan Hortimedes

How can we improve the efficiency of the installation without compromising the current way of growing? That is the question that many growers ask themselves. 

We can provide support by carrying out a comprehensive energy scan. Conducting an energy scan is one of the specializations of Horti-Cultura. We have performed several  scans, f.i. De Kabel in De Lier.


Energy scan Hortimedes aims to provide insight into the performance improvements which are possible in the installation, which confounding factors exist and which optimizations are possible. Outcome is an advise that the grower can use to make well informed decisions.


The first step is the identification of the installation and completion of a checklist developed by us to obtain as much information about the installation and management. Questions that arise here are, amongst others:

1. What are the maximum temperatures used to heat, and at which room temperature?

2. What is the lowest tank temperature?

3. Is lighting used?

4. What is the strategy for the use of CHP (s) and boiler in heat generation

5. How is the CO2 dosing system designed

6. What are the flue gas temperatures leaving the chimney?

7. How is the screening regulated  and what types of screening coth is used?

The inventory on site generally takes up a whole day. This includes a discussion with thegrower of 1 to 1.5 hours.


The second step is to retrieve external information that is required for the analyzes and calculations. Ideally the grower has the order confirmations and drawings of the construction of the plant.


Third step is to analyze the data and combine the outcomes. Often we plan another session on site  to include the latest information and ask questions.


The fourth step is to make calculations of the available power, power requirements and transmission loss, pump capacities, possible temperature differences (ΔT) and total power requirement. Actually we recalculate the heating system, based on data from the field.


Then we look at step five to:

- The flue gas efficiency: do we generate kilowatt out of every cubic meter of gas

- The useful efficiency: Does every kilowatt we extracted from that cubic meters of natural gas end up right where it is intended and don’t we loose too much heat in spaces that need not be kept warm, such as the boiler room.

You will notice these optimizations in a positive way in your gas bill.


Step six is to process all the data and summarize it in a clear report. The measures to be taken are divided into four classes according to impact and investment needs. Where possible, the calculated savings are mentioned. These reports are discussed with the client.


Additional maintenance advice

During the inventory, we also note the identified service points and mention this also with advice in the report. It is important to make a person in the company responsible for maintenance and that all reports come together at one point. Thus, preventive maintenance becomes part of the business process and avoids most of the company- stagnant failures.

We prefer to make reports that will not end up in the drawer. After completion of the energy scan and the discussion of the report we want to stay involved and create a roadmap of actions.


INTERESTED?

Do you want to check out what is possible in your company to energy efficiency and optimization of business processes? Please feel free to contact us. Call Klaas Althof on +31 (0) 6 12 14 19 14 or send an email via our contact form.



Why is this product called HortiMedes?


"Horti" for the link to our company Horti-Cultura and horticulture;

"Medes" is derived from Archimedes, the great physicist and inventor of the pump.

Heating network

A heat network is an infrastructure to which various suppliers and consumers of heat are connected. The heat is transported between the participants via the distribution network. In this way a covering sustainable heat supply can be created for an area.

Other names used for a heat network are heat ring, district heating and cooling (DHC), heat network, heat roundabout, heat cluster and common carrier. The group of organizations involved in a heat network is also referred to as: heat cooperative, heat alliance, heat district.

A heat network can be realized on different scales, for example locally or provincially. Customers are mainly district heating for homes, greenhouse horticulture and industry. The providers on a heat network can supply from various sources, for example:
- geothermal energy
- residual heat
- ATES (Heat Cold Storage)
- biomass


Horti-Cultura's role in heat networks:
We can support the development and realization of a heat network in various ways. For example: Inventory of heat demand in greenhouse horticulture, design of heat distribution network, dimensioning of route, technical integration of heat connections, investment estimates and exploitation budgets, research of biogas CHP, WKO, optimal cooling and soil cooling.

In the Netherlands we are involved in the following projects:
- Natures'Heat: project in which 6 separate nurseries and an existing heating cluster are connected to a new geothermal source.
- Geothermal project Noordland Kapittelland - 's Gravenzande - Design for a robust distribution network for high-quality heat to 24 nurseries (common carrier)
- Municipality of Westland - Feasibility study for the supply of sustainable geothermal energy from The Hague to Westland
- Zuidplaspolder heat cooperative: connection of more than 50 nurseries to the South Holland heat roundabout for the use of residual heat in the port of Rotterdam for district heating Leiden, Heineken brewery in Zoeterwoude and heating greenhouses
- PrimA4a: use residual heat from cooling data centers for greenhouse horticulture

Heating, network, grid, district, distribution

A heating network or grid is an infrastructure to which various suppliers and consumers of heat are connected. The heat is transported between the participants via the distribution network. In this way a covering sustainable heat supply can be created for an area.


Other names used for a heating grid are heating network, district heating and cooling (DHC), heating ring, heat cluster and common carrier. The group of organizations involved in a heating network is also mentioned heat cooperation, heat alliance or heat collective.

A heating grid can be realized on various scales, for example local or provincial. Customers are heating and cooling of houses (district heating and cooling DHC), greenhouses and industry. The providers on a heating network can supply from different sources, for example:

- geothermal heat

- residual heat

- WKO (Warm Cold Storage)

- bio-mass

You can read more about sustainable energy sources here.


Role Horti-Cultura in heating grids:

We can support in various ways in the development and realization of heating networks.

For example: Inventory of heat needs of greenhouse horticulture, design heat distribution network, dimensioning route, technical fitting heat connections, investment estimates and operating budgets, research biogas CHP, WKO, optimal cooling and ground cooling.


In the Netherlands we are involved in the following projects:

- Natures'Heat: project where 6 separate nurseries and an existing heat cluster are connected to a new geothermal source.

-Geothermal project Noordland Kapitteland - 's Gravenzande - Design of a robust distribution network to deliver sunstainable heat to 24 nurseries 

- City of Westland - Feasability study delivery sustainable energy from city the Hague to the greenhouse growers in Westland

- Warmtcoöperatie Zuidplaspolder: connection to the warmterotonde Zuid-Holland by using residual heat Rotterdam port for district heating Leiden, Heineken brewery in Zoeterwoude and heating boxes

- PrimA4a: Use residual heat of cooling of data centers for greenhouse horticulture


Click here for a comprehensive overview of our projects

Optimal cooling

By additional cooling of the flue gases of the CHP below the dew point you gain energy which otherwise would disappear through the chimney.

This can be obtained by cascading central heating systems, or to add an extra flue gas condenser and heat pump. Another possibility is cooling delivered waste heat from biogas plants or external power via common carrier sysytemen.

Optimizing return temperature is one of the specializations of Horticultura. We are f.i. involved in the project Van der Voort / Vierpolders.

We deliver customized solutions!
Every business situation is different and must be calculated separately. Sometimes a circuit on a low-temperature heating network is already sufficient to realize a substantial saving.

INTERESTED?
Do you want to check what is possibilitie to energy efficiency and optimization of processes in your company? We give you independent advice and calculate whether it is applicable to the company for you and how much it brings you.

Please feel free to contact us. Call Klaas Althof on
+31 (0) 6 12 14 19 14 or send an email via our contact form.

Geothermal energy

Geothermal energy or geothermal energy is heat energy generated and stored in the Earth. It arises from the heat radiation from the interior of the Earth, which is the result of natural nuclear decay processes in the core. The earth is therefore a continuous source of heat.

The natural heat flow from the earth is sufficient to meet the total world demand for energy. If we take a shell of the Earth's crust that is 6 km thick, it contains an equivalent of 50,000 times the total natural gas and oil reserves in the world in geothermal energy. In areas with volcanic activity, that heat is very close to the surface and has been used for electricity production and heat recovery for a hundred years. In the Netherlands, geothermal energy is mainly used for space heating in greenhouse horticulture (90%) and to heat residential areas.

Geothermal energy is a form of renewable energy: its extraction does not lead to the depletion of a stock.
As a result, geothermal energy contributes to the priority of the Dutch government to reduce the use of fossil fuels such as natural gas and the associated emission of greenhouse gases such as CO2 (energy transition).

Why use geothermal energy in greenhouse horticulture?
For a grower, the benefits of using geothermal energy can be particularly great:
- huge energy savings
- more certainty about long-term energy costs in contrast to fossil fuels
- long service life of geothermal heat installations - a geothermal source produces decades; a CHP is technically depreciated after 10 years.
- security of supply: geothermal energy is not dependent on fluctuations in the weather.
In addition, from a technical point of view, the extraction of geothermal energy is a reliable, proven technique, which mainly makes use of the experiences from the oil and gas industry.

horti cultura: why use geothermal energy in greenhouse horticulture?
The advantages are mainly achieved by setting up collective installations, which together generate heat and share investments. The generated heat can be distributed to affiliated nurseries via a distribution network.

In recent years, a number of geothermal sources have been drilled for greenhouse horticulture. These sources develop so well over time that there is heat left to supply to third parties such as adjacent horticultural companies, swimming pools, schools and houses.

Horti-Cultura is involved in the development of these clusters and ensures that the heat from the source is used as much as possible, even in the summer months, so that the number of operating hours increases and the source yields more efficiency.

A geothermal installation can also be included in a heat network: a type of heat ring in which various parties introduce heat into the pipeline network, for example via residual heat, biomass or CHPs, and other parties take heat from it. In this way a covering sustainable heat supply can be created for an area.

Geothermal energy, geothermal energy, Horti Cultura,

Geothermal energy or geothermal energy is heat energy generated and stored in the Earth. It arises from the heat radiation from the interior of the Earth, which is the result of natural nuclear decay processes in the core. The earth is therefore a continuous source of heat.

Geothermal energy or geothermal heat is heat energy generated and stored in the Earth. It results from the heat radiation from the inside of the earth, the result of natural nuclear decomposition processes at the core. The earth is thus a continuous source of heat.


The natural heat of the earth is sufficient to meet the global world demand for energy. If we take a shell of the earth's crust with a thickness of 6 km, it contains the equivalent to 50,000 x of the total natural gas and oil supply in the world.

In areas with volcanic activity, that heat is very close to the surface and has been used for a hundred years for electricity production and heat recovery. In the Netherlands, geothermal energy is mainly used for space heating in greenhouse horticulture (90%) and heating residential areas.


Geothermal energy is sustainable: it’s recovery does not lead to the depletion of stock. As a result, geothermal heat meets Dutch’ government's priority to reduce fossil fuel use such as natural gas and reduce the associated emissions of  greenhouse gas such as CO2 (energy transition).


Why using geothermal heat in greenhouses?

The benefits of using geothermal heat for nurseries can be particularly high:

- huge energy savings

- more certainty about the long-term energy costs – in comparison with use of fossil fuels

- long economical life of the plants for geothermal heat - a geothermal source produces decades; A CHP is technically written off after 10 years.

- Delivery Security: Geothermal heat is not depending on fluctuations in weather.

In addition, the recovery of geothermal heat is technically a reliable, proven technique, making use of the experiences of the oil and gas industry.


These benefits are achieved in particular through the establishment of collective installations which generate heat together and share investments. The generated heat can be spread over affiliated farms through a distribution network,

In recent years several geothermal wells have been drilled for greenhouses. These wells evolve over time so well that heat is to deliver to third parties such as nearby greenhouses, swimming pools, schools and homes. This creates heat clusters where the basic heat demand is provided by the geothermal source.


Horti-Cultura is involved in the development of these clusters and ensures that the heat from this source is also used as much as possible in the summer months, thus increasing the number of hours and the source is more efficient.


Heating grid

Alternatively, a geothermal installation can be incorporated into a heating grid: a kind of heat ring where different parties enter heat on the pipeline network, for example, by residual heat, bio-mass or CHP and other parties withdraw heat. A covering renewable heat supply can be created for an area.
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