It took a while, but Aardwarmte Maasdijk is operational. At the usually unmanned mining location, where normally at most a single operator or maintenance technician can be found, a tent was set up on Thursday to celebrate an opening party. Since March 1, the project has been supplying heat to the first 24 greenhouse horticulture companies, and warm water is also flowing through the first pipelines of the Warmte Netwerk Westland (WNW), which can also be traded via a unique trading platform.
As is customary when celebrating a milestone, Arjan ten Elshof, HVC's director of sustainable energy, Evelien Brederode on behalf of Warmte Netwerk Westland, and grower Frank Barendse, who is also the chairman of the Warmtecoöporatie Maasdijk, gave a speech.
Frank Barendse, Evelien Brederode, and Arjan ten Elshof
Urgency
The director of heat at HVC briefly reflected on the long lead time involved in realizing geothermal projects, explaining that Aardwarmte Maasdijk is not HVC's first project. The development of Trias Westland took 10 years, in Maasdijk it took 7 years before heat could be delivered to growers, and for future projects, Ten Elshof hopes it can be even faster.
The urgency for geothermal energy has significantly increased. Before the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis, it was primarily a few growers who initiated drilling projects with a focus on a sustainable future. Now, many more large parties are involved, highlighting the growing importance and demand for geothermal solutions.
After the opening speeches, it was time for tours. View the entire photo report here.
Growers take the first step
At Aardwarmte Maasdijk, it was initially the growers who sat down together, said Frank van Frestia. He is the chairman of the Warmtecoöperatie Maasdijk, which has a board full of Westland decisiveness. However, by the end of 2019, after some calculations, the growers realized they couldn't do it alone. After 'a look over the Maasdijk, to the Westland', partners were found to further develop the project.
At Aardwarmte Maasdijk, it was initially the growers who came together to discuss the project, according to Frank van Frestia, chairman of the Warmtecoöperatie Maasdijk, a cooperative with a board characterized by the decisive nature typical of the Westland region. However, by the end of 2019, after some financial assessments, the growers realized they couldn't proceed on their own. By looking beyond Maasdijk to the broader Westland area, they found partners to help further develop the project.
Barendse admitted on Thursday afternoon that adapting to the new situation took some getting used to. "We found ourselves on the sidelines again," he remarked. As the gas supply from Russia halted, gas prices rose, and tax measures made energy increasingly expensive for greenhouses, they were left waiting for successful drilling and delivery of geothermal energy. There were "tough conversations" during this period. "Sometimes they cost more energy than they provided on those days," the grower candidly shared. However, everyone kept their focus on a common goal, and now that Aardwarmte Maasdijk is operational, there's a shared understanding that the "right turn" was made. "Geothermal energy requires specialization," he noted.
Frank Barendse addresses the audience as chairman of Warmtecoöperatie Maasdijk. View the entire photo report here.
Significant gas savings
The Maasdijk milestone was celebrated with involved entrepreneurs, stakeholders, and even some local residents who attended the offered tour. Barendse took the opportunity to highlight the significant gas savings that geothermal energy enables in horticulture. "Gas savings of 40-60% are possible for many crops," emphasized the pepper grower, who believes it's important for the public to be aware of these benefits.
Even the director of heat at HVC was impressed by those numbers. He recognizes the potential sustainability boost that geothermal energy can provide. However, Arjan ten Elshof had initially envisioned a 30% saving for the base load, which could be supplemented by an additional 30% saving using residual heat from the port area, an idea that is still in progress, and the construction of WarmtelinQ and the Warmte Netwerk Westland will play crucial roles in achieving these savings.
Trading in geothermal energy
Evelien Brederode from Capturam briefly discussed the future of the heat infrastructure, something that Capturam, a subsidiary of Juva, collaborates with HVC to develop. Over the coming years, more geothermal projects will be linked to the Westland heat network to establish a robust system. Her vision is depicted on a cardboard board, showing all the geothermal sources in the region interconnected, with a provision for integrating residual heat as well.
The heat currently extracted from the Maasdijk soil is directed to growers' greenhouses. For a geothermal project to function effectively, it's crucial to have a steady flow of heat consumption, with growers committing to a specific level of heat consumption over the long term. A unique aspect of the Maasdijk project is the ability to trade geothermal energy. Evelien noted that since trading began this spring, about ten percent of all produced heat has already changed ownership.
The trading system allows horticulture entrepreneurs to sell excess geothermal energy from Aardwarmte Maasdijk and purchase additional energy when needed. This flexibility enables them to better respond to their heat requirements. Trading in this manner fits well with the business operations of greenhouse horticulture entrepreneurs, who are already familiar with trading electricity. With this platform, WNW has now added heat trading to their capabilities.
Currently, 24 companies receive heat from Geothermal Energy Maasdijk. The ambition is to provide sustainable heat to about 80 entrepreneurs in the Westland in the future. The first doublet is now in use. The second doublet will follow in October this year. The last doublet is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2026. View the entire photo report here.
Scaling up the heat network
Following Thursday afternoon's celebrations, HVC is focused on bringing the remaining two doublets in Maasdijk into production, developing new projects, and, most importantly, building the network infrastructure. Arjan ten Elshof emphasizes this priority. "As a public infrastructure company, we are focused on scaling up. We are committed for the long term and aim to build the facilities for a large heat network." HVC welcomes the connection of geothermal projects from other parties, ideally encouraging them. Ten Elshof acknowledges that HVC cannot realize all projects independently. "Growers encourage us. We play a driving role and hope that the solutions we've developed will be adopted by others."
The director of heat at HVC still notices that, unlike now with grid congestion, there is not yet one large general interest in heat. The ambitions of greenhouse horticulture entrepreneurs sometimes differ here as well. And then there are sometimes concerns about the future of greenhouse horticulture in the region, where space is scarce and there are voices to build houses in places where greenhouses still stand. Ten Elshof takes a pragmatic view of this. "In our vision, there will still be greenhouses here in fifteen years."
The director of heat at HVC observes that, unlike the current widespread concern over grid congestion, there isn't yet a unified, large-scale interest in heat. The ambitions of growers can vary, and there are concerns about the future of horticulture in the region, particularly given the scarcity of space and discussions about replacing greenhouses with housing. Ten Elshof takes a pragmatic approach to these concerns. "In our vision, there will still be greenhouses here in fifteen years."
Fifteen years is also the typical lifespan of a geothermal doublet. While there is potential to supply heat to homes, in Maasdijk, the priority is currently to provide heat to the greenhouses. With greenhouse horticulture as the primary customer, Warmte Netwerk Westland is contributing to a more sustainable Westland. The presence of geothermal sources and a large, robust heat network may indeed help retain greenhouse horticulture in this proactive region. This gives even more reason to celebrate new milestones. Perhaps the next toast with alcohol-free prosecco will be at Aardwarmte Polanen next year?
Want to view Geothermal Energy Maasdijk from above? You can do that here.