There is plenty of activity at Levoplant's new location. The recently acquired six hectares in Honselersdijk, the Netherlands, are now being converted for Phalaenopsis cultivation, and that is no small task. Since the site previously produced pot plants, a significant amount of technical modification is needed.
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Henry Duijvestijn (Levoplant) and Niels van den Ende (Stolze)
Work is progressing from the back of the greenhouse toward the front. The first two sections are already up and running, and the first Phalaenopsis plants are growing there now. Three cultivation sections still remain, and the final one will be finished in July.
Stolze is responsible for the full integration of all new systems and installations, including electrical engineering and the climate computer, covering both climate management and lighting. Niels van den Ende of Stolze is quick to point out that the entire project revolves around cooperation between all parties involved. "You have to complement each other and avoid getting in each other's way. Planning is crucial, and we are fortunately well on schedule," he says.
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Niels adds that Levoplant has two priorities that guide every decision: high-quality end products and sustainability. "And you can clearly see that sustainability mindset reflected in the choices made for this project. I can say with confidence that a great deal of attention has gone into it."
Infused with a sustainability concept
With its Medium Temperature Storage system, Levoplant can store heat up to 50 °C underground and use it later. Heat-cold storage is a technology in which low-grade thermal energy is captured and saved for future use. The system takes advantage of natural seasonal temperature shifts. Excess heat generated in summer is stored in the soil and used in winter, with the ground acting as a thermal buffer. The heat pumps provide cooling for the greenhouse, and the heat produced during that cooling process is collected and stored underground. In winter, this stored heat is recovered and used to warm the greenhouse. A separate cold-storage tank holds the cold generated by the heat pump, which is then brought into the greenhouse during the summer. "This allows us to use energy far more efficiently," says Henry Duijvestijn of Levoplant.
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Henry Duijvestijn (Levoplant)
Their air-handling units, combined with a heat-recovery system, also contribute to this efficiency. The greenhouse can be dehumidified even when the climate screens remain closed.
Naturally, the 2,000 solar panels and the use of geothermal energy fit perfectly into Levoplant's sustainability strategy. Henry explains, "We currently use a quarter megawatt of geothermal heat and we've applied for an increase. We hope that approval comes through soon." Levoplant is now very close to being able to run almost entirely without natural gas.
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Concrete path out, raised walkway in
Another striking feature when you walk through the greenhouse is the raised walkway. Instead of a traditional concrete path, staff now move through the crop on this overhead walkway. And the difference is enormous. Ron Duijvestijn of Levoplant does the quick math: it allows for roughly 250,000 additional plants per year. "We already have everything we need here, from climate control to the growing floor, so why put in a concrete path? We can use that space for plants instead. It is more sustainable, and it helps us lower the cost price per plant."
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LED
To install the LED lighting, Stolze first had to overhaul the entire infrastructure. Twenty-five switch panels, along with kilometres of cable trays and wiring, were required to equip the full cultivation area with dimmable, three-channel LED fixtures of 1,040 watts. Once mounted, the lights are connected to the IIVO climate computer from Hoogendoorn Growth Management.
© StolzeLex Verhulst (left) from Stolze is responsible for commissioning the lighting system, including the integration with the Hoogendoorn computer
Niels is thoroughly enjoying the project. "The cooperation with Levoplant and the other partners has been excellent. And when we get the chance during a construction get-together to show our office colleagues, and everyone else involved, what their work ultimately leads to, that is fantastic for us. They can see with their own eyes just how technically advanced Dutch horticulture really is. And Phalaenopsis cultivation is the perfect example; it is high-tech at its finest."
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Involved parties
Levoplant brought in Jeroen Noordermeer from Steur Advies in Rockanje for guidance and project support. Several other companies are also contributing to the project. HT Verboom is supplying the table-rotation system, which keeps plant batches together, as well as a multi-layer section for buffering the cultivation tables. Haket is responsible for the water technology. The rainwater line now runs overhead and a water disinfection unit has been added. A misting system from JB Groep has been installed to help regulate humidity. Hoogendoorn Growth Management is providing the IIVO climate computer. PDI is installing three screen systems. Verkade Klimaat is handling the heating installation as well as the air-handling units. The Signify LED modules are being supplied through Stolze. Leo de Rijke of De Rijke Techniek is overseeing the energy strategy. He mapped the company's entire energy demand and evaluated which existing installations could be used efficiently and where adjustments or expansions were needed. De Rijke will remain involved in day-to-day operations by monitoring energy consumption and the performance of the installations.
For more information:
Stolze
Niels van den Ende
Honderdland 781
2676 LV Maasdijk
Tel.: +31 (0)6 29 585 902
[email protected]
Levoplant
Henry Duijvestijn
Pouwelslaan 31
2675 BK Honselersdijk
Tel.: +31 (0)174 521015
[email protected]
