Efficient use of energy

Energy is an expensive cost item in the horticulture sector. The liberalization of the energy market drew the glasshouse-horticulture sector's attention to the need to implement further measures. and the consumption of energy per unit product has been greatly reduced.

In addition, the glasshouse-horticulture sector has taken initiatives to professionalize the efficiency of the procurement of energy; the sector now makes use of installations for the generation of its energy requirements, i.e. co-generation plants.

Co-generation plants fired with natural gas generate electricity for supplemental lighting, as well as the heat and CO2 that are also required for the cultivation of crops. Electricity surplus to supplemental-lighting requirements is supplied to the electricity grid.

Sales of energy is rapidly becoming one of Lans' important operations, and the company now operates 5 co-generation plants. The use of heat buffers to store surplus heat for later use enables Lans to make extremely efficient use of energy.

Co-generation plants make much more efficient use of gas as compared to power stations, since the co-generation plant's cooling water is used to heat the glasshouses - in contrast to power stations, which discharge this heat as waste.