Amore Mio Natura
In 2006, we had a new nursery built for growing Phalaenopsis, with 15,000 m² of greenhouses. In itself, this is not all that unusual, but we control the temperature for our plants and greenhouses throughout the year without using any natural gas. In other words, the very first Gas-Free Greenhouse in the Netherlands can be found at our facility in Ter Aar.
We heat and cool the greenhouse with water from an underground storage aquifer located between 80 m and 100 m under the ground. In the summer, cold groundwater is pumped up and used to cool the greenhouses. The natural groundwater temperature is then 11°C, and after being used for cooling purposes, it goes back into the ground at roughly 20°C for further storage. In winter, this water is pumped up and used to heat the greenhouses. In the greenhouse itself, our installer has devised a solution for cooling and heating with the help of ventilators.
To supplement this cooling and heating method based on groundwater, we also use an electrical pump which can be used for heating as well as cooling and heats the water to a maximum temperature of 50°C. The pump itself is powered by “green” electrical power. The heated water is stored in a buffer with a maximum capacity of 400 m³. This method of climate control should enable us to reduce our energy consumption by at least 40%. By purchasing “green” electricity, we have been able to further reduce the CO2 emissions resulting from our cultivation activities to zero. The interest generated by our Gas-Free Greenhouse has been enormous from the very beginning. As the producer of Amore Mio Orchids, we also wish to contribute to a more environmentally friendly world. |
