"For many sectors, residual heat below 100°C is a waste product," begins Division Q's Bart van Meurs. "For horticulture, though, it's a raw material. That means greenhouse horticulture can play a role in, say, the hydrogen transition." Division Q, a Dutch company, is in talks with various parties to build an electrolyzer in the Westland region of the Netherlands. That will enable hydrogen production at its nursery.
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Sustainable heating
"Sustainable heating is a hot topic in horticulture and our company. We've been following what's happening in the hydrogen industry for several years. We don't consider heating nurseries with hydrogen a viable option yet. Green hydrogen availability remains limited, the necessary infrastructure isn't yet in place, and it's simply too expensive. But we realized horticulture could be a good hydrogen producer," says Bart.
You use an electrolyzer to produce hydrogen. It converts electrical energy into hydrogen via water electrolysis. Not all of the energy is converted into hydrogen gas; some is lost as heat. And that heat can be put to good use in horticulture. "In many industrial production processes, residual heat is lost to the sea or rivers. Greenhouses offer a unique opportunity here: they can utilize heat effectively, even if it's below 100°C. Also, conditions are ideal: greenhouses often already have large electricity connections and space for solar PV systems."
Division Q is currently working on that. The company, a spin-off from cress grower Koppert Cress, functions as a project organization and sustainable horticultural innovations investor, with a focus on energy, mechanization, and water. In this case, they could easily act as the subsequent start-up, Bart confirms. "The technical designs are ready and we're now in the economic realization phase: customers, suppliers, financing, and permits," he says. They want to be able to place an order later this year, so that the system can become operational in the course of 2026.
The plans are being enthusiastically met. Division Q is partnering with companies like Certhon, Metazet, De Rijke Techniek, and Accenda, and is also in discussions with potential clients. "We have an excellent business case. We've incorporated the heat into our business model at market value. The bottom line is then a very acceptable hydrogen price." There is also high demand for green hydrogen. "Many generators, excavators, and other machines must become more sustainable, especially if they operate in urban areas," Bart continues.
Division Q sees possibilities in transportation, too, and has already purchased a hydrogen-powered truck. "It's not yet interesting for passenger transport. They have now developed batteries to such an extent that electric driving is more attractive for that. However, once the vehicle becomes heavier, the battery's weight becomes a problem. That's where hydrogen becomes far more interesting."
The project also shows how growers can redefine their role in the energy landscape. "Our sector must prove our added value. That involves physical space, but also, for example, added value to the energy grid. You can be a consumer and a producer – in this case, of hydrogen molecules," says Van Meurs.
Cucumbers and hydrogen
The planned electrolyzer can use all of the heat Koppert Cress generates. In fact, by combining the geothermal energy that reaches the nursery via the heat network, the entire company could be heated without using any fossil fuels.
But can you scale and replicate the concept? And what does the future hold? Will growers start producing hydrogen alongside vegetables? That may sound strange, but according to Bart, it is a logical next step, considering how, with the advent of CHP, growers began producing electricity. "We're used to utilizing the residual heat from electricity production well. We're still doing that, but with the residual heat from hydrogen production," he concludes.
For more information:
Division Q
info@divisionq.nl
www.divisionq.nl