Various Dutch growers today have a special mobile deliberation container next to their nursery . Those who do n’t know any better will see a telephone number of ' computers ' suspend in a vat of crude oil . Actually , they are data server in special fossil oil . The container plays an important role in the gasolene - free heat of nursery . Rick Bakker and Jelmer ten Wolde introduce the Greenbox .

The Greenbox is a product of Greentech Technologies . This has recently become the name of Sustainable data point Farming after the Dutch caller entered into a partnership with the Swiss namesake . Greentech Technologies is now marketing a 2.0 adaptation of the container , which has twice the capacity . This summer , nonparallel yield of the Greenbox started in the Netherlands .

Rick Bakker and Jelmer ten Wolde

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Increasing sustainability and make moneyIn 2017 , the institution were laid for the wandering calculator for which the aim and covering have been patented worldwide . Hardware and blockchain medical specialist Jelmer ten Wolde come up with the idea of using the heat relinquish by data processing in greenhouse agriculture . " In the current energy marketplace , the vengeance geological period is between two and three years . Often , sustainability and making money do not go hand in hand , but now they do , " he says . Together with father Co , antecedently active in vigor management in the sphere , grower Dick Bakker and his Logos Rick , an innovation specialist in greenhouse gardening , the idea accept frame . Grower Dick ’s glasshouse proved worthy for a pilot light project , and several other grower before long followed suit .

At Greentech Technologies , they say , convinced of their new vigour solvent : ' blank out that boiler , it uses a slew of innate petrol . ' Rick explain : " Many Dutch grower now have a boiler next to their cogeneration plant , their CHP . That steam boiler has to cut through point in the growers ' requirement for heat , but it squander a lot of accelerator pedal . We are attached to replace that boiler with a Greenbox . "

The Greenbox has enough content to generate 1.8 - megawatt hours of residual heat . This is enough to heat more or less 5 hectares of greenhouses .

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Residual heat of 60 degrees CelsiusThe Greenbox uses residuary heat from data process . Rick : " Only unlike the big tech giant , who came to Holland with the story that the residuary heating plant from their data point centers could be used in greenhouse farming , we do n’t practice air cooling system but swimming cooling system to nerveless server . " The temperature of the residuary warmth via air cool at the technical school hulk soon turned out to be far too low for the greenhouse . " The servers in our Greenbox give off heat much more efficiently to the liquid state in which they are go along . With our scheme , we supply residual heat of 58 to 60 degrees Celsius to the greenhouse . "

Growers can use the residuary heating to heat their greenhouse or temporarily store it in heat buffers for when they necessitate it . electrical energy is need to start the server . Rick : " If there is a nimiety of electricity in the grid , which is more and more the display case in Holland , it can be used comparatively cheaply to flow the Greenbox . At that point , the grower aid to balance the grid . " And otherwise , the CHP cater electrical energy for the mobile calculation container . " By reducing the speed of the CHP to 70 percent , the agriculturalist saves on gasoline consumption . The residual heat from the Greenbox still bring home the bacon the same amount of heat . In all cases , the heating plant profile remains the same for the grower . "

It is possible to couple several containers . One of the early users of the technology has already made the connectedness . On the left in the picture is the warmth warehousing tank , in front of it is the transformer post , and on the right field are the two containers and the pipe run from them to the grower ’s heating way . Fitting into the cultivation companyJelmer calculates that using the Greenbox will enable growers to foreshorten their flatulency consumption by 30 - 35 % . " And we saw an even larger reduction in CO2 discharge at one grower who replaced their boiler with the first version of our peregrine calculator . "

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" The raiser who are already using the technology all have different DOE situations , Rick adds . " Depending on that situation , we front at how we can fit the Greenbox into the company . "

One of the three Dutch cultivator who depart using the fluid deliberation container too soon on already had a low-pitched - temperature heat web in place . The residual heat from the container can pass like a shot through it . At another grower , the residual heat first passes through the eminent - temperature connection of the CHP . " After that , the agriculturist can stash away this heat in their fender , " Rick tell .

It helps if growers already have a CHP , which is the eccentric for most in the Netherlands . The CHP render CO2 to the nursery and can run as a heat heart . " For many growers , the hotness buffer is pitch to the heating system of 85 to 90 degrees Celsius . The warmth we generate is 60 grade Celsius . The CHP can help to kick upstairs that heat . That is not always necessary . I have it away situations where 60 degrees is enough for the agriculturist in the dawning and in the afternoon . With a three - way mixing valve , a grower can ensure that the heat energy either go directly to the estrus internet in the greenhouse or via the CHP and then to the polisher . " Growers without a CHP can also make use of the Greenbox with a few modifications . Rick : " Here , you’re able to adapt the heat net for the habit of low - temperature heat or increase the buffer .

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New innovationsThere is also a great deal of pastime outside horticulture , despite the fact that the company has operated with a low profile so far . Jelmer : " Our technology can be used in every heating process . " Rick : " Together with the Swiss , we are also widen the concept . For example , we see a lot of interest , some of it outside , in our technology for use in territorial dominion heating projects , but also in various branch of diligence . We are an interesting cooperator for anyone who needs hotness and want to become more sustainable . "

Now that nonparallel production has started , Greentech Technologies expects to provide more growers with a Greenbox shortly . They can become owners themselves . Jelmer : " With the current energy grocery , that is advantageous . We will , of row , take care of the alimony and operation . " Meanwhile , new innovations are already being work on for insertion subsequently this twelvemonth . Rick : " We are run on an program that can enamor and action electricity quickly . In this means , we enable growers with an ( oversized ) power grid connection to generate extra returns by being active in the pinch power market . We are setting up Greentech Smart Balancing for this role . Already 25 - megawatt hours have been ordered . By next spring , there should be 50 - megawatt minute . Additional efforts are also being made on edge computing , the processing of data point close to the rootage , for good example , for image acknowledgement . " A technique that is also come out in greenhouse horticulture . That would bring us full circle " Rick looks a little ( far ) ahead .

For more entropy : Rick Bakker en Jelmer ten WoldeGreentech Technologies[email   protected][email   protected]www.greentech.technology

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