EU official Daniel Mes hears of perks and challenges of geothermal heat on visit to KP Holland

Daniel Mes, a member of EU Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra’s cabinet met with KP Holland, HVC and NVDE  on 13 May to discuss the perks and challenges of geothermal heat in greenhouses and other issues that are impacting the Dutch houseplant industry.

KP Holland director Leo de Vries alongside representatives of the Netherlands’ renewable energy body NVDE, and public waste management company and heat network HVC invited Mes to the state-of-the-art greenhouse complex in Naaldwijk.

KP Holland is active in ornamental plant breeding, propagation and commercial growing of houseplants with Spathiphyllum, Curcuma and Kalanchoe being their flagship products.

On the agenda was the cost of heating the company’s combined area of 20ha greenhouse area spread across six different sites in Naaldwijk, De Lier and Maasland. The family-run business has an annual output of 40 million plants and takes the environment and its responsability seriously.

A prime example of the company’s green credentials is Trias, the geothermal heat network to which the KP Holland linked up in 2019. It also invested in solar panels, wind energy, and hydrogen (H2) fuel to eliminate fossil-free fuels from commercial plant growing by 2040.

Leo de Vries said: “We were pleased to welcome Mr Mes who spent time with discussing our experiences and concerns. The visit inspired us and we think a promising future for a more sustainable greenhouse horticulture lies ahead.”