A group of tomato growers in the Netherlands is using GE Energy's Jenbacher cogeneration systems to help boost its crop production and global exports.
GE Energy has been awarded to supply the Prominent Growers Association, which consists of 21 commercial growers, with 17 Jenbacher cogeneration systems at various greenhouses in the Netherlands. 11 units are already installed, in total the plants will generate 46.3 MW of power and 55.3 MW of heat.
GE Energy's Jenbacher gas engines are providing the growers a reliable and cost-effective on-site supply of power for their assimilation lighting, plus heat and CO2 fertilization to create the correct environmental balance for cultivating vine-ripened tomatoes under the "Prominent" brand name.
In addition to providing power and heat, GE's Jenbacher natural gas-fueled engines effectively use the CO2 of the engine exhaust gas as fertilizer for the plants. After the purification of the exhaust gas with special catalytic converters, the exhaust gas is cooled down by a heat exchanger to approximately 50°C and supplied to the greenhouse for CO2 enrichment. This process increases the concentration of the CO2 in the greenhouse to a level ideal for plant growth and can increase the crop yield by up to 10%.
GE's Jenbacher technology allows Prominent's members to manage their production schedules and have almost the same production levels in winter as in summer.
"By pursuing a perfect climate and measuring out the right amount of water and fertilizer, we are able to produce a product which meets all relevant international guidelines," the owners of the business, the brothers Ariën and René van der Lans, said in a joint statement.
The association's progressive approach to crop production combines GE Energy's Jenbacher engine technology and the grower's emphasis on using natural methods for managing the pollination of their crops as well protecting them from insect damage.
Due to its extensive experience with CO2 fertilization and assimilation lighting in greenhouses, GE Energy's gas engine division has designated its Jenbacher center in the Netherlands as the company's global Center of Excellence for horticultural and agricultural applications.
In 2004, GE celebrated the sale of its 500th Jenbacher gas engine in the Netherlands. Collectively, the 500 engines have a total electrical power output of 610 MW.
GE Energy's Jenbacher gas engine business, based in Jenbach, Austria, is a leading manufacturer of gas-fueled reciprocating engines, packaged generator sets and cogeneration systems for power generation.
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