LouwSon set to shield growers from rising energy and CO2 costs

Added on 14 April 2022

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LouwSon set to shield growers from rising energy and CO2 costs

In a bid to shield greenhouse owners and growers from unprecedented rising energy bills, LouwSon Energy will showcase its range of affordable on-site power generation solutions for the horticultural sector at HortiContact 2022. Visitors to stand M141 can enjoy a selection of flexible, natural gas CHP engines for growers of all sizes and budgets - including used, new and rental options - protecting them from energy price hikes and generating additional heat and CO2 to aid plant and crop growth.

Stand M141, HortiContact 2022, 10-12 May, Evenementenhal Gorinchem (NL)

The impact of rising costs

European gas prices at the Dutch TTF hub rose by 330% in 2021, driven by a combination of low gas storage levels, higher demand from Asia and a cold winter, among other factors[1]. Recent sanctions against Russia in response to the war in Ukraine have only exacerbated the situation.

In addition, growers have faced price increases for CO₂- essential to promoting crop growth in greenhouses - as a result of a UK shortage of the gas spreading into Europe. Leading CO₂ supplier Nippon Gases reported that supplies were down 50% across the region in 2021[2], causing costs to spike.

On-site power, heat and CO₂

Helping to support greenhouse owners and growers in the face of these issues, LouwSon Energy will use HortiContact 2022 to highlight the four key benefits of its range of combined heat and power (CHP) engines, namely:

1. Home-grown energy - enabling growers to secure their energy supply and fix long-term costs.

2. CO₂ production - by capturing the CO₂ in engine exhaust gas, growers can mitigate against supply shortages and price hikes.

3. Free heat - another by-product of power generation, excess heat can be captured and used on-site.

4. Additional income - by selling surplus power back to the grid, CHPs represent a lucrative revenue stream for growers.

Options to hire or buy

"With a wide range of CHP engines in stock from 100kw to 1MW, including containerised sets for those with limited space, we have solutions for every greenhouse owner or grower. Our flexible purchasing options also include used engines and the choice to rent or buy, making on-site power generation truly accessible to all," says Roland Louwsma, Managing Director of LouwSon Energy.

24/7 remote control

As a digital-first company, every engine supplied by LouwSon Energy comes with an open-access control panel as standard, including remote CHP access, smart performance monitoring and intelligent diagnostics. This helps to increase engine availability and maximise uptime. With a year's technical support provided free of charge, the company also offers a suite of additional servicing options, from regular scheduled maintenance through to full wraparound support with a guaranteed response time, including all parts and labour.

Roland adds: "With an average payback of two years, growers and greenhouse owners can protect themselves from escalating energy prices and CO₂ shortages by taking control of their own power supply. We look forward to explaining the benefits of our on-site energy generation systems to HortiContact visitors at Stand M141."

[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/why-europe-faces-climbing-energy-bills-2022-02-03/