Articles
ENERGY AND PROTECTED CULTIVATION IN THE NETHERLANDS
Heating of the glasshouses consumes about 4 % of the total national energy consumption and uses 3000 million m3 natural gas and 200 000 tons of oil.
So about 93 % of the energy used for heating greenhouses is from natural gas.
For the time being the gas supply for heating glasshouses will be assured for some decades.
The oil crisis has increased fuel prices dramatically.
The Dutch Government has effected some relief measures to enable the Dutch glasshouse industry to take the measures needed to adapt their production process to the altered conditions.
First the connection with the national gas supply network of as many nurseries as possible has been stimulated by grants for reconstructions in the boiler house and for the costs of very expensive connections.
Further a research program on energy saving measures has been stimulated by a special fund of 3 million Dutch guilder.
Finally purchases of energy saving aids and equipments are subsidized up to 20–30 % of their costs.
For the present, consequences of the energy crisis for the Dutch glasshouse industry are mainly economical.