Alfen to Supply Microgrid Solution to Leading Dutch Horticultural Company Koppert

ALMERE, Netherlands, January 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Koppert Biological Systems, a global player in biological control in horticulture, selected Alfen to supply a smart microgrid for the energy supply to their new facilities. Koppert Biological Systems was recently ranked number one in the Hillenraad100, a list of most prominent companies in the Dutch horticulture sector.

     (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/628577/Alfen_Microgrid.jpg )

At Berkel and Rodenrijs, the Netherlands, Koppert Biological Systems is building a production facility  of approximately three hectares for the production of biological pest controls. This facility will contribute to Koppert's goal of working towards 100% sustainable agriculture and horticulture worldwide. The facility will be built in two phases. The first phase is planned to be in operation in the Autumn of 2018 and the second phase in 2019.

Alfen will deliver a local energy grid with a power of 10 MW to facilitate the energy supply to Koppert's new facility. The microgrid will be connected to the central power grid and will include an Automatic Emergency Power functionality for situations of central grid outages. After the central power grid has been restored, the emergency power can automatically switch back to grid operation without voltage loss.

Richard Jongsma, Commercial Director at Alfen says: "The greenhouse horticulture sector is undergoing enormous innovations and growth. This results in many new challenges for the electricity grid, which Alfen is well-equipped to address. We are proud to be applying our vast experience with smart microgrids in the greenhouse sector for this leading company."

About Koppert 

Koppert is a global player in biological control in horticulture. Koppert 'produces' insects that are used in horticultural farms to combat diseases and pests (entomology). Another pillar is the so-called micro-biology, such as fungi and bacteria, which are used in for example substrates and feed water. Although Koppert is primarily known for its products, it is essentially a knowledge company. With a strong R&D base, it focusses on knowledge transfer and staff training as an important step towards sustainable agriculture and horticulture.

About Alfen 

With smart grid solutions, energy storage systems, charging stations for electric vehicles and a diverse portfolio of other products, systems and services, Alfen has a central and connecting role in the energy grid. Alfen's transformer substations provide millions of households and companies with energy, while thousands of electric vehicles make daily use of Alfen's charging stations. The Alfen energy storage system is used for applications such as load balancing, energy trading, frequency regulation and creating autonomous electricity grids in combination with solar or wind energy. With its large range of in-house developed products and vast experience as systems integrator, Alfen is enabling the electricity grid of the future: reliable, sustainable and innovative.