One greenhouse. One integrated energy strategy

A modern greenhouse is not powered by a single energy source.

It is powered by an integrated energy strategy.

At the Looye tomato facility in the Netherlands, VEK delivered the design, engineering, and procurement for a multi-phase production site developed for reliable, year-round production.

The energy system was never designed around individual technologies. It was engineered as a single, integrated system, with every component performing a defined role.

Combined heat and power generation provides electricity, useful heat, and CO₂ enrichment for crop production.

LED lighting extends production during periods of lower natural light while maintaining energy efficiency.

The OCAP CO₂ network supplements enrichment when on-site generation alone is insufficient, ensuring consistent growing conditions throughout the year.

None of these systems was selected independently.

Each was specified against the production strategy, expected yields, local energy economics, and the way every component interacts with the others.

That is the difference between selecting equipment and engineering a production system.

In greenhouse horticulture, energy design is not about choosing technologies. It is about creating a balanced system that performs economically, agronomically, and operationally throughout the life of the facility.

That systems thinking has underpinned VEK’s engineering approach for more than five decades.

LinkedIn post 30-08-2026