Testimonial Bouten Aardbeien

Pioneering the energy transition
Bouten Aardbeien is much more than a traditional family business. Since its foundation in the 1970s, the company has continually reinvented itself, with a strong focus on high-quality strawberry cultivation and sustainable innovation. Today, the company is not only an expert in greenhouse farming, but also a strategic player in the energy market.

The challenge: maximising returns from our own energy
With an existing CHP plant supplying heat and electricity, and previous investments in energy-efficient greenhouses and LED lighting, Bouten already had a solid foundation. The next logical step was to market the generated energy even more intelligently. To really make a difference in today’s volatile energy market, there was a need for extra flexibility and storage capacity.

The solution: a bespoke energy container
In collaboration with Posetron and Markurius, the company invested in an advanced energy container with a capacity of 1000 kW and a storage capacity of 2007 kWh. This installation acts as the linchpin of their energy strategy. The system enables them to:

• Respond directly to the balancing market: By storing energy when prices are low (or demand is low) and feeding it back into the grid when required.
• Optimise trading markets: The larger scale provides greater influence in various energy markets.
• Supporting grid stabilisation: As an energy-producing horticultural business, they contribute to the stability of the electricity grid, particularly at peak times.

The Result: A Future-Proof Revenue Model
Thanks to this energy container, Bouten Aardbeien is creating an additional revenue stream that is separate from strawberry sales. In doing so, they are transforming from a purely agricultural business into a hybrid energy enterprise. This demonstrates that sustainability and a healthy return go hand in hand.