Innovative discharge gas defrosting fully recognised under the EIA scheme
At Royal FloraHolland, a unique refrigeration project has been realised: a cold store for flowers with an integrated air-to-water heat pump that heats water up to 70°C. The project was developed in close collaboration between Royal FloraHolland, Equans and Sparkling Projects. Equans was responsible for the design and implementation, while Sparkling Projects acted as refrigeration engineering consultant and handled the subsidy application. Together with the Royal FloraHolland team, they developed a solution that is both technically and financially convincing.
The challenge: defrosting without wasting energy
A large proportion of the cold stores are set to 2°C. At this temperature, the air coolers need to be defrosted regularly. In the floriculture sector, this is usually done electrically. This not only consumes a significant amount of energy, but also takes up part of the contracted power capacity, which is a major challenge in times of grid congestion. Energy-efficient alternatives are available for which RVO provides support through the EIA scheme: defrosting using hot gas or glycol.
The solution: using heat that is already available
For Royal FloraHolland, a system was designed using CO₂ discharge gas compressors. As there are always coolers that need to be defrosted, the CO₂ compressors provide the heat required for this process. The returning liquid CO₂ is subsequently used for cooling. This creates a circular system that consumes less energy than defrosting with glycol.
Working together through the discussions with RVO
RVO assessed the concept positively under the EIA scheme. One point of discussion was whether the “free” cooling generated by the defrosting compressors could be included in the net cooling capacity. This proved to be a complex issue involving different EIA codes. Thanks to a well-managed procedure and the joint technical substantiation, the outcome was favourable for Royal FloraHolland: the discharge gas defrosting system was fully recognised under the EIA scheme, and the useful cooling capacity was included in the EIA application for energy-efficient cooling at Royal FloraHolland.
Sharing knowledge across the entire sector
The substantiation of this case has now been submitted as a proposed amendment for the EIA 2027, with the aim of having it incorporated into the scheme in a clear and consistent manner. The project demonstrates how technical innovation, sustainability and fiscal incentives can reinforce one another. Royal FloraHolland, Equans and Sparkling Projects are pleased to contribute together to the development and sharing of knowledge on energy-efficient refrigeration technology that meets the challenges of today’s grid congestion.
