Trias Westland kicks off work on the second geothermal heat doublet
Well test, Trias Westland, Netherlands - Feb. 28, 2018 (source: Trias Westland)
Alexander Richter
2 Sep 2019
Work on a second geothermal doublet that is to provide heat to further greenhouse horticulture businesses can proceed with the financial close secured by Trias Westland in the Netherlands.
On its website, Trias Westland in the Netherland reports that it has reached financial close for its second geothermal heat doublet, to further sustainability of the greenhouse horticulture business at Westland.
This kicks off the project and first contracts with the drilling contractor contractors and suppliers have been signed with the financing of this doublet and the expansion of the heat network can proceed. The greenhouse horticulture companies associated with Trias Westland that were unable to use the heat from the first doublet will now also gain access to sustainable heat through this development. The expansion of Trias Westland offers a significant increase in sustainability for Westland greenhouse horticulture, comparable to the gas consumption of around 15,000 households.
Work to prepare for the realization of the second geothermal heat doublet on Lange Broekweg in Naaldwijk will start in the first quarter of 2020. The construction of the heat network will start immediately.
In 2017, 49 Westland greenhouse horticulture entrepreneurs joined forces and committed to the development of Trias Westland, an innovative geothermal heat project to make greenhouse horticulture in Westland more sustainable. Now more than two years later, with the commissioning of the first doublet (last July), 26 affiliated participants are receiving heat from a geothermal heat source in the Lower Cretaceous layer at a depth of 2,300 metres. At the request of the greenhouse horticulture entrepreneurs, the initiators of Trias Westland – HVC, Capturam and Royal FloraHolland – investigated the possibilities for further utilization of heat by realizing a second doublet in Naaldwijk. The financial close achieved will also enable the other participating greenhouse growers, including various new entrants, to provide their businesses with sustainable heat.
Financial participation participants
After obtaining the SDE + subsidy for a second doublet at the same location, efforts were made to get the necessary financing secured. To further involve the participants in the Trias Westland project, a construction has been devised to offer participating companies the opportunity to participate in the risk-bearing part of the financing. A number of participants have decided to participate.
Financial close
All parties are contracted and Rabobank and BNG Bank jointly contribute the bank financing. Just like Trias Westland 1, the expansion is financed on the basis of “non-recourse project financing”. That is, a loan in which the bank is only entitled to repayment from the proceeds of the project, without liability of shareholders or third parties. That is why the banks thoroughly investigated the technology and financing of the integrated Trias Westland project in advance.
Expansion heat network
Part of the new development is also the expansion of the heat network of Trias Westland, whereby a large part of this network functions as the main pipe within the Westland Heat System (WSW), the regionally planned heat network in the Westland. Trias Westland has received a subsidy of EUR 3.77 million for this from the Netherland’s Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. This support was already announced in the Climate Agreement. The route studies of the heat network have largely been carried out and worked out based on the signed agreements of the participants. The first work on the Kasteelweg in Naaldwijk will start at the beginning of September so that they can be combined with the planned redesign from the municipality of Westland. Over the next six months, two kilometers of heat pipes will be installed in phases.
Trias Westland is an initiative of HVC, Capturam, Royal FloraHolland and a large group of greenhouse horticulture entrepreneurs. These partners attach great importance to sustainability and see geothermal energy as an important alternative to natural gas.
Source: Trias Westland
