Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture with a powerful combination of solar energy and hydrogen

What opportunities does green hydrogen offer agriculture? Research has begun on the island into the possibilities hydrogen offers to make the agricultural business sustainable and circular. The rationale is that both the generation of green energy and the conversion to green hydrogen will develop into part of the business operations.

This project revolves around exploiting a new market for hydrogen. Several agriculturists in the region are looking into how they can produce, store and use hydrogen in combination with their own solar panels on roofs, mobile solar panels on plots combined with a ‘rest year’ and small-scale wind generation. By generating their own green energy and converting it into green hydrogen, these agriculturists can become self-sufficient.

Progress

Swipe through the timelines to see the steps taken in this project.

Level 1

Phase 1: Research

Level 1

Phase 1: Research

This phase consists of three levels, each focused on research. To start with, we have a specific technology or innovation in mind. There are assumptions about the working principles, the business case and feasibility. Extensive preliminary research is required to validate these assumptions. Based on this research, we can accurately formulate the technical concept and the scope. The first tests then lead to a proof of concept.

Level 2

Phase 2: Innovation

Level 2

Phase 2: Innovation

The development phase is intended to further test the proof of concept from the research phase. That often occurs using basic prototypes on a small scale, for example in a lab or test environment. If successful, the following step is to test the technology in a relevant environment – a situation comparable to the future application. The prototypes are usually further defined in this stage. As such, a prototype is developed that demonstrates how the technology works.

Level 3

Phase 3: Pilots and demonstrations

Level 3

Phase 3: Pilots and demonstrations

In this phase, the emphasis shifts from the technological operation to issues such as production and certification. The system itself is, in fact, operational in a pilot or demonstration project. Once in practice, further fine-tuning and optimisation are unavoidable. This is also the phase to introduce the innovation to the market and to prepare for production.

Level 4

Phase 4: Ready to use

Level 4

Phase 4: Ready to use

The pilot and demonstration phase help make the innovation technically and commercially ready for production and market introduction.

Objectives

Research into the possibilities to make the agricultural business as economically and ecologically sustainable as possible. The aim is to reduce the use of fossil fuels by the agricultural business with a powerful combination of sustainably generated electricity and hydrogen.

Media

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Agriculture

Learning objectives

The combination of sustainably generated electricity and hydrogen as part of agricultural business operations is promising. Social support is required for its development. That is why, on the one hand, it is important to demonstrate that this combination offers the agricultural business economic benefits. And on the other, there are also ecological benefits for the natural environment, such as a positive effect on biodiversity.