Agricultural leader VOF Dogterom drives sustainable farming innovations with smart grid technologies from Alfen

  •  Smart Grids
  • VOF Dogterom
  • Oude-Tonge
  • 2023

Committed to sustainability in all aspects of its agricultural operations, which include arable farming and flower bulb cultivation, the VOF Dogterom team employs a variety of smart grid solutions across its business. Alfen has supported these efforts with multiple projects, including the most recent installation of 2 transformers, a Pacto 1 station for grid operator medium-voltage (MV) switchgear, and digital measuring tools to monitor its power infrastructure. Alfen’s solution helps deliver power for activities such as EV charging and harvesting processes that leverage solar panel systems for a range of uses. Dogterom’s newest technology additions provide the facility with 2 megawatts (MW) of additional capacity to power its extensive operations.  
 

Challenge

Founded in 1981, VOF Dogterom is a family-owned and operated agricultural business with the vision of “producing high-quality food and flower bulbs while being a good steward of the piece of the earth that has been entrusted to us.” 
 

Their focus on sustainable operations has led to the adoption of several smart grid technologies across nearly 300 hectares of farming land in the Dutch province of Oude-Tonge(Zuid-Holland). As the facility’s production expands with new renewable power technologies, Dogterom needed additional infrastructure to distribute the incremental energy for its agricultural processes. 

In addition, the team required smart grid technology connecting their power generation and distribution components to measure the system’s performance. Alfen had the capabilities to deliver both.

dogterom alfen

Solution

Dogterom ordered 2 Alfen Diabolo transformer stations featuring custom-designed and constructed cabinets and one Pacto 1 purchasing station for the Stedin purchasing installation. Once installed, the units were outfitted with low voltage (LV) distribution boards that power digital measurement tools for the business’ growing energy ecosystem. The project is Alfen’s second collaboration with Dogterom over the past 3 years to expand the facility’s power infrastructure with transformers, grid connections, switchgear and other related solutions.

“Dogterom is among our most innovative customers when it comes to how they apply sustainable power to their operations,” said Hessel Van Der Meer, project work prepartor for Alfen’s Smart Grid Solutions business. “They challenged our team to not only integrate our transformer technology but help strengthen their smart grid infrastructure, as well to monitor the effectiveness of their operations from a sustainability standpoint.”
 

Implementation

The incremental power provided by Dogterom’s new transformers is supporting various activities at the site, including the charging of their EV vehicles and an innovative approach to harvesting crops. By attaching solar panels to mobile machines, the team has the capability to water crops using solar power. By combining crop growth and power generation, this provides additional space to generate sustainable energy, making it more efficient.

This ‘smart’ infrastructure enables the customer to produce a certain quantity of potatoes, onions, beets, wheat, and tulip bulbs annually, all using sustainable energy sources. 

“We’re continually looking for new ways to leverage the power we use at our facility in a sustainable fashion that’s consistent with our vision,” said Jacob Jan Dogterom, owner of V.O.F. Dogterom. “Alfen has been a compatible partner for us because of the flexibility their technologies provide, and their team’s willingness to help us continue driving innovation in our agricultural industry.”