Working together for sustainable accessibility
January 28, 2025
Last year, Royal FloraHolland joined the innovative Zero Emission Corridors project. With 16 partner organisations, we are now developing solutions to make transport more sustainable and to accelerate the energy revolution.
Zero Emission Corridors (ZEC) is working on a flexible and scalable energy system in which logistics buildings, business parks and transport work together as one automated system for emission-free transport. Partners participating in the ZEC initiatives with Royal FloraHolland include Schiphol, Koolen Industries, Van der Slot Transport, Ortec, TNO and Hogeschool van Amsterdam. The project is co-funded by the RFO DEI+ grant.
Optimal power distribution
ZEC is investigating how to make transport emission-free faster and what solutions are needed to do so. Amongst other things, the project focuses on local generation and use of energy, smart charging solutions and better utilisation of grid capacity. On behalf of Royal FloraHolland, energy manager Robert Langman is closely involved in this cooperation. "We face the challenge not only of making our logistics hubs more sustainable, but also of facilitating the electrification of transportation. In doing so, however, we face grid congestion, or a full power grid. This is something we need to solve together with partners in the region and that is why we decided to join ZEC."
The cooperation is still in the start-up phase. " With various working groups, we collect all the important data around power generation and power purchase, and conduct studies. We want to achieve optimal power distribution through cooperation, for example, by distributing consumption properly throughout the day to avoid large peaks. It is quite a challenge, but we are happy to play our part at Royal FloraHolland by making available the relevant data about our sector. By 2050 we want to be completely emission-free and, with ZEC, we are taking another step towards that. This year, all that is required should become apparent."
Accessibility is crucial
As a major logistics player, Royal FloraHolland can help test sustainable solutions in the sector to accelerate the transition to renewable energy, Robert points out. "For example, you can share an energy connection with different companies to get more space on the grid, you can build charging plazas, or make adjustments to transport schedules to make charging easier. All sorts of possibilities that we can start experimenting with. We like to think about which sustainable choices can ensure that we remain easily accessible for growers, buyers and transporters. As a marketplace, good accessibility is crucial to us."
So, with the many truck movements, the logistics process and the way electric-powered trucks can recharge must be well coordinated. "If you charge your electric truck at a dock, you keep it occupied longer, which can disrupt logistics planning. That's one good reason to build loading plazas."
Zero Emission Corridors (ZEC) is working on a flexible and scalable energy system in which logistics buildings, business parks and transport work together as one automated system for emission-free transport. Partners participating in the ZEC initiatives with Royal FloraHolland include Schiphol, Koolen Industries, Van der Slot Transport, Ortec, TNO and Hogeschool van Amsterdam. The project is co-funded by the RFO DEI+ grant.
Optimal power distribution
ZEC is investigating how to make transport emission-free faster and what solutions are needed to do so. Amongst other things, the project focuses on local generation and use of energy, smart charging solutions and better utilisation of grid capacity. On behalf of Royal FloraHolland, energy manager Robert Langman is closely involved in this cooperation. "We face the challenge not only of making our logistics hubs more sustainable, but also of facilitating the electrification of transportation. In doing so, however, we face grid congestion, or a full power grid. This is something we need to solve together with partners in the region and that is why we decided to join ZEC."
The cooperation is still in the start-up phase. " With various working groups, we collect all the important data around power generation and power purchase, and conduct studies. We want to achieve optimal power distribution through cooperation, for example, by distributing consumption properly throughout the day to avoid large peaks. It is quite a challenge, but we are happy to play our part at Royal FloraHolland by making available the relevant data about our sector. By 2050 we want to be completely emission-free and, with ZEC, we are taking another step towards that. This year, all that is required should become apparent."
Accessibility is crucial
As a major logistics player, Royal FloraHolland can help test sustainable solutions in the sector to accelerate the transition to renewable energy, Robert points out. "For example, you can share an energy connection with different companies to get more space on the grid, you can build charging plazas, or make adjustments to transport schedules to make charging easier. All sorts of possibilities that we can start experimenting with. We like to think about which sustainable choices can ensure that we remain easily accessible for growers, buyers and transporters. As a marketplace, good accessibility is crucial to us."
So, with the many truck movements, the logistics process and the way electric-powered trucks can recharge must be well coordinated. "If you charge your electric truck at a dock, you keep it occupied longer, which can disrupt logistics planning. That's one good reason to build loading plazas."
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