According to De Laat’s Adriaan van Beek the Ecotop ripening system will save 30 to 40% on the energy bill. “The precursor of the Ecotop was installed at Chiquita in Gorinchem last year, and the numbers on energy saving were impressing over there. Excess heat in the ripening process is converted and used to heat the building. For the heat that the bananas themselves give off we installed a cooling system, using natural cooling elements.”
The basis of the structure involves an intricate system of highly efficient vents in combination with a tiltable frame. To achieve a product that is evenly ripened, the system makes use of an air current that moves through the pallets in variable ways.
“This system saves enormous amounts of energy,” says Van Beek. “But of course the saving of energy is secondary: the quality of the produce is foremost.”
The installed – and patented – system realised at Edeka consists of 30 cells of 24 pallets each. “Our guarantee that Ecotop would save 30% was part of the deal. And I’m quite happy to report that we made good on that promise.”
