Welcome to The Green Box Cleantech Campus, where we make tangible strides in accelerating the energy transition together. Our mission remains unchanged: to further expedite the energy transition. We achieve this by, for instance, connecting talents and established companies, fostering knowledge exchange. Furthermore, we aim to have our campus serve as an inspiring model for other domains.
In this second quarter update, discover the latest developments in the following three areas:
- Events & Green.
- Our Own Local Sustainable Energy System.
- Connecting and Sharing Knowledge.
Events & Green
During the recent period, the Koolen Industries summer event took place on our cleantech campus. Leading up to this event, we were delighted to welcome Besolar as the newest tenant on our campus. The Koolen Industries event also marked the launch of the Vigor brand for charging solutions. Meanwhile, our efforts to promote biodiversity at The Green Box continued unabated.
Koolen Industries Summer Event At The Green Box cleantech campus, the central focus is on connecting people and sharing knowledge. Therefore, we were thrilled from The Green Box to contribute to the success of our tenant Koolen Industries' Summer Event.
A remarkable 450 visitors from the world of energy transition gathered on June 21!
The event was centered around knowledge sharing. With keynote speakers, expert-led breakout sessions, and campus tours, visitors immersed themselves in the world of cleantech challenges and solutions.
The experience tour around our campus provided hundreds of people with a behind-the-scenes glimpse of companies such as NieuweWeme Groep, SmartGrid, Super B, and Plugpower. Additionally, tenants Aveleijn, Eaton, Au2mate, and Floading were present with their personnel and materials to inspire visitors with their mission and vision.
Also Vigor Charging was launched, set to become a leading company in the realm of large-scale charging solutions in public spaces.
Vigor will support municipalities, government agencies, and businesses in accelerating the energy transition and creating a sustainable and future-proof living and working environment. The charging stations by Vigor Charging are produced at The Green Box and come equipped with the latest features, including an intelligent Charging Station Management System and advanced bidirectional charging technology.
"The logical step was the amalgamation of the knowledge and experience gathered over the past 30 years from various companies within the Koolen Industries Products Group concerning the charging ecosystem. With the pooled in-house knowledge in Vigor, we aim to make a difference in the transition to sustainable mobility, alongside key partners such as We Drive Solar," said Gerben Hilboldt, founder and CEO of Koolen Industries Products Group and Vigor Charging.
In the lead-up to the event, we also had the pleasure of welcoming the newest tenant, BeSolar, to The Green Box. With their Promo house near the main entrance, BeSolar showcases that solar energy is rapidly and easily accessible to everyone. Additionally, the BeSolar team are experts in the field of heat pumps, air conditioners, batteries, and charging stations. With their experience and expertise, they provide tailored solutions for homes or business premises. This aligns perfectly with the vision of our diverse cleantech campus.
The success of the Koolen Industries Summer Event underscores the importance of collaboration in a place where knowledge and like-minded ideas converge and are put into practice through tangible products and solutions. And that is precisely what we aim to facilitate here at The Green Box.
Biodiversity at The Green Box
Our efforts to transform The Green Box into a green oasis for humans, plants, and animals yielded impressive results once again in the past quarter. We hosted an enlightening and inspiring campus tour, during which experts from the contracted and renowned company Krinkels briefed us on the progress in the field.
Our campus features more than 25,000 m2 of grass, accompanied by 200m3 of butterfly bushes, 7500m3 of hedgerows, and 3000m2 of seeded flower fields along the pond. Moreover, our campus proudly showcases over 125 trees, 15 of which are adorned with birdhouses. This year, the pond's duck baskets housed around five nests.
Read more about this in our blog article.
Numerous bird chicks matured on The Green Box and safely took flight.
We warmly invite visitors to explore our campus and relish the diversity of flora and fauna. Alongside the pond, we've established a walking path where you can unwind on benches and enjoy waterfowl, flowers, butterflies, and dragonflies.
Our Own Local Sustainable Energy System
With an impressive 18,000 solar panels, we provide our 80,000m2 campus with sustainable energy. In our article about the solar roof, you can learn more about the steps taken to make this a success. Additionally, we reward owners of electric vehicles on our campus with prime parking spots and attractive charging rates.
18,000 solar panels on our campus – how did we achieve that?
With all the large solar roofs, our 18.5-hectare site now boasts over 18,000 solar panels, more than enough to power the 80,000 m2 of offices, production halls, and testing locations.
Thanks in part to the recent solar output record in June, we generated 866,070 kWh in the past quarter. Setting up a solar roof installation involves numerous steps. Learn more about the measures we've taken as a campus to utilize our solar roof as a key element in the transition to clean energy in our article.
Green Marking: A Visual Statement
The Green Box Cleantech Campus is the place where the energy transition becomes tangible. A striking example of this is our charging plaza. We firmly believe that the energy transition should not only appear attractive but also genuinely be attractive.
That's why we've positioned our electric vehicle charging spots right up front, near the entrance of The Green Box Cleantech Campus. Furthermore, these spots are now marked with green signage, provided by Geerdink Markeringen B.V.
At our campus, we follow the principle: doing good is rewarded. So, those who drive electric vehicles to The Green Box earn an appealing charging rate and a spot up front, conveniently close to the entrance of the campus where the energy transition comes to life.
Connecting and Sharing Knowledge: Successful Events
At The Green Box, we are dedicated to fostering interactions and exchanging insights about the energy transition. In recent times, this commitment has resulted in a series of fruitful events. From a Meet & Greet session with mechanical engineering students to a visit from the Business Club Twente-Achterhoek, these events exemplify how we drive collaboration and innovation to pave the way for a cleaner and more sustainable future.
Meet & Greet with mechanical engineering students from VU & UTwente
The Green Box is committed to inspiring young technical talent to engage in the future of the energy transition. It was truly exciting to welcome 35 students from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and University of Twente for a guest lecture, tour, and a meet & greet with various companies on our campus. Jos Blom from Koolen Industries kicked off the day with a guest lecture on the energy transition, followed by an extensive interactive tour of our cleantech campus.
"In general, it was a very enlightening experience that showed the students the current stage of the energy transition. I believe it truly motivated the students to think more about the opportunities within the energy transition sector," said Sathyanarayanan Nagasundaram, EngD, a Mechanical Engineering lecturer from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
During the lunchtime meet & greet, NieuweWeme, SmartGrid, Eaton, and Koolen Industries joined in. Students had the chance to have all their questions answered by these cleantech experts.
35 Entrepreneurs from the Business Club Twente-Achterhoek Visit The Green Box
At The Green Box Cleantech Campus, our goal is to provide connection and inspiration surrounding the transition to clean energy and mobility. It was truly delightful to welcome 35 entrepreneurs from the region in that context!
During the visit, the entrepreneurs enjoyed a guided tour and interactive presentations from our CEO Ynte de Vries and CDO Robert Koole from Koolen Industries. They shared insights into global energy trends and discussed the activities at The Green Box. Additionally, the opportunities for everyone to embrace greener options and achieve attractive returns through the clean energy and mobility solutions of Koolen Energy Projects were highlighted.
To be continued...
The Green Box Cleantech Campus is a vibrant hub of activity where connection and knowledge sharing take precedence. We are constantly welcoming new tenants, innovations, and facilitating a variety of large and small events. As a campus, our ambition is to serve as a role model for other areas embracing sustainability. A cleantech campus goes hand in hand with a green environment, and that's why we continue our unwavering commitment to further enhance biodiversity.
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Feeling inspired and motivated to contribute?
If you're eager to learn more about our sustainability efforts, feel free to reach out. We'd be more than happy to provide you with further information.
