On-site CO₂ capture for greenhouses: what we shared at Fruit Logistica 2026
Fruit Logistica in Berlin is one of the most important annual gatherings for the global fresh produce sector — and this year, it gave us the opportunity to make the case for something we believe growers need to hear: on-site CO₂ capture for greenhouses is not only technically proven, it makes financial sense.
Nicola Donato, Business Development Manager at Green Gas & Liquids, took to the Insight Stage to walk growers and energy professionals through the current CO₂ supply problem — and what a practical, on-site solution looks like in practice.
Why greenhouse growers can no longer rely on external CO₂
The presentation opened with a challenge most growers are already living: the energy market is volatile, input costs are rising, and sustainability requirements are tightening. At the same time, food security keeps the pressure on yield performance. Resilience — the ability to control your own inputs — is fast becoming a competitive advantage, not a nice-to-have.
CO₂ sits right at the heart of this. Externally supplied liquid CO₂ is expensive, subject to seasonal price swings, and increasingly difficult to source reliably. CO₂ from on-site CHP units is cheaper but comes with its own problems: it is only available when the CHP is running, it is produced at night when the crop needs it least, and the quality — particularly NOx and ethylene levels — can limit how much you can safely dose.
The result is a supply imbalance: CO₂ is available when demand is low, and scarce when demand peaks.
What on-site CO₂ capture with Galloxol® actually delivers
The core of Nicola’s presentation was straightforward: capture CO₂ where it is generated, store it, and dose it when the crop needs it.
Galloxol® post-combustion carbon capture works with flue gases from biomass boilers, CHPs, geothermal sources, and other energy installations. It recovers 70–90% of available CO₂ and purifies it to above 99% purity — well within food and horticultural grade standards. A single module covers up to 20 MW of capacity, with an output of up to 5 tonnes per hour. Electricity consumption is as low as 40–60 kWh per tonne of CO₂ produced, keeping operating costs low. The solvent used is biodegradable and non-toxic, with zero solvent loss to the atmosphere.
Crucially, the system shifts CO₂ availability from night to day. By capturing and buffering CO₂ during lower-demand periods, growers can dose precisely — in line with light intensity, temperature and vapour pressure deficit — rather than being constrained by when their CHP happens to be running.
The yield case: up to 25% increase in crop output
One of the most compelling data points in the presentation was the direct link between CO₂ concentration and crop performance. Raising CO₂ levels in a greenhouse can increase yield by up to 25%, depending on radiation levels, crop type, and starting CO₂ concentration. For many growers, simply maintaining ambient outdoor CO₂ levels consistently — something that is harder than it sounds without on-site buffering — already delivers a measurable production improvement.
Proven at commercial scale since 2019
The presentation closed with three operational references demonstrating that this is not a technology in development:
- DES B.V., Sirjansland, Netherlands — CO₂ capture and utilisation for horticulture, operational since 2019
- Wijnen Crops B.V., Egchel, Netherlands — operational since 2021
- Merschl Gartenbau GmbH, Vienna, Austria — 1.8 tonne/hour capacity serving 7 hectares of greenhouse, commissioned in 2025
The session generated strong engagement from the audience, with growers and energy professionals asking detailed questions about integration with existing infrastructure, payback periods, and scalability.
Interested in on-site CO₂ capture for your greenhouse?
Whether you operate a biomass boiler, a CHP unit, or a geothermal installation, there is likely a viable route to producing your own CO₂ on-site. We are happy to walk through the options with you.
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Related articles
These articles related to "On Stage at Fruit Logistica 2026- Berlin" might interest you.
- CO₂ Capture for Greenhouses Without Liquefaction — How Galloxol® Changes the Economics
- Greenhouse CO₂ Storage: How to Take Control of Your Supply
- CO₂ afvang uit biomassaketel in de kas: hoe DES Sirjansland het verschil maakt
- CO₂ capture from a biomass boiler in the greenhouse: lessons from DES Sirjansland
- CO₂ capture for a greenhouse in Vienna: Merschl Gartenbau achieves biogenic CO₂ self-sufficiency
- CO₂ Capture for Horticulture at SIVAL 2026
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