VOA新闻杂志2022--天然气危机威胁到荷兰温室

Gas Crisis¹ Hits Dutch Greenhouses³

Greenhouses – buildings that are used for growing plants - have helped make the Netherlands the world's second largest agricultural exporter after the United States.

But the $7.9 billion industry developed when gas was less costly⁴. A price crisis will likely speed up a change to other energy sources, but it could also cause many businesses to fail.

Price increase

European gas prices have increased by about 20 times the level they were at a year ago. The increase is mainly a result of Russia restricting⁵ gas supplies in answer to Western sanctions⁶ over its invasion⁷ of Ukraine.

Industry group Glastuinbouw Nederland says up to 40 percent of its 3,000 members are having financial problems. That could result in less out-of-season fruit, vegetables and flowers in European stores. It could also mean production might move to warmer countries such as Spain, Morocco and Kenya.

Greenhouse² owner Pieter Wijnen would like to pay attention to growing vegetables. But his life has centered on gas and electricity prices rather than his vegetables - bell peppers and cucumbers⁸.

"In a greenhouse like this in the wintertime, you need to heat it," he said of his 32 hectare property in the southern Dutch area of Limburg.

Wijnen added, "When prices are going up, and it will be much more than we are used to, then we must change our plans."

Among other measures, Wijnen is cutting the area he will keep warm at Wijnen Square Crops this winter. He plans to grow fewer, larger cucumbers - as well as selling additional⁹ electricity that he generates¹⁰.

Until recently, Dutch greenhouses used around three billion cubic meters of gas a year, or about eight percent of the national total. That number has been falling as renewable choices become available.

According to Statistics¹¹ Netherlands, the industry's gas usage¹² fell 23 percent in the year through June.

But the amount of decrease this year is as much a sign of difficulty as it is of change, growers say.

Michel van Schie of Royal HollandFlora said, "A large number of growers are choosing to close down their business because they don't expect any change in the short term."

Stores have cut orders for flowers by around a third, expecting people to spend less as living costs increase, he added.

History and future

The Dutch greenhouse industry has a deep connection with natural gas due to the Groningen gas field, which was Europe's largest for many years. Production was cut back in the 2010s due to the earthquakes it caused.

Some larger greenhouses like Wijnen's have plants that burn gas to create both heat and electricity - a system with 2.4 gigawatts of capacity¹³ spread nationwide, about 14 percent of the Dutch total.

Many greenhouses need heat more than electricity, and can sell additional power during highest demand.

Some greenhouses have invested¹⁴ in biomass for warmth, though wood is becoming less available and more costly. A few have geothermal heating¹⁵. All make use of solar power for warming and plant growth - the original greenhouse effect.

"Each and every grower is unique, which makes it very hard to draw conclusions about this crisis," said Cindy van Rijswick of Rabobank, a financial services company. Van Rijswick added that some Dutch greenhouses with lower cost gas contracts may do well.

As Groningen production went down, Wijnen invested 30 million euros in a geothermal project and biomass factories. But his gas plants that produce both heat and electricity are currently¹⁶ helpful.

"I do not need all the electricity, but the market needs the expensive electricity, so we make electricity, sell it to the grid¹⁷, and then the heat is sometimes quite cheap for me," he said.

Still, Rabobank's Van Rijswick said the current crisis was likely to change the industry, with the move towards local production possibly reversing¹⁸.

"It's like we will go back in history again with Spain producing in wintertime and the northern European countries producing their own vegetables in summertime. Some people say maybe that's the way it should be."

Words in This Story

grid – n. a network of electrical wires and equipment that supplies electricity to a large area

capacity – n. the amount of something that can be produced or managed by a factory, company, etc.

geothermal – adj. of, relating to, or using the natural heat produced inside the Earth

biomass – n. plant materials and animal waste used especially as a source of fuel

1 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

2 greenhouse   

n.花房，温室，玻璃暖房

参考例句：

• Behind the green house was a greenhouse.在那所绿房子后面是一个花房。
• The tomatoes were grown in the greenhouse.这些西红柿是在温室栽培的。

3 greenhouses   

温室，花房( greenhouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cypress and redwood are seldom used in the superstructure of commercial greenhouses. 扁柏和美州红松很少用于商用温室的上部结构。
• They grew tomatoes in two greenhouses, each with a CD-player inside. 他们在两个温室里种西红柿，每个里面都有一个CD播放机。

4 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

5 restricting   

v.（以法规）限制( restrict的现在分词 )；约束；束缚

参考例句：

• laws restricting immigration into the US 美国限制外来移民的法律
• She argued for import control, ie the restricting of imports. 她主张实行进口限制。 来自辞典例句

6 sanctions   

批准( sanction的名词复数 )； 认可； 制裁； 约束力

参考例句：

• There was general acquiescence in the UN sanctions. 普遍默认了联合国的制裁。
• Trade sanctions were imposed against any country that refused to sign the agreement. 凡拒签该协议的国家均受到贸易制裁。

7 invasion   

n.入侵，侵略，侵犯

参考例句：

• They are ready against the possible invasion.他们防备可能的入侵。
• It is our duty to shield our country from invasion.保卫祖国不受侵犯是我们的责任。

8 cucumbers   

n.黄瓜，胡瓜( cucumber的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She steeped the cucumbers in brine. 她把黄瓜泡在盐水里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cucumbers are crisp and refreshing. 这黄瓜脆生爽口。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 additional   

adj.添加的，额外的，另外的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to set down these additional rules.有必要制定这些补充规则。
• I think we can fit in an additional room.我想我们可以再加建一间房子。

10 generates   

v.生（儿、女）( generate的第三人称单数 )；（通过物理或化学过程）发生；生成；引起

参考例句：

• This new boiler generates more heat than the old one. 这个新锅炉产生的热量比旧锅炉多。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy. 原子反应堆发出大量的热能。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 statistics   

n.统计，统计数字，统计学

参考例句：

• We have statistics for the last year.我们有去年的统计资料。
• Statistics is taught in many colleges.许多大学都教授统计学。

12 usage   

n.惯用法，使用，用法

参考例句：

• I am clear about the usage of this word at last.这个词的用法我算是弄明白了。
• The usage is now firmly established.这种用法现已得到确认。

13 capacity   

n.能力，力量，接受力；容量，能量，容积

参考例句：

• She is employed by the president in an advisory capacity.她被总裁聘为顾问。
• This carriage has a seating capacity of 120 people.这节车厢定员120人。

14 invested   

v.投资，花费( invest的过去式和过去分词 )；授予；（把资金）投入；投入（时间、精力等）

参考例句：

• The money will be invested in managed funds. 这笔钱将投资于管理基金。
• He invested his lawyer with complete power to act for him. 他让律师全权代办。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 heating   

n.加热，供暖，暖气装置；adj.加热的，供暖的

参考例句：

• They will install a heating and lighting system in our house.他们将在我们家装上供热供电系统。
• If the pressure is too low,the heating system will act up.如果压力太低，供暖系统就会出毛病。

16 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

17 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

18 reversing   

adj.回动的v.（使）反转( reverse的现在分词 )；（使）颠倒；（使）翻转；推翻

参考例句：

• The driver bumped the kerb while reversing. 司机倒车时撞到了路边石。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She ran (ie drove) her car into a tree while reversing. 她倒车时撞着了一棵树。 来自辞典例句