A staff member from State Grid Changle County Power Supply checks the intelligent temperature control device in a greenhouse in Changle, Weifang, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
In order to meet agricultural electricity demands, State Grid Changle County Power Supply in Weifang, Shandong province, organized an innovation workshop, headed by Zhang Aiguo and Ge Yuting to develop an intelligent temperature control system for greenhouse usage.
Working together with the county's labor union and agriculture bureau, they noticed that the low soil temperature in winter greenhouses could affect crop growth and severely reduce the added value of agricultural products. Addressing the problem, the system can monitor the soil temperature in real-time through sensors installed underground and then automatically adjust the soil temperature to help it remain at around 20 degrees Celsius.
The intelligent system has provided better conditions for vegetable and fruit planting to achieve higher yields and benefits, bringing stable income and employment opportunities for many local residents.
In the planting base, rows of greenhouse structures are arranged in order. While inside the greenhouse, the temperature is very warm, with fist-sized small watermelons hanging on the vines, showing the vigorous growth and vitality within the greenhouse.
Zhang Guowei, head of a watermelon planting base in Tanqiao town, expressed his gratitude to the State Grid Changle County Power Supply during their inspection. He said: "The temperature in the greenhouse is very stable at night. Look at how well the watermelons are growing. It's all thanks to the intelligent temperature control system. It's really amazing!"
Since the application of the intelligent temperature control system, the quality and yield of vegetables and fruits have improved a lot, giving us more confidence, said Zhang Guowei as he inspected the growth of the watermelons in the greenhouse. Looking at his "masterpiece", he said that his batch of watermelons will hit the market in about 20 days, and he believes this year will be another fruitful year.
The intelligent system has been tested and demonstrated in 15 vegetable-planting greenhouses with significant results. Currently, its version 2.0 is under development.
