Chinese indoor farmers rely on digitized and intelligent greenhouse systems

In the city of Shouguang, Shandong province, China a revolution in agriculture is unfolding through the implementation of digitized and intelligent greenhouse systems. These advanced facilities are transforming traditional vegetable farming into a high-tech, high-efficiency operation, significantly increasing both output and income for local farmers.

Li Liguo, a 32-year-old farmer from Dongchengguan Village, is a testament to the success of these innovations. With a bachelor’s degree in hand, Li returned to his village to manage a 300-meter-long vegetable greenhouse. Thanks to the smart greenhouse planting model, which relies on electrification, he now earns nearly 200,000 yuan ($27,620) annually. “This is the future trend of the vegetable industry development,” Li stated during an interview with the State Grid Shouguang Power Supply Company.

Shouguang’s greenhouse technology has evolved rapidly, now in its seventh generation. These modern greenhouses are described as “standardized workshops” that automate many processes, reducing labor needs and attracting young people to agriculture. The area currently hosts 600,000 acres of such greenhouses, producing 4.5 billion kilograms of high-quality vegetables annually.

The State Grid Shouguang Power Supply Company is at the forefront of this smart transformation. At its demonstration base the company integrates advanced electrical equipment such as water and fertilizer integration machines, carbon dioxide generators, and supplementary lights. These are all connected through a standardized energy system, allowing real-time environmental monitoring via the “365 Electric Steward” smart energy service platform. With just a smartphone app, farmers can remotely manage their operations, achieving significant savings in time, energy, money, and effort.

Zhang Xi, a staff member at the company, predicts that future vegetable cultivation will require significantly less manpower while yielding higher efficiency and output. The economic benefits are clear: a 150-meter-long greenhouse can reduce water and fertilizer usage by 40% and 30% respectively, decrease labor needs by about 20 people per day, and increase vegetable production by nearly 5%. This translates to an average income increase of about 30,000 yuan per greenhouse.