Reliable power supports digital orchards in Zibo

In early autumn, at the Huasheng Kewo Cloud Digital Orchard in Zibo's Yiyuan county, Shandong province, manager Qi Kai demonstrated a water-fertilizer integrated control system.

He explained that two button presses could fertilize all 238 acres within 45 minutes. Outside the control room, apples covered in protective bags dotted the trees, gradually ripening in the autumn air.

Nearby, State Grid Zibo Power Supply Company employees inspected remote intelligent control cabinets and explained safe electricity practices to technical staff. One-click management of thousands of acres and routine human-machine interaction are redefining orchards.

The orchard in Liujiapo village has 32,000 premium apple trees. It uses full facility agriculture and digital management. An agricultural Internet of Things system combines IoT, mobile internet, and cloud computing to monitor weather, soil, and air in real time. Water, fertilizer, and pesticide applications can be controlled remotely and automatically.

Digital technology has transformed how the orchard operates, reducing labor and production costs while increasing yields.

Reliable electricity is crucial to digital fruit farming. In recent years, State Grid Zibo has upgraded rural grids, monitored supply reliability, and removed hazards promptly.

Each orchard has a power supply service information board, and network-based management provides round-the-clock service. The company provides reliable power services to support the development of digital fruit farming.

This thoughtfulness is called shanxiao in Zibo, meaning small acts of kindness. It appears in every aspect of service: safety inspections in orchards, explanations of safe electricity use, and information boards placed where farmers can easily see them.

Qi Kai said that tree growth sensors, IoT data terminals, and integrated water-fertilizer systems allow refined control at the touch of a finger. This reduces reliance on weather conditions and farmers' experience in managing the orchard.

Due to these new digital management practices, fruit quality has improved significantly. The orchard has cultivated Yimengshan, Yiyuan county's second well-known Chinese trademark in the fruit industry, now associated with quality apples in China.

Qi added that the orchard depends on reliable power support, and he thanked the service staff.

To support the development of digital fruit farming, State Grid Zibo sends shanxiao volunteers and Party member service teams to orchards to provide guidance on safe electricity use and address power supply needs.

The company is also strengthening energy-efficiency services, lowering energy costs, expanding comprehensive energy services, promoting the rural fruit industry's transformation and upgrading while delivering quality services to customers.