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China's smart solar-mushroom plant generates power, boosts production
CGTN
China's smart solar-mushroom plant in Qingyuan County of Lishui City in east China's Zhejiang Province. /CMG

China's smart solar-mushroom plant in Qingyuan County of Lishui City in east China's Zhejiang Province. /CMG

An innovative approach that combines solar power generation and smart manufacturing not only enlarged local electricity generation, but also boosted mushroom cultivation in Qingyuan County of Lishui City in east China's Zhejiang Province. 

In a local mushroom plant, workers are busy manufacturing mushroom spawn, a substrate for edible fungi cultivation in a solar-powered workshop.

They told China Media Group (CMG) that, in the past, the production of mushroom spawns was mainly counted on and distributed by local farmers, causing huge labor costs, low production quality and yields.

The digital production line of mushroom in Qingyuan County of Lishui City in east China's Zhejiang Province. /CMG

The digital production line of mushroom in Qingyuan County of Lishui City in east China's Zhejiang Province. /CMG

This year, thanks to a digital production line, the plant is witnessing a remarkable growth in mushroom spawn production. With an investment of over 30 million yuan (around $ 4.45 million), the digital production line is equipped with a photovoltaic system.

Ye Gao, head of the mushroom plant, told CMG that since the digital equipment was put into operation, the daily output of the plant has increased significantly. "Meanwhile, more than 30 percent of the labor cost has been cut and the yield rate reached almost over 99.9 percent." 

China's smart solar-mushroom plant in Qingyuan County of Lishui City in east China's Zhejiang Province. /CMG

China's smart solar-mushroom plant in Qingyuan County of Lishui City in east China's Zhejiang Province. /CMG

Solar-mushroom plant generates electricity

In addition, solar panels installed on top of the 12,000 square meter plant building can generate 3.05 million kilowatt hours of power, saving 280,000 yuan (about $ 41,600) in electricity cost every year.

"For the next step, we will further the electrification transformation of the mushroom plant and build a new solar-mushroom project by 2025, with a capacity of 70 megawatts, in a bid to fuel the high-quality development of the edible fungi industry in Qingyuan," said Li Zhijun, a technician with State Grid Zhejiang Qingyuan county power supply company.

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