On 24 August 2022, the delegation for the “Tea‑Solar Complementary” inspection, led by Hu Guangliang, Vice‑District Mayor of Dantu District, Chen Yongfei, Secretary of Wutang Village Committee of Shangdang Town, Director Chen Zhirong of the Project Office of the Jurong Branch of China Huadian Jiangsu Energy Co., Ltd., and Zheng Haiqing, General Manager of Jiangsu Halidom New Energy Group, visited the “Tea‑Solar Complementary” project run by Chen Meicheng, General Manager of Sufeng Tea Company in Wutang Village, Shangdang Town, Dantu District.     

The officials carried out an on‑site inspection of the project site, investigating both the strengths and existing challenges of the tea‑solar complementary scheme. On 10 February 2022, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration issued the *Notice on Improving the Institutional Framework for the Green and Low‑Carbon Transition of the Energy Sector*. In rural areas, priority is given to supporting grid connection for rooftop distributed photovoltaic power generation, biogas power generation and other biomass power generation. A renewable‑energy investment and operation model featuring unified planning, decentralised layout, co‑operation between farms and enterprises and shared benefits is being explored. Research has been undertaken for the mechanised tea‑picking demonstration zone to develop layouts combining photovoltaic arrays with mechanical tea harvesting. Trials and research have also been completed on high‑efficiency cultivation facilities for tea‑solar complementary systems.

Installing photovoltaic structures above tea plantations not only generates solar power, but also improves tea quality and yield and strengthens tea bushes’ resistance to late spring frosts. This delivers genuine tea‑solar synergy with remarkable social, economic and ecological benefits.