Difference between revisions of "Chemfuel powered generator"

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{{infobox main|building|
 
{{infobox main|building|
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|name = Chemfuel powered generator
+
| name = Chemfuel powered generator
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|image = Chemfuel_powered_generator.png|128px
+
| image = Chemfuel_powered_generator.png|128px
−
|description = Produces power by consuming chemfuel. Must be periodically refueled by hand.
+
| description = Produces power by consuming chemfuel. Must be periodically refueled by hand.
−
|type = Building
+
| type = Building
−
|type2 = Power
+
| type2 = Power
−
|placeable = true
+
| placeable = true
−
|path cost = 50
+
| path cost = 50
−
|passability = pass through only
+
| passability = pass through only
−
|blockswind = true
+
| blockswind = true
−
|cover = 1
+
| cover = 1
−
|minifiable = false
+
| minifiable = false
−
|size = 2 ˣ 2
+
| size = 2 ˣ 2
−
|flammability = 1
+
| flammability = 1
−
|hp = 300
+
| hp = 300
−
|beauty = -20
+
| beauty = -20
−
|power = 1000
+
| power = 1000
−
|glowradius = 6
+
| glowradius = 6
−
|glowcolor = (80, 112, 180)
+
| glowcolor = (80, 112, 180)
−
|heatpersecond = 6
+
| heatpersecond = 6
−
|terrain affordance = medium
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| terrain affordance = medium
−
|research = Electricity
+
| research = Electricity
−
|skill 1 = Construction
+
| skill 1 = Construction
−
|skill 1 level = 6
+
| skill 1 level = 6
−
|work to make = 2500
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| work to make = 2500
−
|resource 1 = Steel
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| resource 1 = Steel
−
|resource 1 amount = 100
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| resource 1 amount = 100
−
|resource 2 = Component
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| resource 2 = Component
−
|resource 2 amount = 3
+
| resource 2 amount = 3
 +
| fuel filter = Chemfuel
 +
| fuel capacity = 30.0
 +
| fuel consumption rate = 4.5
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{info|The '''chemfuel powered generator''' produces [[power]] from [[chemfuel]]. The generator is an exact analog to the [[wood-fired generator]], only the type of fuel is different.}}
 
{{info|The '''chemfuel powered generator''' produces [[power]] from [[chemfuel]]. The generator is an exact analog to the [[wood-fired generator]], only the type of fuel is different.}}
  
 
== Acquisition ==
 
== Acquisition ==
−
Chemfuel powered generators can be constructed once the [[Research#{{P|Required Research}}|{{P|Required Research}}]] research project has been completed. They require {{Required Resources}}, {{Ticks|{{P|Work To Make}}}} of work, and a [[{{P|Skill 1}}]] of {{P|Skill 1 Level}}.
+
{{Acquisition}}
  
−
Once constructed, a chemfuel generator cannot be moved, it can only be deconstructed.
+
==Summary==
 +
The chemfuel powered generator consumes {{icon small|chemfuel}} 4.5 [[chemfuel]] per day and generates a constant 1000W as long as it is switched on and fueled. It can hold up to 30 fuel at a time, for a maximum run time of 6.66 days. Fuel consumption is not dependent on how much power is actually drawn.  Fuel has to be delivered to the generator by a [[Work#Haul|hauler colonist]] or [[lifter]].{{BiotechIcon}} It can be switched off; in the off state it will neither consume fuel nor produce power.  
  
−
==Summary==
+
==== Light & heat ====
−
The chemfuel powered generator consumes {{icon small|chemfuel}} 4.5 [[chemfuel]] per day and generates a constant 1000W as long as it is switched on and fueled. It can hold up to 30 fuel at a time, for a maximum run time of 6.66 days. Fuel consumption is not dependent on how much power is actually drawn.  Fuel has to be delivered to the generator by a [[Menus#Work_types|hauler colonists]]. It can be switched off; in the off state it will neither consume fuel nor produce power.  
+
It outputs [[light]] in a 6 tile radius, with the nearest {{P|Light Radius}} tiles being above 50% light level and considered lit. Note that the light source is centered at the bottom-left tile of the generator, rather than the "true" center of the generator.  
  
−
It outputs [[light]] in a 6 tile radius, with the nearest {{P|Light Radius}} tiles being above 50% light level and considered lit.  Note that the light source is centered at the bottom-left tile of the generator, rather than the "true" center of the generator. It heats at a rate of 6 heat per second{{Check Tag|Exact mechanic unclear|Provides comparison with other heat sources but doesn't explain how much it actually heats}}. Unlike many other heat sources, it does not appear to have a maximum temperature and will continue to heat up rooms indefinitely.{{Check Tag|Confirmation needed}}.
+
It heats at a rate of 6 heat per second{{Check Tag|Exact mechanic unclear|Provides comparison with other heat sources but doesn't explain how much it actually heats}}. Unlike many other heat sources, it does not appear to have a maximum temperature and will continue to heat up rooms indefinitely.{{Check Tag|Confirmation needed}}.
  
−
If it is damaged below one third of its hitpoints, or {{#expr: {{P|Max Hit Points Base #}}/3}} HP, it has a chance{{Check Tag|What chance?}} to explode. The generator will spark and emit a hissing sound shortly before exploding between {{ticks|70}} and {{ticks|150}} later. The explosion deals 10 [[Damage Type#Flame|Flame]] damage in a radius around itself that depends on the quantity of fuel in the generator. At 0 fuel, the explosion has a radius of 0 and only destroys the generator, and expanding this radius proportional to the square root of the fuel times 0.95 up to a maximum radius of {{#expr: 0+((30*0.95)^0.5) round 2}} tiles when fully fueled. This explosion leaves [[Filth|Chemfuel puddles]] which will then ignite and burn.
+
==== Explosion ====
 +
If it is damaged below one third of its hitpoints, or {{#expr: {{P|Max Hit Points Base #}}/3}} HP, it has a %70 chance to explode. The generator will spark and emit a hissing sound shortly before exploding between {{ticks|70}} and {{ticks|150}} later. The explosion deals 10 [[Damage Type#Flame|Flame]] damage in a radius around itself that depends on the quantity of fuel in the generator. At 0 fuel, the explosion has a radius of 0 and only destroys the generator, and expanding this radius proportional to the square root of the fuel times 0.95 up to a maximum radius of {{#expr: 0+((30*0.95)^0.5) round 2}} tiles when fully fueled. This explosion leaves [[Filth|Chemfuel puddles]] which will then ignite and burn.
  
 
==Analysis==
 
==Analysis==
−
=== Fuel and energy economy ===
+
Chemfuel generators are compact, can be placed anywhere, and offer a consistent source of power, making it one of the easiest generators to use. Most other power sources ''scale'' much worse; they are either inconsistent, have a location requirement, or take up lots of space. With chemfuel generators, you can easily place as many as you want, so long as you can fuel them.
−
A chemfuel powered generator holds 30 chemfuel, consuming {{icon small|chemfuel}} 4.5 chemfuel per day A completely fueled-up generator will run for 6 days and 16 hours without refueling.
+
 
 +
However, these generators require upkeep, both to create the chemfuel, and to haul the fuel to the generator. The exact amount of work depends on which source of chemfuel is used - [[infinite chemreactor]]s are very limited, but require no work to create. Many colonies will have to research [[Research#Biofuel refining|Biofuel Refining]] to actually make some.
 +
 
 +
In general, any source of chemfuel is less work than what a [[wood-fired generator]] would take. The workload is reasonably low, so using chemfuel does not bring excessive burden to a colony.
 +
 
 +
==Fuel economy==
 +
===Using wood for fuel===
 +
With a [[biofuel refinery]], chemfuel generators consume {{icon small|wood}} 9 [[wood]] of chemfuel per day, less than a [[wood-fired generator]]'s {{icon small|wood}} 22 per day. Both generators produce the same amount of power. Converting wood to chemfuel takes work, but harvesting wild trees takes longer when considering the time to walk and haul. When cultivating your own plants, using [[corn]] takes much less work than growing trees. Note that the refinery itself requires 170 W of power, but you only need 1 refinery for many generators. In specific:
 +
 
 +
*Converting wood to chemfuel takes {{ticks|2000}} of work for 7.78 days of fuel, or {{ticks|257}} for 1 day of fuel.
 +
*Just harvesting the wood depends on [[biome]], growth of the tree, and Plants skill.
 +
**With a Plants skill of 8, it would take a ballpark of {{ticks|260}} of work to harvest {{icon small|wood}} 9 [[wood]], a day of fuel, for a fully grown, non-cactus tree.
 +
**For reference, it would take the same pawn a ballpark of {{ticks|650}} of work to harvest {{icon small|wood}} 22 [[wood]].  
 +
: As it only takes a base {{ticks|260+257}} to fuel a chemfuel generator for one day, the wood-fired generator is often less efficient.
 +
*When considering tree cutting, note that you will need to go further and further to cut more trees. A wood-fired generator requires you to cut more trees, which means more hauling time.
 +
 
 +
Sowing a single tree takes {{ticks|4000}} of work, which makes them much less efficient than any food crop. [[Fibercorn]]{{IdeologyIcon}} is less efficient than regular [[corn]], too.
  
−
For comparison, a [[wood-fired generator]], which produces the same wattage, uses {{icon small|wood}} 22 [[wood]] per day, while it only takes 9 wood to create a day's worth of chemfuel (4.5). However, it also adds another step to create that chemfuel, slightly increasing the amount of dumb labor required per day on top of collecting wood by {{ticks|257}}, and requires the creation and powering of a [[biofuel refinery]] (-170 Watts, 17% of the output, equivalent to approximately another 1.5 wood-worth of chemfuel).  
+
=== Using boomalopes for fuel ===
 +
A [[boomalope]] produces, at most, {{icon small|chemfuel}} {{#show:Boomalope|?Daily Milk Average#}} chemfuel per day. This takes {{ticks|400}} of work before modifiers. This is enough to fuel ~{{#expr:{{#show:Boomalope|?Daily Milk Average#}}/4.5 round 2}} generators, which in practice means 2 generators per day.
  
−
The bottom line is that it cuts wood consumption by about half vs. wood-fired generators, which is worth a little extra labor to most colonies.
+
In theory, a herd of 9 boomalope can fuel {{#expr:{{#show:Boomalope|?Daily Milk Average#}}/4.5*9 round 1}} generators indefinitely. However, milking is not an instant process, so it is difficult to reach an optimal amount. Additionally, space for a [[pen]] and grazing, or growing more crops, are required to maintain fuel production.
  
−
==== Using boomalopes for fuel ====
+
=== Using the Infinite Chemreactor ===
−
A [[boomalope]] produces at most {{icon small|chemfuel}}{{#show:Boomalope|?Daily Milk Average#}} chemfuel per day. In theory that's enough to run  {{#expr:{{#show:Boomalope|?Daily Milk Average#}}/4.5*9 round 1}} generators indefinitely from a herd of 9 boomalopes (one boomalope can fuel ~{{#expr:{{#show:Boomalope|?Daily Milk Average#}}/4.5 round 2}} generators).  In practice this is not entirely attainable, because milking the animals and refueling the generators will not be an instantaneous, perfect process.
+
The [[Infinite chemreactor]] is a world quest item that generates {{icon small|chemfuel}} 75 chemfuel every ten days (effectively {{icon small|chemfuel}} 7.5 chemfuel per day) at a cost of 300 watts and no work. This is more than enough to power a single chemfuel powered generator, providing a net +700 watts of power, while leaving {{icon small|chemfuel}} 30 chemfuel after a 10 day cycle (an average of 3 excess/day). 3 infinite chemreactors are exactly enough to power 5 chemfuel generators, providing an excess of 4,100 watts of power (5,000w -900w).
  
−
==== Using the Infinite Chemreactor ====
+
Assuming a small buffer of chemfuel to start, this is easily attainable, because the supply side is reliable, and refueling can be done well in advance.
−
The [[Infinite chemreactor]] is a world quest item that generates {{icon small|chemfuel}}75 chemfuel every ten days (effectively {{icon small|chemfuel}}7.5 chemfuel per day) at a cost of 300 watts. This is enough to power a single chemfuel powered generator, providing a net +700 watts of power, while leaving {{icon small|chemfuel}}30 chemfuel after a 10 day cycle (an average of {{icon small|chemfuel}}3 chemfuel excess per day). 3 infinite chemreactors are exactly enough to power 5 chemfuel generators (22.5{{icon small|chemfuel}}/day), providing an excess of 4,100 watts of power (5,000w -900w).
 
  
−
==== Growing plants for fuel ====
+
=== Growing plants for fuel ===
 
Chemfuel generators together with hydroponics greenhouses and biofuel refineries produce a significant net energy profit, if the colonist workforce is available to run the setup.  The (simplified) conversion chain is
 
Chemfuel generators together with hydroponics greenhouses and biofuel refineries produce a significant net energy profit, if the colonist workforce is available to run the setup.  The (simplified) conversion chain is
−
''Power'' (for greenhouse) → ''food'' (for refinery) → ''chemfuel'' (for generator) → ''power''
+
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
|''Power'' (for greenhouse) → ''food'' (for refinery) → ''chemfuel'' (for generator) → ''power''
 +
|}
 
A lot of excess power is generated at the end of the chain.
 
A lot of excess power is generated at the end of the chain.
  
−
A single [[hydroponics basin]] can produce ~{{#expr:4*{{#show:Rice plant|?Harvest Yield Per Day (280)#}}*0.05 round 2}} raw nutrition per day (growing rice, and assuming a perfect grow operation).  This converts into ~{{#expr:{{#vardefineecho:chemfuel_per_basin_per_day|{{#expr:4*{{#show:Rice plant|?Harvest Yield Per Day (280)#}}*0.05*10 }}}} round 1}} chemfuel per day at a [[biofuel refinery]].  Therefore, the produce from a single basin fuels about {{#expr:4*{{#show:Rice plant|?Harvest Yield Per Day (280)#}}*0.05*10/4.5 round 1}} chemfuel generators.  This is not attainable in practice, but will serve as a guideline. Theoretically, a single hydroponics basin lit by a sun lamp (in a group of 24 basins) uses 130W of power on average, including the sun lamp (190W if you assume day-time power draw). This results in a theoretical net gain in energy of about 870W (810W during the day) per dedicated hydroponics basin.  However, the power draw of the refinery is not taken into account (it can be micro-managed if chemfuel is produced in batches, and will not play a big role in the overall economy).
+
A single [[hydroponics basin]] can produce ~{{#expr:4*{{#show:Rice plant|?Harvest Yield Per Day (280)#}}*0.05 round 2}} raw nutrition per day (growing rice, and assuming a perfect grow operation).  This converts into {{Icon Small|Chemfuel}} ~{{#expr:{{#vardefineecho:chemfuel_per_basin_per_day|{{#expr:4*{{#show:Rice plant|?Harvest Yield Per Day (280)#}}*0.05*10 }}}} round 1}} chemfuel per day at a [[biofuel refinery]].  Therefore, the produce from a single basin fuels about {{#expr:{{#var:chemfuel_per_basin_per_day}}/4.5 round 1}} chemfuel generators.  This is not attainable in practice, but will serve as a guideline. Assuming the full area of a sun lamp is occupied by 24 hydroponics basins in the optimal configuration and accounting for the basin's share of the sunlamps power consumption, each individual basin effectively consumes {{#vardefineecho:power_consumption_per_basin_average|{{#expr: ({{Q|hydroponics basin|Power Consumption#}} + (((19.2-6 <!--6am to 7:12pm of 24 hours-->)/24) * {{Q|Sun lamp|Power Consumption#}}/24))*-1 round 0}}}}W of power on average, or {{#vardefineecho:power_consumption_per_basin_peak|{{#expr: ({{Q|hydroponics basin|Power Consumption#}} + ({{Q|Sun lamp|Power Consumption#}}/24))*-1 round 0}}}}W peak. This results in a theoretical net gain in energy of about {{#expr:({{#show:Chemfuel generator|?Power Consumption#}}*{{#var:chemfuel_per_basin_per_day}}/4.5)-{{#var:power_consumption_per_basin_average}} round 0}}W on average or {{#expr:({{#show:Chemfuel generator|?Power Consumption#}}*{{#var:chemfuel_per_basin_per_day}}/4.5)-{{#var:power_consumption_per_basin_peak}} round 0}}W peak per dedicated hydroponics basin.  While, the power draw of the refinery is not taken into account, it can be micro-managed if chemfuel is produced in batches, and will not play a big role in the overall economy.
  
−
With adequate batteries to handle the day-night cycle of [[Sun lamp|sun lamps]], {{#expr:{{#vardefineecho:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup|{{#expr:(24*-{{#show:Hydroponics basin|?Power Consumption#}} + 0.5*-{{#show:Sun lamp|?Power Consumption#}})/{{#show:{{PAGENAME}}|?Power Consumption#}}}}}} round 1}} generators are needed to power a full hydroponics setup, which will require ~{{#expr:{{#var:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup}}*4.5 round 1}} chemfuel per day, or about {{#expr:{{#vardefineecho:chemfuel_dedicted_basins_needed|{{#expr:{{#var:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup}}*4.5/{{#var:chemfuel_per_basin_per_day}}}}}}round 1}} hydroponics basins dedicated to producing rice to turn into chemfuel.  This means that with {{#expr:ceil({{#var:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup}})}} generators, you can grow plants in {{#expr:floor(24 - {{#var:chemfuel_dedicted_basins_needed}})}} of the 24 hydroponics basins for free, with an average of {{#expr:(ceil({{#var:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup}}) - {{#var:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup}})*{{#show:{{PAGENAME}}|?Power Consumption#}}}}W of power spare. Note that this assumes 100% harvest efficiency - as harvest efficiency decreases at higher difficulties, the number of basins that must be dedicated to chemfuel production will increase in direct proportion.
+
With adequate batteries to handle the day-night cycle of [[Sun lamp|sun lamps]], {{#expr:{{#vardefineecho:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup|{{#expr:24*{{#var:power_consumption_per_basin_average}}/{{#show:{{PAGENAME}}|?Power Consumption#}}}}}} round 1}} generators are needed to power a full hydroponics setup, which will require {{Icon Small|Chemfuel}} ~{{#expr:{{#var:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup}}*4.5 round 1}} chemfuel per day, or about {{#expr:{{#vardefineecho:chemfuel_dedicted_basins_needed|{{#expr:{{#var:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup}}*4.5/{{#var:chemfuel_per_basin_per_day}}}}}}round 1}} hydroponics basins dedicated to producing rice to turn into chemfuel.  This means that with {{#expr:ceil({{#var:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup}})}} generators, you can grow plants in {{#expr:floor(24 - {{#var:chemfuel_dedicted_basins_needed}})}} of the 24 hydroponics basins for free, with an average of {{#expr:(ceil({{#var:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup}}) - {{#var:generators_needed_for_hydroponic_setup}})*{{#show:{{PAGENAME}}|?Power Consumption#}}}}W of power spare. Note that this assumes 100% harvest efficiency - as harvest efficiency decreases at higher difficulties, the number of basins that must be dedicated to chemfuel production will increase in direct proportion.
  
 
Corn can also be grown to feed chemfuel generators, with {{#expr:4.5*2/{{#show:Corn plant|?Harvest Yield Per Day (100)}} round 1}} tiles of [[corn plant]] in 100% fertility soil needed for each generator.
 
Corn can also be grown to feed chemfuel generators, with {{#expr:4.5*2/{{#show:Corn plant|?Harvest Yield Per Day (100)}} round 1}} tiles of [[corn plant]] in 100% fertility soil needed for each generator.
  
−
==Version History==
+
== Version history ==
−
* Beta 18 - Added.
+
* [[Version/0.18.1722|0.18.1722]] - Added.
 
* [[Version/1.1.0|1.1.0]] - Refueling is now toggleable.
 
* [[Version/1.1.0|1.1.0]] - Refueling is now toggleable.
 +
 
{{nav|power|wide}}
 
{{nav|power|wide}}
−
[[Category:Buildings]]
 
 
[[Category:Power]]
 
[[Category:Power]]

Latest revision as of 17:13, 5 October 2024

Chemfuel powered generator

Chemfuel powered generator

Produces power by consuming chemfuel. Must be periodically refueled by hand.

Base Stats

Type
Building – Power
Market Value
295 Silver [Note]
Beauty
-20
HP
300
Flammability
100%
Path Cost
50 (21%)

Fuel

Usable Item(s)
Chemfuel Chemfuel
Capacity
30.0
Consumption Rate
4.5

Building

Size
2 × 2
Minifiable
False
Placeable
True
Passability
pass through only
Cover Effectiveness
75%
Blocks Wind
True
Terrain Affordance
Medium
Power
1000 W
Light Radius
3.49
Heat Per Second
6

Creation

Required Research
Electricity
Skill Required
Construction 6
Work To Make
2,500 ticks (41.67 secs)
Resources to make
Steel 100 + Component 3
Deconstruct yield
Steel 50 + Component 1 - 2
Destroy yield
Steel 25 + Component 0 - 1

The chemfuel powered generator produces power from chemfuel. The generator is an exact analog to the wood-fired generator, only the type of fuel is different.

Acquisition[edit]

Chemfuel powered generators can be constructed once the electricity research project has been completed. Each requires Steel 100 Steel, Component 3 Components, 2,500 ticks (41.67 secs) of work modified by the construction speed of the builder, and a construction skill of 6.

Once constructed, they cannot be re-installed, they can only be deconstructed.

Summary[edit]

The chemfuel powered generator consumes Chemfuel 4.5 chemfuel per day and generates a constant 1000W as long as it is switched on and fueled. It can hold up to 30 fuel at a time, for a maximum run time of 6.66 days. Fuel consumption is not dependent on how much power is actually drawn. Fuel has to be delivered to the generator by a hauler colonist or lifter.Content added by the Biotech DLC It can be switched off; in the off state it will neither consume fuel nor produce power.

Light & heat[edit]

It outputs light in a 6 tile radius, with the nearest 3.485 tiles being above 50% light level and considered lit. Note that the light source is centered at the bottom-left tile of the generator, rather than the "true" center of the generator.

It heats at a rate of 6 heat per second[Exact mechanic unclear]. Unlike many other heat sources, it does not appear to have a maximum temperature and will continue to heat up rooms indefinitely.[Confirmation needed].

Explosion[edit]

If it is damaged below one third of its hitpoints, or 100 HP, it has a %70 chance to explode. The generator will spark and emit a hissing sound shortly before exploding between 70 ticks (1.17 secs) and 150 ticks (2.5 secs) later. The explosion deals 10 Flame damage in a radius around itself that depends on the quantity of fuel in the generator. At 0 fuel, the explosion has a radius of 0 and only destroys the generator, and expanding this radius proportional to the square root of the fuel times 0.95 up to a maximum radius of 5.34 tiles when fully fueled. This explosion leaves Chemfuel puddles which will then ignite and burn.

Analysis[edit]

Chemfuel generators are compact, can be placed anywhere, and offer a consistent source of power, making it one of the easiest generators to use. Most other power sources scale much worse; they are either inconsistent, have a location requirement, or take up lots of space. With chemfuel generators, you can easily place as many as you want, so long as you can fuel them.

However, these generators require upkeep, both to create the chemfuel, and to haul the fuel to the generator. The exact amount of work depends on which source of chemfuel is used - infinite chemreactors are very limited, but require no work to create. Many colonies will have to research Biofuel Refining to actually make some.

In general, any source of chemfuel is less work than what a wood-fired generator would take. The workload is reasonably low, so using chemfuel does not bring excessive burden to a colony.

Fuel economy[edit]

Using wood for fuel[edit]

With a biofuel refinery, chemfuel generators consume Wood 9 wood of chemfuel per day, less than a wood-fired generator's Wood 22 per day. Both generators produce the same amount of power. Converting wood to chemfuel takes work, but harvesting wild trees takes longer when considering the time to walk and haul. When cultivating your own plants, using corn takes much less work than growing trees. Note that the refinery itself requires 170 W of power, but you only need 1 refinery for many generators. In specific:

  • Converting wood to chemfuel takes 2,000 ticks (33.33 secs) of work for 7.78 days of fuel, or 257 ticks (4.28 secs) for 1 day of fuel.
  • Just harvesting the wood depends on biome, growth of the tree, and Plants skill.
    • With a Plants skill of 8, it would take a ballpark of 260 ticks (4.33 secs) of work to harvest Wood 9 wood, a day of fuel, for a fully grown, non-cactus tree.
    • For reference, it would take the same pawn a ballpark of 650 ticks (10.83 secs) of work to harvest Wood 22 wood.
As it only takes a base 517 ticks (8.62 secs) to fuel a chemfuel generator for one day, the wood-fired generator is often less efficient.
  • When considering tree cutting, note that you will need to go further and further to cut more trees. A wood-fired generator requires you to cut more trees, which means more hauling time.

Sowing a single tree takes 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) of work, which makes them much less efficient than any food crop. FibercornContent added by the Ideology DLC is less efficient than regular corn, too.

Using boomalopes for fuel[edit]

A boomalope produces, at most, Chemfuel 11 chemfuel per day. This takes 400 ticks (6.67 secs) of work before modifiers. This is enough to fuel ~2.44 generators, which in practice means 2 generators per day.

In theory, a herd of 9 boomalope can fuel 22 generators indefinitely. However, milking is not an instant process, so it is difficult to reach an optimal amount. Additionally, space for a pen and grazing, or growing more crops, are required to maintain fuel production.

Using the Infinite Chemreactor[edit]

The Infinite chemreactor is a world quest item that generates Chemfuel 75 chemfuel every ten days (effectively Chemfuel 7.5 chemfuel per day) at a cost of 300 watts and no work. This is more than enough to power a single chemfuel powered generator, providing a net +700 watts of power, while leaving Chemfuel 30 chemfuel after a 10 day cycle (an average of 3 excess/day). 3 infinite chemreactors are exactly enough to power 5 chemfuel generators, providing an excess of 4,100 watts of power (5,000w -900w).

Assuming a small buffer of chemfuel to start, this is easily attainable, because the supply side is reliable, and refueling can be done well in advance.

Growing plants for fuel[edit]

Chemfuel generators together with hydroponics greenhouses and biofuel refineries produce a significant net energy profit, if the colonist workforce is available to run the setup. The (simplified) conversion chain is

Power (for greenhouse) → food (for refinery) → chemfuel (for generator) → power

A lot of excess power is generated at the end of the chain.

A single hydroponics basin can produce ~0.61 raw nutrition per day (growing rice, and assuming a perfect grow operation). This converts into Chemfuel ~6.1 chemfuel per day at a biofuel refinery. Therefore, the produce from a single basin fuels about 1.3 chemfuel generators. This is not attainable in practice, but will serve as a guideline. Assuming the full area of a sun lamp is occupied by 24 hydroponics basins in the optimal configuration and accounting for the basin's share of the sunlamps power consumption, each individual basin effectively consumes 136W of power on average, or 191W peak. This results in a theoretical net gain in energy of about 1211W on average or 1156W peak per dedicated hydroponics basin. While, the power draw of the refinery is not taken into account, it can be micro-managed if chemfuel is produced in batches, and will not play a big role in the overall economy.

With adequate batteries to handle the day-night cycle of sun lamps, 3.3 generators are needed to power a full hydroponics setup, which will require Chemfuel ~14.7 chemfuel per day, or about 2.4 hydroponics basins dedicated to producing rice to turn into chemfuel. This means that with 4 generators, you can grow plants in 21 of the 24 hydroponics basins for free, with an average of 736W of power spare. Note that this assumes 100% harvest efficiency - as harvest efficiency decreases at higher difficulties, the number of basins that must be dedicated to chemfuel production will increase in direct proportion.

Corn can also be grown to feed chemfuel generators, with 8.6 tiles of corn plant in 100% fertility soil needed for each generator.

Version history[edit]

Architect
Power
Power conduit (Hidden, Waterproof) • Power switch • Wood-fired generator • Chemfuel powered generator • Wind turbine
(research)
Battery • Geothermal generator • Solar generator • Watermill generator • Toxifier generatorContent added by the Biotech DLC • Bioferrite generatorContent added by the Anomaly DLC
(uncraftable)
Vanometric power cell • Unstable power cell Content added by the Royalty DLC
Related
Ship reactor • ElectroharvesterContent added by the Anomaly DLC

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