Power

In RimWorld, electricity is the key to survival. Most vital structures and buildings require power, and building an efficient power grid is the key to success.

Power generators

Solar generator

See also: Solar generator

Solar panels are a cheap first way of producing power from the limitless energy of the Sun.

The drawback is that it doesn't work at night, needing batteries to power lights and turrets all night long. Template:Clr

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Geothermal generator

See also: Geothermal generator

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A Geothermal generator is a very good and reliable power source drawing its energy from the heat of the planet's core.

It produces a lot of power all day round but it is more expensive to build than solar generator and it has to be placed on geothermal geysers. Those geysers are placed at random, sometimes not even occurring at all, and are usually positioned far from the initial landing zone.
This makes geothermal generators either a valuable asset far from the safety of the core base, or necessitates a base relocation to a zone harder to defend against raiders.

Power generator summary

Type	Cost	Size	Power output	Day	Night	Placing
Solar	80 Metal	2x2	1500 W	✓	✗	Free
Geothermal	250 Metal	6x6	5000 W	✓	✓	On geysers

Power transfers

Power conduit

See also: Power conduit

A power conduit transmits power from generators or batteries to appliances.
It is a big cable that allows appliances to be powered up to 5 squares away from it.
A power conduit doesn't consume any power but takes some space on the floor, as most structures and buildings can't be built over it, except for solar generators and batteries.

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Wall

See also: Wall

Regarding power distribution, a wall works exactly the same way as a power conduit, also powering appliances up to 5 squares away from any powered section. If a wall section is unpowered, the game will show a notice until it is connected to the power grid, but there is no drawbacks to not connecting walls to the power grid.

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Door

See also: Door

Doors allow passage in a 1 square opening in a built wall or cave wall.

It acts like a power conduit and needs a direct link to a wall or to a power conduit to open and close quickly and distribute power. If not powered, it will still open, but much slower.

Power transfers summary

Item	Cost	Size	Power needed	Transmits power	Powering distance	Allows building	Allows passage
Power conduit	1 Metal	1x1	✗	✓	5 squares	✗*	✓
Wall	3 Metal	1x1	✗	✓	5 squares	✗	✗
Door	25 Metal	1x1	50 W	✓	5 squares	✗	✓

* except for solar generator and battery

Power storage

Batteries

See also: Batteries

Batteries play a very important part in the power grid of your base as it allows you to use power coming from solar generator all night long and offers a way to store energy coming from geothermal generators closer to your main base.

A battery can only hold so much power, but it won't deplete over time if no appliance is connected to it.

If a power generators' output exceeds appliances power consumption, excess power will be distributed evenly amongst all non-full connected batteries, charging all batteries at the same rate. Likewise, if power consumption exceeds power generation, all non-empty batteries will deplete at the same rate to fill the power gap.

Appliances

Appliances are structures or buildings that require power but don't transmit it. Appliances don't require a direct power cable/wall connection, they can be placed up to 5 squares away from them. When connected to the power grid, it can take a few moments before an appliance turns on.

Appliances summary

Appliance	Cost	Size	Power consumption
Standing lamp	5 Metal	1x1	150 W
Sun lamp	20 Metal	1x1	600 W
Nutrient paste dispenser	90 Metal	4x3	200 W
Comms console	120 Metal	3x2	200 W
Auto-turret	90 Metal	2x2	250 W