Is oil more efficient than coal?

[lily40k]

Should i convert to oil and turn coal into oil
or its better to let coal feed the generator for a while then move to oil? i assume chapter 2 requires to switch anyway...

[Airatome]

Nothing requires switching, especially if you chose Adaptation/Embrace the cold path.
But by default oil is THE most efficient fuel for heat. Providing a default 1
1:2 ratio of incoming fuel to heat provided.

Made even MORE efficient by Progress/Beat the Cold generator upgrades one and two and later three. To where oil is not only providing considerably more heat per unit, but can be converted with Coal for even more fuel.

We are actually having issues with this because the generator will mandatory prioritize the most efficient source of heat. Which always oil even when going other routes. And the moment oil enters the picture even on an Adaptation run...the generator immediately wants to suck that up like Hexxas from Fern Gully 😑

[Landlocked]

Without bonuses, oil gives 2 heat and coal gives 1. Depending on the story path you take, either the generator will take coal and oil, or oil only. The oil-only generator is more efficient with oil. If you go with the oil-and-coal generator, it's a question of convenience. It is more fuel-efficient to convert then burn, but do you have other things you'd rather do with the manpower?

[HardNRG]

Originally posted by Airatome:

Nothing requires switching, especially if you chose Adaptation/Embrace the cold path.
But by default oil is THE most efficient fuel for heat. Providing a default 1
1:2 ratio of incoming fuel to heat provided.

Made even MORE efficient by Progress/Beat the Cold generator upgrades one and two and later three. To where oil is not only providing considerably more heat per unit, but can be converted with Coal for even more fuel.

We are actually having issues with this because the generator will mandatory prioritize the most efficient source of heat. Which always oil even when going other routes. And the moment oil enters the picture even on an Adaptation run...the generator immediately wants to suck that up like Hexxas from Fern Gully 😑

There is one way to battle this, build fuel depots to your oil colony, divert all oil to there from outposts and settlements, and from there through skyways send only enough so that all steam is always used up, and whatever coal you want. Of course you can send some outpost/settlement oil straight to city/other colonies so not to put too much of a strain on your skyway capacity, but most should be going to oil colony, which you can then send away when whiteout hits.