Wind Turbine efficiency is misleading

[Scoob]

Hey all,

So, the Efficiency value from Poor to Optimal shown in the UI of the individual Turbine can be VERY misleading.

For example, I set up an all-optimal group of Wind Turbines, that worked perfectly. Until they didn't. I noticed my base was running off of Battery power, with ALL those previously Optimal Wind Turbines showing as Poor. Had I changed something, was I now blocking them in some way? No, the wind had just dropped. Eventually, all Turbines went back to Optimal - no actions needed by me.

This explains something I noticed during the base's initial set up. I placed my first couple of Wind Turbines in what I thought was an Optimal placement, however, they showed as Poor. I moved them a few blocks, and they were now all Optimal and I thought no more of it, until now.

Looking at the UI, I see no indication of current Wind Speed, yet it was a temporary lack of Wind that caused their output to drop, NOT their placement. Having only returned to the game recently, I likely last played a lot in 2019/2020, I don't recall Wind varying like this, however, I was more a tracking Solar Panels + Batteries sort of person.

So, is there some indication of current Wind Speed somewhere? Is there any way to tell if Poor efficiency is down to Placement OR just a temporary drop in the Wind speed? I wonder how many people change the placement of their Wind Turbines due to Poor efficiency that's down to the current wind strength and not placement?

Note: at all times my base was quite busy, with the Refinery working constantly, a small mining ship charging as well as things being crafted. So, the demand for power was certainly there, but I balanced things so I'd be in a net-positive of energy generation with all the Wind Turbines optimal.

[ShadedMJ]

You are quite probably blocking them with each other. You are probably putting them up high enough, but if there is another turbine (or any other block) within I think its 8 _linear_ blocks, they block each other.
A configuration like this, however does not conflict with each other.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2492984629

Edit: Apologies. That came out much more harsh than I intended.

[WheelChock]

To display Wind Speed, you can use the Build Info mod:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=514062285&searchtext=build+info

Wind speed will be displayed in the Control Panel for each Wind Turbine in the lower right corner.

Wind speed will vary based on where on the planet you are building, even if you follow the rules of 8 or 9 blocks high and 5 or 6 blocks separation. It will be consistent in that spot (unless you have Weather enabled - see next paragraph), but might be higher or lower just a few kilometers away.

Wind speed also varies with the weather if you have that enabled. Some storms will give you a significant boost, other weather types will cause a significant loss.

For reference, the max defined wind speed on each planet (last time I looked) is 80 km/h.

[Scoob]

Thanks for the tip, I'll look into that.

[DivineEvil]

Efficiency parameter has nothing to do with wind speed, only with the placement. Wind turbines are best placed with distance from any other static obstacle, up to something like 7 blocks in all directions, speaking very crudely. The further from terrain and less other blocks there are within that range, the greater the efficiency is.

Basically the way you want to build them is to offset the pillar away from your base for at least 5-6 blocks, extend it 5-7 blocks to the sky, and place the turbine on top; And then do the same thing for every new turbine you add up from the base or another already existing pillar. So, you most likely just built something else in the range of your turbines and spoiled their clearance, and that may include other turbines if they're to close to each-other.

[Scoob]

Originally posted by REALRACE:

Originally posted by DivineEvil:

Efficiency parameter has nothing to do with wind speed, only with the placement.

mmm ... then why shows a turbine different "parameters" when nothing got build in the meantime? i experienced the same like Scoob describes.

Indeed. I think it's been proven that Wind Speed is a significant factor here. The Wind Turbines on my base - despite there being NO CHANGES to it - will vary from Optimal down to Poor as the weather changes.

This is the point of this topic, Efficiency - that Poor to Optimal Rating - is misleading. A *perfectly* placed Wind Turbine will show as Poor, if the wind ain't blowing. My initial Wind Turbine placement for this based showed as Poor, when it was in fact perfectly fine.

[whitevalfore]

Turbines needs room to 'breath' to be decent enough to not require ice/solar/nuclear, the planetoid must have an atmosphere for wind turbines.

[Scoob]

Originally posted by whitevalfore:

Turbines needs room to 'breath' to be decent enough to not require ice/solar/nuclear, the planetoid must have an atmosphere for wind turbines.

Well, yes, that's a given. The point of this discussion is how the game reports Efficiency but DOESN'T mention that Wind Speed is a factor in that Poor to Optimal rating. The player can, and I have, place a Wind Turbine *perfectly* yet it still shows as Poor... until the wind later picks up.

While there are third-party solutions to show Wind speed - so the player has all the facts - this really should be part of the base game. A Wind Turbine should show Wind Speed AND placement efficiency, with the latter NOT affected by current wind speed. I.e. this placement is OPTIMAL based on a high enough wind speed. A wind speed of "strong" might be needed to truly obtain the best power from Optimal placement for example.

Look, I know how this works fully now. I know when my placement is perfect, so if the Turbines don't say "Optimal" I know I just have to wait for the wind to pick up. As I use mods already, I may well use the Build Info mod that @WheelChock kindly shared.

[Bahamut]

Originally posted by Scoob:

Originally posted by whitevalfore:

Turbines needs room to 'breath' to be decent enough to not require ice/solar/nuclear, the planetoid must have an atmosphere for wind turbines.

Well, yes, that's a given. The point of this discussion is how the game reports Efficiency but DOESN'T mention that Wind Speed is a factor in that Poor to Optimal rating. The player can, and I have, place a Wind Turbine *perfectly* yet it still shows as Poor... until the wind later picks up.

While there are third-party solutions to show Wind speed - so the player has all the facts - this really should be part of the base game. A Wind Turbine should show Wind Speed AND placement efficiency, with the latter NOT affected by current wind speed. I.e. this placement is OPTIMAL based on a high enough wind speed. A wind speed of "strong" might be needed to truly obtain the best power from Optimal placement for example.

Look, I know how this works fully now. I know when my placement is perfect, so if the Turbines don't say "Optimal" I know I just have to wait for the wind to pick up. As I use mods already, I may well use the Build Info mod that @WheelChock kindly shared.

The game doesn't show wind speed because the game doesn't have wind speed. You can test this by building a completely enclosed steel box, putting a wind turbine in it, and see that it generates power. Wind speed is purely a calculated value that would hold no meaning to the player.

A tip in the control panel that shows when the Turbine is affected by the current weather type would be much more helpful.

[Scoob]

I thought "Wind Speed" was a fairly succinct way of saying "The speed at which the various weather conditions spin a Turbine" affected by placement of course.

Some sort of clue as to what this means would be darn useful though, especially when learning the game.

[Bahamut]

The 'poor' 'good' and 'optimal are just fine since there is no actual wind, wind speed is meaningless. However, it would potentially help if there was more info on the performance similar to the current and maximum power output.

Something like

Current performance: Good
Max performance: Optimal
Affected by: Weather Light Fog/Grid <Grid Name>

Max performance would be given at the Turbines current placement.

This would be more helpful, in my opinion, for new players as there is no other place that wind would even apply and since the main things that determine the performance are height from voxel and horizontal clearance to other grids.

Could there be more information? Always, but there does come a point of information overload where one is given too much information, especially when a lot of it is only used in either very specific instances or only useful when trying to get perfection.

[Scoob]

There certainly needs to be something to clarify this. I mean, though I've only just come back to the game after a couple of years, I do recall how to place Wind Turbines for Optimum performance. To place several thus as have them reported as "Poor" initially made me think I'd done something wrong. A new player would likely be rather confused at this. They might have watched a guide on Wind Turbine placement, followed it to the letter and it's not working for them.

You know, I'm not actually sure what weather has what impact. I've just experienced, Clear, foggy and rain and they remained Optimal throughout. I cannot recall what weather effect was present when they dropped to Poor that time, before recovering later - no changes on my part in the interim.

SE is perhaps more challenging to pick up than other titles, especially if you've never played anything quite like it before. It needs to be a little clearer for new and old players alike.

[ShadedMJ]

Not trying to defend a bad point, but wind turbines can work well underground .... and will probably spin fast in an enclosed area during a storm....

I list it along with every storm there has to be lightning hitting your station... Its not weather unless it is directly affecting you.

[Scoob]

Originally posted by ShadedMJ:

Not trying to defend a bad point, but wind turbines can work well underground .... and will probably spin fast in an enclosed area during a storm....

I list it along with every storm there has to be lightning hitting your station... Its not weather unless it is directly affecting you.

Lol, really? I thought they needed to be a certain height above terrain voxels to potentially achieve Optimal performance. I actually want to build a subterranean base, but assumed I'd have to rely on Reactors or exposed Solar / Turbines...

[Dan2D3D]

Hi Scoob,
I just change the Wind Turbines postion till they give Max power (457.14).

DLC Turbine need to be at +10 blocks a way from Voxel to give Max power while 8.5 for normal one :
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3119355257
+
I try to build smaller stations having only one Job to do and they don't need more the 4 Wind Turbines without any Batteries.
++
I never "merge" the Recharging Station with other stations, the recharging one is a separate station having only one Job to do that is recharging the connected ship.

=
It's my Engineer solution and may not be OK for all players.

[Bahamut]

Originally posted by Scoob:

Lol, really? I thought they needed to be a certain height above terrain voxels to potentially achieve Optimal performance. I actually want to build a subterranean base, but assumed I'd have to rely on Reactors or exposed Solar / Turbines...

Nope. Doesn't have to be a certain height, just a certain distance from voxels. Its just that most people will do the common sense thing and put wind turbines above ground and up high, so saying height from voxels is just easier. I don't know if it counts distance from voxels in a ray cast from its base straight down relative to the turbine's orientation or in multiple ray casts around it.

I have a picture somewhere of a singular wind turbine in a warhead created hole deep underground. Only way into/out of that place is via spectator and it was full optimal performance.