A Few Questions about Energy and Fuel

[Synpax]

These are things I am not certain about.

1) What is the relationship between energy and fuel? Fuel is made from energy? Does a ship/base use energy directly or only after it's been turned into fuel?

2) Where does a gas mining station get the energy to operate and how does that energy flow through it's components? I assume it comes from the gas it is mining, right?

3) Ibid for star systems. I want to make some super fast fueling stations for my fleets and would prefer to do this at starbases rather than gas mines.

4) So to make a mining station or a star base into a super fueling station, I know I need plenty of docking bays, but what other components? Energy collectors or energy plants?Fuel cells? Fuel converters?

5) If I wanted my ships to last longer in space, i would add more.... energy collectors and park the fleet on a star? Or more fuel cells? Or both?

I wish there was some online guide that could help answer these questions.

[Ri0Rdian]

1. Other way around. Energy is made from fuel. Or if possible, use energy collectors for static energy needs, that helps with stationary ships/objects, no fuel consumed when not moving. Ships that do not move and have no collectors still consume fuel.

2. Yes, also, energy collectors matter here too.

3. Not possible since you rely on private sector to transport the fuel. It would be possible if you used Space Ports as refuelling bases (which they in fact are) but having large amount of those would screw up the transport ships. Space Ports act as building platforms and also resource hubs. Lots of Space Ports > poor transport ships! > Resource shortages

4. Ships refuel from storage, fuel is only used for the unit that has it built into. Plenty of docking bays to refuel many ships at once, and better tech for them to increase throughput thus decrease time spend refuelling. Helps a bit.

5. If you have enough energy collectors to cover the static energy needs and are within the range you will be alright. Only if you have none or some get damaged during combat ships might have to use fuel again.


Very late game tech allows for what you want. Energy to Fuel conversion component. Basically you stick it onto a base and it will produce fuel. You can then put refuelling station almost everywhere. I am not sure how efficient it is however, never used it much myself.

[Synpax]

So, for four, adding a bunch of:

- Docking bays
- Fuel Cells (for storage)
- Gas Extraction (extract more, faster)

to a gas mining station will turn it into a super fueling station, right?

[Ri0Rdian]

Storage, not fuel cells. Fuel cells serve only the station itself. Also, gases takes 1/4 space compared to other materials.

[Synpax]

But the thing standard fuel cell is called a 'fuel storage cell' and the galactopedia links to 'fuel storage.' It seems to increase the storage of fuel.

[Synpax]

Oh, and stupid quesiton. Does it matter what the gas mining station is mining? Or not?

[adobo]

Depends on your reactors. Starting reactors use Caslons till the Fusion/Quantum reactor split. Fusion use Hydrogen and Quantun is Caslon.

The branches merges again and that tech line uses Hydrogen.

[Greythorn]

Be adviced that some of the wrecked ships you can salvage may be using hydrogen while you are still on caslon. I've been pounding my keyboard in frustration wondering why my shiny salvaged capital ship wouldn't refuel at my caslon gasmine. Ooops...