Is Compacted Coal worth it for Coal Power Plants?

[Stretchytall]

I realized the recipe for Compacted Coal basically doubles the amount of Coal, using Sulphur to make up the difference. But is it really worth feeding Coal Power Plants the Compacted Coal? I see the Coal Power Plants are slightly more efficient while burning Compacted Coal. But is the energy spent producing the Compacted Coal really worth it?

[NocheLuz]

Sulfur is a rare resource, so no. Just tapping more Coal nodes is more efficient than using the Compact Coal.

[DaBa]

The game tells you how long each resource lasts, so you can easily see how big the difference is.

There is no objective answer to if it's worth it. You ask yourself that question and answer it on your own. Is the hassle of setting up compacted coal production worth having your coal last longer and being able to feed more plants?

To me the answer to that question was a resounding no every single time. Coal is everywhere, so instead of the hassle of getting getting sulfur and setting up compacted coal production I can just... get more coal.

[Aranador]

Compacted Coal has other uses - before you get to those uses - if you happen to have a convenient area to make the stuff, feeding it into coal stations might be worth it - but your factory will evolve, and you'll want that stuff elsewhere eventually. But it is OK to use it now and change later - evolving factories is fine, you do not have to have the final plan and start building it from day one.

[Stretchytall]

Originally posted by DaBa:

The game tells you how long each resource lasts, so you can easily see how big the difference is.

Wait! Do you mean the mining nodes last a finite amount of time? Because I've been under the impression mining nodes never run out of resources.

Or do you mean Coal lasts four seconds in the Coal Power Plant, while Compacted Coal lasts over ten seconds in the Coal Power Plant?

[king_of_jamaica]

Originally posted by NocheLuz:

Sulfur is a rare resource

Is it? If I wasn't too lazy to run conveyors everywhere, I could probably run my entire setup on one of the two Pure deposits I've found, and I've already unlocked everything but Tier 8 stuff.

[NocheLuz]

Originally posted by king_of_jamaica:

Originally posted by NocheLuz:

Sulfur is a rare resource

Is it? If I wasn't too lazy to run conveyors everywhere, I could probably run my entire setup on one of the two Pure deposits I've found, and I've already unlocked everything but Tier 8 stuff.

Yeah, I think it has fewer nodes than the Oil node. But I think they added quite a lot of new nodes on 1.0. So it might not be that rare anymore.

However, in my Dune Desert, they only have about 2 nodes on nearby biomes. I think other starting areas might be a little more nodes.

[The Big Brzezinski]

I doubt it's worth the trouble for coal boilers, but it's great fuel for an Explorer.

[Rufert]

I used it all the way up to oil. But I happened to come across coal and sulfur fairly close together.

To Quote Goofy

"Hyuck, and I'll do it again, Hyuck!"

Plus once I needed it for other stuff the pipeline was already set up and I could just redirect it.

[KnoKnox]

NO keep it for turbofuel !
With 300 compacted coal you can feed 50 fuel generators

[Lawn-Mower]

Coal gennies get outdated nearly as quickly bioburners. My plan is to make compacted coal near other coal nodes. Burn compacted coal until needed later, then swap to the regular coal when I don't really need the coal gennies anymore, or expand the CC facility by bringing in more sulfer.

I've also never run out of sulfer, but I've not had a save over 15mb or so.. Even with a big munitions facility..

[ShelLuser]

Originally posted by NocheLuz:

Sulfur is a rare resource, so no. Just tapping more Coal nodes is more efficient than using the Compact Coal.

Not super rare, and you can even automatically mine it which puts this into other perspectives as well IMO.

[kLuns]

10k Sulfur on the map. There is enough caterium for caterium wire before you are going for insane numbers. This whole resource is rare rubbish make no sense if you make small amounts.

Compacted coal:
More power, more factory but also less yield in the sense that you get a lower percentage of the power to go to your factory. The output is still significantly more than using the same amount of coal directly.

Another thing is that compacted coal is great tractor fuel before you unlock oil. However oil makes it permanently obsolete.

Originally posted by KnoKnox:

NO keep it for turbofuel !
With 300 compacted coal you can feed 50 fuel generators

Don't do this. Regular coal power and turbo blend fuel provides much more with the same amount of resources.

[Goblin]

Originally posted by kLuns:

Originally posted by KnoKnox:

NO keep it for turbofuel !
With 300 compacted coal you can feed 50 fuel generators

Don't do this. Regular coal power and turbo blend fuel provides much more with the same amount of resources.

Turbo Blend Fuel is not only locked until Tier 7 because you need a blender, but also is an alternate you have to happen to find from HDDs. Not relevant at all to an early fuel power setup, while normal turbofuel very much is.

[kLuns]

Originally posted by Goblin:

Turbo Blend Fuel is not only locked until Tier 7 because you need a blender, but also is an alternate you have to happen to find from HDDs. Not relevant at all to an early fuel power setup, while normal turbofuel very much is.

You can unlock phase 4 easy with diluted packaged fuel.
If you only have the first milestone in T7 you got 16% chance of getting turbo blend fuel directly.
The difference between diluted packaged fuel and regular turbo fuel is way too litle. You are better off keeping your build small untill you get better stuff to you use it in.

[Bedna]

Originally posted by kLuns:

Originally posted by Goblin:

Turbo Blend Fuel is not only locked until Tier 7 because you need a blender, but also is an alternate you have to happen to find from HDDs. Not relevant at all to an early fuel power setup, while normal turbofuel very much is.

You can unlock phase 4 easy with diluted packaged fuel.
If you only have the first milestone in T7 you got 16% chance of getting turbo blend fuel directly.
The difference between diluted packaged fuel and regular turbo fuel is way too litle. You are better off keeping your build small untill you get better stuff to you use it in.

You don't need a blender for turbofuel. You make it in a refinery.