Summary
Satisfactoryis a well-loved indie game by many, but the number of buildings and steps involved in the game can be mind-boggling for new players and returning players alike. Among the many decisions players need to make while building their refinement operation is what kind of power to rely on early in the game.
While there are several serviceable options for new saves, one stands out as efficient and flexible - making it the perfect way to power the player’s Factory setup until the Fuel Generator is unlocked mid-game. Keep reading for information on each power source accessible in the early game, their power output, how to unlock them, their benefits, and any drawbacks they may have.
6Raw Plant Material
The Most Basic Of All - And The Worst
Raw plant material, such as leaves collected from bushes, is the most basic fuel source for the Biomass Burner. This is the power source players will start with at the beginning of the game, and it can be collected using the interact key while standing in front of a bush. Collecting bushes in this manner will also yield a small amount of wood (also usable in the Biomass Burner), although not as much as cutting down trees.
However, moving away from this source of power should be the player’s first priority. Burning raw leaves is very inefficient, as leaves have the lowest power output of any biomass (10 leaves yield only 150 MJ) - even when refined into biomass and biofuel. There is also no way to automate the process of collecting and feeding leaves to the Biomass Burner, meaning the player will have to constantly harvest and feed their setup.
5Mycelia
Better Than Plants, Safer Than Animals, Harder To Find
Mycelia is the next best source of power from leaves (producing 200 MJ per 10 units) and is collected from a number of plants in the world that resemble mushrooms. To collect Mycelia from eligible plants, use the interact key (in the same way leaves are collected from bushes) or speed up the processusing a chainsaw.
Mycelia has the advantage over other plant materials because it produces more power per unit, even in its raw form. In addition, it is less hazardous to obtain than animal protein. However, finding a constant supply can be tricky, and harvesting it cannot be automated. Instead, the player will need to periodically go out to manually stockpile the resources. For this reason, other power sources are usually a better choice, and it is always suggested to refine Mycelia into Biomass or Biofuel to increase efficiency when it is used.
4Raw Animal Material
A Higher Return Than Plants But Hazardous To Obtain
Raw animal materials are a fuel source for the Biomass Burner, which is obtained by killing various aliens in the game. The most common aliens to harvest animal material are the various types of hogs (Fluffy-tailed, Alpha, Cliff, and Nuclear varieties exist). These are generally plentiful and less difficult to hunt than Stingers and Spitters because they are primarily melee threats while being easier to catch than peaceful aliens due to their tendency to fight the player instead of running away.
While animal material is the most efficient raw biological material (yielding 2500 MJ per 10 Animal Protein), it is still far better to refine it into Solid Biofuel when possible. In addition, players who wish to burn animal material in the Biomass Burner will need to hunt enough to feed themselves in addition to powering the generator - heavily increasing the risk of injury and amount of time out looking for game.
3Biomass
A Craftable Improvement To Raw Plant Material
Craftable Biomass is the first significant power upgrade available to players (yielding 1800 MJ per 10 units) and is researched byupgrading the HUBto 6. Initially, the player may craft biomass from only leaves and wood (although recipes for Mycelia and Animal Protein can be unlocked in theMAM Research Menu). Crafting wood into Biomass increases its energy output by 9 times, and can be done using a Constructor. In addition, at this point, players will be able to craft and power a chainsaw, rapidly speeding up the harvesting of trees.
Rather than sinking energy into unlocking the Mycelia and Animal Protein varieties of Biomass, players are best served sticking to wood. Wood has a slightly smaller output of Biomass per wood (4 Wood creates 20 Biomass compared to 1 Alien Protein making 100 Biomass), but it is plentiful and quick to harvest, meaning that players can rapidly stockpile it, and then automate the process of converting it from wood to Biomass, and then into power byusing conveyor belts.
Like most resources in Satisfactory,trees do not respawn. This is part of the key gameplay loop that encourages exploration. While trees are an excellent early source of power, switching to the Fuel Generator or Geothermal Generator in the late game is better.
2Coal
The First Step Of Fully Automated Power
Rather than putting time into refining biological matter for the Biomass Burner, some players rush coal power. To unlock the buildings necessary to generate power with coal, players must find and begin collecting coal from a deposit and reach the Tier 3 Milestone “Coal Power” whilebuilding the Space Elevator. These can be found in the world as black rocks, which glow as a POI and can be harvested either by using the interact button or with a Miner.
While coal collection can be fully automatedusing a Portable Minerand conveyor belts, having a deposit with the necessary water near the player’s base can be tricky. This is because coal has a downside: players must use water extractors and pipers to supply the generator with water in addition to coal, or it will not produce power. In addition - unlike when using the Biomass Burner - coal always burns at the maximum rate in the Coal Generator. This can easily lead to waste, and efficiency is much more on the onus of the player. Despite this, the ease of collection and its slightly higher output per unit (3000 MJ per 10 Coal) makes it a fan favorite.
1Solid Biofuel
Research Solid Biofuel For The Largest Return on Biomass
Solid Biofuel can be crafted in a Constructor from Biomass once the player has reachedgame Milestone2.2 (Removing Obstacles). This can typically be done in a couple of hours, especially if the tutorial (Tier 0) is skipped. Like Biomass, the most plentiful fuel source while maintaining yield is Solid Biofuel made from Wood, although more Solid Biofuel is technically made per unit of Animal Protein. Every 10 units of Solid Biofuel yields 4500 MJ of energy, meaning that crafting Solid Biofuel from Biomass increases the output by 1.25.
Solid Biofuel is by far the best use of the Biomass Burner and arguably the best early and mid-game power source. This is because it has nearly three times the energy produced per stack over Biomass, while still being relatively easy to obtain. Additionally, it is very efficient to burn regardless of location (requiring no additional resources such as water). When using the chainsaw, players can rapidly obtain massive amounts of wood, and all further steps of theBiomass Burner can be automated.
