Solar Panel

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Solar Panel Icon.png
Large Ship / Station
Solar Panel
Large Ship Icon.png

ComponentsRequired

 Functional 

 Hack 

Dimensions (W,H,L)4,2,1
Mass516.8 kg
516,800 g
516,800,000 mg
0.517 t
Integrity1,276
Build time30 s
Max Power Output160 kW
0.16 MW
160,000 W
Power Source GroupSolarPanels
Is AirtightNo
PCU Cost55
BrowseLast edit: 2020-04-12
Solar Panel Icon.png
Small Ship
Solar Panel
Small Ship Icon.png

ComponentsRequired

 Functional 

 Hack 

Dimensions (W,H,L)10,5,1
Mass143.2 kg
143,200 g
143,200,000 mg
0.143 t
Integrity389
Build time20 s
Max Power Output40 kW
0.04 MW
40,000 W
Power Source GroupSolarPanels
Is AirtightNo
PCU Cost55
BrowseLast edit: 2020-04-12

Overview

Solar Panels are for generating a small amount of power. Power generated depends on the angle to the sun and whether or not the panel is in shadow. It's best used when it is perpendicular to the sun and tracking it as it moves while being completely unobstructed, anything including other ships and floating debris can obstruct sunlight and therefore reduce output. Solar Panels produces a small amount of power compared to Reactors, but can be enough to keep core systems (e.g. the Medical Room) running in case of a fault. A key component is Solar Cells, which requires considerable amounts of Nickel to fabricate.

Usage

The panels are best used with Batteries set to recharge or auto mode, so as to create MW power output when required, for short periods. For example two Batteries charged by solar panels is able to power a 5MW required machine (refinery, assembler etc) for as long as the batteries remain charged.

For more information, see Electricity.

Media

Tips

  • When building with solar panels add batteries so that when the panels are off the grid will still have power.

Known Issues

  • At this time, there is no way to assign where the power of the solar panels go to. The solar panels currently power the entire grid.
  • When multiple grids are connected together, the power management systems sometimes become confused leaving some solar panels underutilized and while depleting batteries or using reactors. This should not be happening when there is free solar capacity available.

See Also

Programming

Update History

Update 01.141
  • Can be turned on or off
Update 01.046
  • Fixed completed solar panels do not have sun reflection
Update 01.045
  • Improved rendering performance of solar panels
Update 01.039
  • Solar Panels output increased. Large panels from 6 kW to 120 Kw, small panels from 1.5 kW to 30 kW. While the resource cost for Solar Cells, a key ingredient for the Solar Panel was made considerably cheaper.
Update 01.038.013
  • Fixed solar panels turned off after ship spawn
Update 01.023.014
  • Fixed update of power in solar panel
Update 01.023
  • Fixed broken mirroring of solar panels
Update 01.022
  • Solar Panels introduced
  • Reduced Solar Cell cost by approx. 80%