So I recently set up a private server for myself and my friends using this pack. Firstly I want to say this pack is amazing! I've mostly played Direwolf20 packs, and I find I tend to get bored of them after a few weeks. Whereas in this pack, I'm 3 weeks in and I've only just begun entering the MV era.
So this is my first time using Gregtech. As I mentioned I am in the process of beginning the transition from LV to MV power. As such I'm finding my already taxed steam production to be grossly insufficient for power. So far I have small network of simple solar boilers feeding into a railcraft iron tank.
For a few days now I've been looking into power generation that will suit me I'm just not making much headway. Part of the problem is I just don't know what my options are in this pack. So I was really hoping someone would be willing to take the time to give me some insight into my options and best practices.
Here are the power production options I am aware of, and why I'm not thrilled with them and still seeking out others. Please let me know of any mid to late game power production options I'm missing, or if there is something I don't know about any of these.
Large GT Boilers -> Steam Turbines - These produce more than enough steam, but I am extremely adverse to setting up charcoal farms for power, and I can't think of any other way of running the boiler without spending all my time mining coal. Also, If I was going to do this I'm not what would be best to use to automate the tree farming. EnderIO Farms are a bit pricy powerwise, and because of reasons I am forbidding myself from using thaumcraft for the moment. Are there other options in this pack?
Diesel generators - I have no oil anywhere even remotely near my base, and without some form of tesseracts (which seem to have been removed from EnderIO in this pack) I do not see a way to get it to my base easily. Long term I plan to get into bee breeding extensively (I love bees) but I don't want to do that till much later.
Big Reactors - As I understand it, these produce RF only which cannot be transformed to GT EU or IC2 EU?
IC2 Nuclear Reactor - This functions in this pack, right? And can be converted to GT EU with a transformer? This is the most appealing option I have found so far, but I was really hoping to stick purely to GT as much as possible until I reach endgame. Is there a GT nuclear system? I cannot seem to find it in NEI but I know have seen it mentioned before somewhere.
Railcraft Steam production / Turbines - I know these are more efficient than the GT boilers, but AFIAK I would still need a large supply of charcoal, and if I was gonna do that, I would just stick to the GT large boilers out of a misguided sense of purity.
Solar Panels (GT, not the IC2 one) - I'm confused by this one. I can only find a recipe for the simplest one in NEI. I assume then that all the bigger ones are disabled in this pack? Is that correct? And the simplest one isn't really going to be able to do much is it? (I assume you'd have to build a zillion of them and it would risk seriously lagging the server)
High Pressure Lava Boiler -> Steam Turbines - I'd have to build like 17 of these to even supply MV power constantly and even then would eat through lava reasonably fast. I cannot imagine these working for anything past MV.
A few others questions about power:
- Are GT fusion reactors in this version? I cannot find it in NEI.
- Is the IC2 Solar panel disabled? I don't see a recipe for it in NEI.
- Can I power my Genedustry machines from RF?
- Can I power my AE2 network from RF?
- What are people using for final endgame GT power production?
Sorry for the huge amount of questions, thanks for the help!