Best way to produce massive amounts of MJ mid-game ?
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It depends on what you mean by "Best".
The usual 3 though are steam boilers to industrial engines, magmatic engines, and electrical engines.
Magmatics are pretty efficient, very simple, and compact.
Electrical engines with compact/advanced solars are free and simple power.
Steam Boilers to Industrial Engines are extremely efficient once running, but are more complex and are very inefficient to start up.
The usual 3 though are steam boilers to industrial engines, magmatic engines, and electrical engines.
Magmatics are pretty efficient, very simple, and compact.
Electrical engines with compact/advanced solars are free and simple power.
Steam Boilers to Industrial Engines are extremely efficient once running, but are more complex and are very inefficient to start up.
If available, PowerConverters is much better than banks of electrical engines and industrial steam engines. Just one can handle a lot of steam (add liquiducts around it) and/or tons of EU.
Dartcraft also adds some interesting options. Those force engines can reach 16 mj/t if you can figure out how to supply them with crushed ice (but even 8 mj/t is pretty good from just giving them water), and liquid force can be produced renewably from spoils bags or force trees.
Dartcraft also adds some interesting options. Those force engines can reach 16 mj/t if you can figure out how to supply them with crushed ice (but even 8 mj/t is pretty good from just giving them water), and liquid force can be produced renewably from spoils bags or force trees.
I went a totally new route for me this run-through of Unleashed. I started with a small forestry tree farm and used buildcraft pipes (with inserters, which are awesome!) and vanilla furnaces to create charcoal which then fed back into the hobbyist steam engine powering my tree farm. worked great; I used it to build up to 7000 charcoal and gathered resources to build a low-pressure solid-fueled steam boiler. Then, what to do with all of the saplings? Of course, a fermenter, 5 stills and a 2K bucket iron tank. Now I've upgraded the farm to large and am fully powering my original low-pressure solid-fueled and my new high-pressure boiler with ethanol as fuel. I'm generating 216MJ/tick and it's totally self-contained but for the apatite I farmed at the beginning so I could make fertilizer. I didn't even have much to do with all of that power but this was one of my more fun projects to date.
I've also upgraded to Applied Energistics to keep everything filled and craft fertilizer on demand.
I've also upgraded to Applied Energistics to keep everything filled and craft fertilizer on demand.
My favorite choice is a MFR oak farm. Using an harvester and a planter. The advantage is the initial cost which is very low . You can then slowly upgrade from hobbyist engines (using coal) to ethanol and you automate the production of wood in the process (I think it's actually the main advantage).
It's not the best in term of power production, but it's also fully renewable.
It's not the best in term of power production, but it's also fully renewable.
Don't always need a "best" way. I usually end up with an automated full sized liquid boiler. Yes, I know it's not as efficient as several small ones, but I like giant machines in my workshops.
I've done it a couple of ways so far, the first was Buildcraft fuel production from forestry farms for trees (saplings) and reeds, wheat to mulch in a moistener (with extra seeds being turned into plantballs for processing), with a few extra buckets squeezed out by juicing the apples instead of using water.
My most recent project was using thaumcraft golems to work farms for material to throw into a Minefactory Reloaded Bioreactor - carrots, potatoes, seeds from wheat, melons and pumpkins and whatever saplings I ended up with. Not only did it work well, it was interesting to watch. Certainly more fun then Solar Array -> EU Storage -> Electric Engines.
I've done it a couple of ways so far, the first was Buildcraft fuel production from forestry farms for trees (saplings) and reeds, wheat to mulch in a moistener (with extra seeds being turned into plantballs for processing), with a few extra buckets squeezed out by juicing the apples instead of using water.
My most recent project was using thaumcraft golems to work farms for material to throw into a Minefactory Reloaded Bioreactor - carrots, potatoes, seeds from wheat, melons and pumpkins and whatever saplings I ended up with. Not only did it work well, it was interesting to watch. Certainly more fun then Solar Array -> EU Storage -> Electric Engines.
If you aren't too concerned with waste/have a continuous need for the MJ power, go with steam boilers. They have an extremely-high output of liquid relative to other systems, so take that into consideration when determining how to control the steam.
That being said, once set up they will provide extremely stable and "efficient" energy. The start up costs of a boiler, including the warming-up period of the boiler itself is quite expensive. Hence, boilers are usually an extremely long-term solution. Beware that they do require a lot of steel, so plan ahead. This is especially true for if you are using RC blast furnace to produce your steel.
Another solution, which requires approximately the same infrastructure, but less liquid throughput would be combustion engines. This would require you to produce fuel/biofuel though.
Electrical engines can produce a ridiculous amount of MJ when overclocked, beware that the conversion EU->MJ via electrical engines is extremely inefficient and prone to overheating.
Magmatic engines are a decent choice, as so long as you're either producing the lava using netherrack, or pumping lava directly from the nether itself. Melting cobble down for this loop isn't energy positive.
A relatively cheap solution, assuming you have the ability to centrifuge lava is biomass. You can produce a ridiculous amount of biomass and they only require the same amount of infrastructure as electrical engines to run (i.e. only a fuel line/fuel storage, no need for water). Beware the biomass is very energy dilute. I have 6 fermenters running at full speed (17 MJ/t ea.) and I can fill 6 million units of storage in about an hour.
Overall, the more long term, efficient strategies require a hell of a lot more infrastructure/have a significant start-up costs compared to the less efficient strategies. If you are starved on resources you may opt to transition from the less intensive strategies into the more long term strategies as your energy needs grow.
One electrical engine can produce upwards of 35 MJ/t at the cost of a ridiculous amount of EU. This can be considered the most energy dense, but the least efficient. Biomass engines produce 5 MJ/t ea. off of biomass but require nothing other than a fuel line (and some lava) to run. Combustion engines require a significant amount of water to run continuously, but utilize the extremely energy-dense fuel/biofuel. This will save on throughput infrastructure costs.
Boilers being the most intensive. One max sized high pressure boiler, known as a 36 HP boiler can produce 144 MJ/t or 720 steam/t. This is enough to power 18 industrial steam engines. All of this requires water + fuel into boiler, then steam into engines and the output from there on.
This was a bit unorganized, but I just wanted to throw out all the things I've considered when choosing a strategy that fits with the project I would be working on.
That being said, once set up they will provide extremely stable and "efficient" energy. The start up costs of a boiler, including the warming-up period of the boiler itself is quite expensive. Hence, boilers are usually an extremely long-term solution. Beware that they do require a lot of steel, so plan ahead. This is especially true for if you are using RC blast furnace to produce your steel.
Another solution, which requires approximately the same infrastructure, but less liquid throughput would be combustion engines. This would require you to produce fuel/biofuel though.
Electrical engines can produce a ridiculous amount of MJ when overclocked, beware that the conversion EU->MJ via electrical engines is extremely inefficient and prone to overheating.
Magmatic engines are a decent choice, as so long as you're either producing the lava using netherrack, or pumping lava directly from the nether itself. Melting cobble down for this loop isn't energy positive.
A relatively cheap solution, assuming you have the ability to centrifuge lava is biomass. You can produce a ridiculous amount of biomass and they only require the same amount of infrastructure as electrical engines to run (i.e. only a fuel line/fuel storage, no need for water). Beware the biomass is very energy dilute. I have 6 fermenters running at full speed (17 MJ/t ea.) and I can fill 6 million units of storage in about an hour.
Overall, the more long term, efficient strategies require a hell of a lot more infrastructure/have a significant start-up costs compared to the less efficient strategies. If you are starved on resources you may opt to transition from the less intensive strategies into the more long term strategies as your energy needs grow.
One electrical engine can produce upwards of 35 MJ/t at the cost of a ridiculous amount of EU. This can be considered the most energy dense, but the least efficient. Biomass engines produce 5 MJ/t ea. off of biomass but require nothing other than a fuel line (and some lava) to run. Combustion engines require a significant amount of water to run continuously, but utilize the extremely energy-dense fuel/biofuel. This will save on throughput infrastructure costs.
Boilers being the most intensive. One max sized high pressure boiler, known as a 36 HP boiler can produce 144 MJ/t or 720 steam/t. This is enough to power 18 industrial steam engines. All of this requires water + fuel into boiler, then steam into engines and the output from there on.
This was a bit unorganized, but I just wanted to throw out all the things I've considered when choosing a strategy that fits with the project I would be working on.
Another good option is fuel and combustion engines (or cheaty force ones). It is a bit diamond heavy (12 diamonds to start it properly) but it works great if you set the engines to run only when they are needed. Big advantage of them is that you don't need any infrastructure like blast furnace, fermenters or tree farm, in the beginning you don't even need a pump, cells will give you enough oil for quite some time. Boilers may seem more efficient in fuel usage, but if your energy needs fluctuate combustion engines will be more overall fuel efficient, still providing a lot of energy when you need it, to for example quickly recharge cell or your suit with 500 MJ/t.
Add some poop in that mix (cows > sewers) and then composting that into fertilizer and feeding that into a fertilizer sitting next to that oak farm and you throw your oak farm into 'ludicrous' mode. It's currently the method that produces most fuel by far and it's actually not hard to set up and pretty low-tech.
My usual progression is Peat/Stirling --> automated tree farm (MFR, Forestry, Steve's Carts, Turtle, etc.,.) --> charcoal --> boiler.
Peat + TC Excavator + MFR Liquicrafter (to make Bog Earth) removes a lot of the tediousness from manual peat farming. I'm not sure why, but Peat engines appeal to me more than Stirling. They somehow seem more eco-friendly than burning charcoal.
I wouldn't mind it if, similar to how Thaumcraft 3 has 'flux', burning charcoal/coal/peat/etc.,. had an environmental impact, such as smog and soot build-up which would cause nausea or even poisoning of the player, decrease sunlight penetration which would affect solars and crop growth ,and eventually make an area (1 or more chunks) pretty much unplayable.
On the other side of the same coin, being rewarded for good environmental stewardship might lead to being able to produce organic crops, which restore more health, higher bee and crop productivity, less Thaumcraft Flux, etc.,.
Hmm...might not be a bad mod !
Machines might include carbon scrubbers, recyclers of various tiers (fusion recycler as highest tier, lol), hand-held smog/pollution scanners, water filtration systems, oil/water separators, solar panels that produce MJ, etc.,
Peat + TC Excavator + MFR Liquicrafter (to make Bog Earth) removes a lot of the tediousness from manual peat farming. I'm not sure why, but Peat engines appeal to me more than Stirling. They somehow seem more eco-friendly than burning charcoal.
I wouldn't mind it if, similar to how Thaumcraft 3 has 'flux', burning charcoal/coal/peat/etc.,. had an environmental impact, such as smog and soot build-up which would cause nausea or even poisoning of the player, decrease sunlight penetration which would affect solars and crop growth ,and eventually make an area (1 or more chunks) pretty much unplayable.
On the other side of the same coin, being rewarded for good environmental stewardship might lead to being able to produce organic crops, which restore more health, higher bee and crop productivity, less Thaumcraft Flux, etc.,.
Hmm...might not be a bad mod !
Machines might include carbon scrubbers, recyclers of various tiers (fusion recycler as highest tier, lol), hand-held smog/pollution scanners, water filtration systems, oil/water separators, solar panels that produce MJ, etc.,
"ludicrous mode" pretty good description of a full power, full of poop MFR treefarm. I was cheerfully running a 36LP on charcoal and a 27HP on biofuel with a considerable excess of both. I had my last one underground and wondered how I ended up with silverwood in my AE system when I was planting rubber trees....guess what the 30 odd blocks high bit goes through solid blocks and my underground harvester had harvested a silverwood and various other sundry trees that were on the surface
They didn't trigger it as it only scans the planted area but they were in the harvestable area.I would say that cow>sewers>compost is competing with soul shard>skeleton farm>pulverizer for bone meal instead, but those would be the two most effective yeah.
Very server-friendly as well !
I've done 1.4.7 Forestry farms (pre-MultiFarm Farm Block) farms, MultiFarm Farm Blocks, Steve's Carts, and MFR. MFR seems to be the most server-friendly and the most compact. I think it's OP for the amount of wood that's generated from so little space and so few resources, but guess what, I've paid my dues with most other forms of auto-tree farming and I prioritize server friendliness at this point. Build it and call it done.
My next personal challenge is doing more with less. How *few* farms can I use and how few 36HP boilers can I use ? DW20's turning on/off of remote AE systems with a pressure plate has a certain appeal. Heck, I could link my entire AE system with ComputerCraft wireless RedNet with repeaters every 64 blocks and only turn on what I need when I need it, save the 36HP boiler, of course. It would have to run constantly.
Hmm...turning off the MFR farm with AE level emitters. "Nice". LOL.
I realy like the MFR treefarm, 15x15 with 9 different sapplings (yay BOP!). Get as much BOP trees as you can as they grow much faster then normal trees, also get the pink leaves ones. They are by far the best.
This treefarm can savely supply 2 Bioreactors with enough sapplings and max variation to run 8 generators each (you can probably even run a 3rd, havent tried yet but still getting sappling overflow). Wich is 16 generators producing 16 mj/t each for a grand total of 256 mj/t! Best part? Its cheap to get and setup, does not need fertilizer or annything either.
Ontop of this "mid game" power you will start building up a huge wood supply to bring you into "lategame"! Because this tree farm can supply ~7 boilers with charcoal allowing for 126 industrial steam engines for 1008 mj/t. And then you could always add a fertilizer system and expand both the biofuel and charcoal production
Also worth noting: MFR harvesters generate sludge, sludge can be used in a sludge boiler to get all kinds of "ground" metarials. Including soulsand/clay/mycelium/dirt/etc but also ash! Ash wich can be turned into coal (not charcoal). Coal wich can then be used with iron to make steel dust (1 iron ingot + 4 coal = 1 steel dust = 2 steel ingots). Again helping you getting to late game!
This treefarm can savely supply 2 Bioreactors with enough sapplings and max variation to run 8 generators each (you can probably even run a 3rd, havent tried yet but still getting sappling overflow). Wich is 16 generators producing 16 mj/t each for a grand total of 256 mj/t! Best part? Its cheap to get and setup, does not need fertilizer or annything either.
Ontop of this "mid game" power you will start building up a huge wood supply to bring you into "lategame"! Because this tree farm can supply ~7 boilers with charcoal allowing for 126 industrial steam engines for 1008 mj/t. And then you could always add a fertilizer system and expand both the biofuel and charcoal production
Also worth noting: MFR harvesters generate sludge, sludge can be used in a sludge boiler to get all kinds of "ground" metarials. Including soulsand/clay/mycelium/dirt/etc but also ash! Ash wich can be turned into coal (not charcoal). Coal wich can then be used with iron to make steel dust (1 iron ingot + 4 coal = 1 steel dust = 2 steel ingots). Again helping you getting to late game!
Not very fps friendly though, the rapid breaking of wood and leaves (resulting in particle and sound spam) can ruin it considerably. Supposedly that is configurable, but has to be done server-side afaik.