Nothing in Stationeers runs without power — lights, atmospherics, machines and IC10 chips all draw from your grid. This guide covers every power source, how to store and route power, cables and transformers, and how to size a grid that never browns out.
Power sources at a glance
| Source | When it produces | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Solar panels | Daytime, facing the sun | Main free power (track with IC10) |
| Station batteries | Store surplus; discharge anytime | Covering night-time draw |
| Solid-fuel generator | While fuelled | Early/backup power |
| Gas (combustion) generator | While burning volatiles | Mid-game high output / dark worlds |
| Wind turbine | With atmosphere + wind | Worlds with thick air |
Solar panels — your main source
Solar is free power, but it only produces when panels face the sun and the sun is up. Aim them with an IC10 solar tracker for maximum output, and remember production drops to zero at night — which is exactly what batteries are for. On dark or distant worlds (Europa), solar alone won’t cut it.
Batteries — store for the dark
Station batteries bank surplus daytime power so your base keeps running overnight. Size your battery bank to cover your night-time draw with margin — watch the charge level, and if it’s hitting zero before dawn, add panels or batteries. Batteries also smooth out spikes when a heavy machine kicks in.
Cables & transformers
Cables carry power but have limits — overload a cable beyond its rating and it burns out. Use heavy cable for high-draw runs, and transformers to split your grid into a high-power machine network and a protected low-power logic/lighting network. That separation stops a furnace or smelter spike from browning out your atmospherics and IC10 chips. An Area Power Controller (APC) helps regulate and protect a sub-grid.
Generators — backup power
Solid-fuel and gas (combustion) generators provide power independent of the sun — ideal for backup, for dark worlds, or for a burst of high output. Burning volatiles in a generator is a common mid-game power source. Automate generators to fire only when batteries run low (see the battery-aware IC10 script) so you don’t waste fuel.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep power running at night in Stationeers?
Charge a station battery bank from solar during the day and run your base off it at night. Size the bank to cover your overnight draw with margin — if it empties before dawn, add panels or batteries, or add a generator that kicks in on low charge.
Why do my cables keep burning out?
The load exceeds the cable’s rating. Use heavy cable on high-draw runs (furnaces, smelters), and split your grid with transformers so a machine spike can’t overload your logic and lighting network. An APC protects a sub-grid too.
What’s the best power source on dark worlds?
On Europa and similar, solar is weak, so lean on gas (combustion) generators burning volatiles, backed by batteries. Automate the generator with IC10 to fire only when battery charge drops, so you burn fuel efficiently rather than constantly.
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