Thermal Plant (Below Zero)

The Thermal Plant is a generator crafted with the Habitat Builder that converts nearby high temperatures (>25°C) into Energy.

Overview

The Thermal Plant can produce limitless power for Seabases given time and proximity to heat. On the Thermal Plant is a screen that displays the temperature of the surrounding area (rounded to whole degrees). The energy output per minute is linear and can be calculated with the formula: °C * 1.32 - 33.

At 25°C, output is 0.
At 50°C, output is 33.
At 75°C, output is 66.
At 84°C, output is 77.88.
At 104°C, output is 104.

One Thermal Plant can store up to 250 energy at a time.

Hydrothermal Vents and Lava Geysers are optimal spots to place Thermal Plants. Near the vent opening, or the center of the geyser, temperatures can reach well over 50°C or even 70°C, meaning that a well-placed plant can produce power rapidly and around the clock. The eruptions cannot damage the plant, but be careful placing them as the heat can kill you. Given that Thermal Plants have to be built outside a seabase and need to be close to a heat source, it may be necessary to use Power Transmitters to connect the Thermal Plant to a seabase.

When placing with the Habitat Builder, the Thermal Plant can be shown in three different colors:

Red: Cannot be placed.
Yellow: Can be built in that location, but the surrounding area is too cold and the Thermal Plant will not generate power.
Green: The plant can be placed and will generate power.

Energy Collection Rate

The table below contains the results of testing Thermal Plant collection rates. Please note that these are approximate results, and not exact (Temperature can vary slightly since the player can only see it to the nearest whole number).

Temperature (°C)	Energy per Minute	Energy per Second	Time to Collect 1 Unit	Time to Collect 25 Units
25	0	0	N/A	N/A
26	1.3	0.02	45.5 Seconds	1136.4 Seconds
27	2.6	0.04	22.7 Seconds	568.2 Seconds
28	4.0	0.07	15.2 Seconds	378.8 Seconds
29	5.3	0.09	11.4 Seconds	284.1 Seconds
30	6.6	0.11	9.1 Seconds	227.3 Seconds
31	7.9	0.13	7.6 Seconds	189.4 Seconds
32	9.2	0.15	6.5 Seconds	162.3 Seconds
33	10.6	0.18	5.7 Seconds	142.0 Seconds
34	11.9	0.20	5.1 Seconds	126.3 Seconds
35	13.2	0.22	4.5 Seconds	113.6 Seconds
36	14.5	0.24	4.1 Seconds	103.3 Seconds
37	15.8	0.26	3.8 Seconds	94.7 Seconds
38	17.2	0.29	3.5 Seconds	87.4 Seconds
39	18.5	0.31	3.2 Seconds	81.2 Seconds
40	19.8	0.33	3.0 Seconds	75.8 Seconds
41	21.1	0.35	2.8 Seconds	71.0 Seconds
42	22.4	0.37	2.7 Seconds	66.8 Seconds
43	23.8	0.40	2.5 Seconds	63.1 Seconds
44	25.1	0.42	2.4 Seconds	59.8 Seconds
45	26.4	0.44	2.3 Seconds	56.8 Seconds
46	27.7	0.46	2.2 Seconds	54.1 Seconds
47	29.0	0.48	2.1 Seconds	51.7 Seconds
48	30.4	0.51	2.0 Seconds	49.4 Seconds
49	31.7	0.53	1.9 Seconds	47.3 Seconds
50	33.0	0.55	1.8 Seconds	45.5 Seconds
51	34.3	0.57	1.7 Seconds	43.7 Seconds
52	35.6	0.59	1.7 Seconds	42.1 Seconds
53	37.0	0.62	1.6 Seconds	40.6 Seconds
54	38.3	0.64	1.6 Seconds	39.2 Seconds
55	39.6	0.66	1.5 Seconds	37.9 Seconds
56	40.9	0.68	1.5 Seconds	36.7 Seconds
57	42.2	0.70	1.4 Seconds	35.5 Seconds
58	43.6	0.73	1.4 Seconds	34.4 Seconds
59	44.9	0.75	1.3 Seconds	33.4 Seconds
60	46.2	0.77	1.3 Seconds	32.5 Seconds
61	47.5	0.79	1.3 Seconds	31.6 Seconds
62	48.8	0.81	1.2 Seconds	30.7 Seconds
63	50.2	0.84	1.2 Seconds	29.9 Seconds
64	51.5	0.86	1.2 Seconds	29.1 Seconds
65	52.8	0.88	1.1 Seconds	28.4 Seconds
66	54.1	0.90	1.1 Seconds	27.7 Seconds
67	55.4	0.92	1.1 Seconds	27.1 Seconds
68	56.8	0.95	1.1 Seconds	26.4 Seconds
69	58.1	0.97	1.0 Seconds	25.8 Seconds
70	59.4	0.99	1.0 Seconds	25.3 Seconds
71	60.7	1.01	1.0 Seconds	24.7 Seconds
72	62.0	1.03	1.0 Seconds	24.2 Seconds
73	63.4	1.06	0.9 Seconds	23.7 Seconds
74	64.7	1.08	0.9 Seconds	23.2 Seconds
75	66.0	1.10	0.9 Seconds	22.7 Seconds
76	67.3	1.12	0.9 Seconds	22.3 Seconds
77	68.6	1.14	0.9 Seconds	21.9 Seconds
78	70.0	1.17	0.9 Seconds	21.4 Seconds
79	71.3	1.19	0.8 Seconds	21.0 Seconds
80	72.6	1.21	0.8 Seconds	20.7 Seconds
81	73.9	1.23	0.8 Seconds	20.3 Seconds
82	75.2	1.25	0.8 Seconds	19.9 Seconds
83	76.6	1.28	0.8 Seconds	19.6 Seconds
84	77.9	1.30	0.8 Seconds	19.3 Seconds
85	79.2	1.32	0.8 Seconds	18.9 Seconds

The formula for energy per minute is °C * 1.32 - 33, so each °C gives 1.32 more energy per minute.

Recipe

The blueprint for this module is acquired by scanning fragments in the Koppa Mining Site or Tree Spires.

Fragments

Crafting Materials

Databank Entry

Thermal Plant

The first rule of survival in hostile environments is to work with the resources available. If it's 800 degrees outside and you're in danger of burning to death at any moment you may as well get some cheap, reliable energy out of it.

Converts heat energy into electricity
Always take thermometer readings before attempting installation
Core mechanisms are housed in a heat-resistant chassis, but are not impervious to extreme temperatures

'The Thermal Power Plant: It's hot'.

Source: Unlock the Thermal Plant