Guide to Constructing a Coal Generator for Power Plants in Satisfactory

Want to build your first Coal generator and unleash Coal Power in Satisfactory? Here’s how you can do it and keep it functional.

The new open-world factory simulation game Satisfactory is taking over Steam, gaining an overwhelming response from players. Assembling sophisticated factories for the mysterious FICSIT Inc. is the duty of players once they land on a strange planet.

Through exploration, building, automation, and survival, players gather resources to power their ever-growing industrial empires, but to do so, you need power resources like Coal. It allows players to scale up their businesses significantly, as it represents the first major step up from manual biomass burners to automated power generation.

But to expand your operation, you need a Coal Generator. Here’s how to build one and gather Coal in the game.

Mining Coal in Satisfactory — Coffee Stain/dexerto

You can mine coal using your hands or by placing a Miner in Satisfactory.

How to farm Coal

Before you can harness the power of Coal, you must first unlock it using the M.A.M. (Molecular Analysis Machine). Dive into Tier 3 and ensure you’ve met the Coal Power milestone.

This research will give you access to Coal generators and water extractors, which are critical components of your new power system.

Use your resource scanner to find a Coal node. These are frequently found in clusters, which can be advantageous for future expansions. Place a Miner (Mk.1 or better) on the Coal node. Ensure it’s powered, either by connecting it to your existing grid or utilizing Biomass Burners temporarily. It takes about 10.88 MJ to extract 1 Coal.

Install conveyor belts to transfer Coal from the mine to the location where you will build your generator. If the trip is long, consider using trucks or trains for efficiency.

There are five different kinds of Coal in the game, and here’s the recipe for each one of them:

Resource	Recipe	Prerequisites	Result Product
Coal	Mining using Coal Nodes	Tier 3 – Coal PowerOne Miner Machine (1 Sec)	1 x Coal60/Min
Biocoal	5 x Biomass37.5/Min	Tier 3 – Coal PowerOne Constructor Machine (8 Sec)	6 x Coal45/Min
Charcoal	1 x Wood15/Min	Tier 3 – Coal PowerOne Constructor Machine (4 Sec)	10 x Coal150/Min
Compacted Coal	5 x Coal (25/Min)5 x Sulfur (25/Min)	Sulfur Research – Compacted CoalOne Assembler Machine (12 Sec)	5 x Compacted Coal25/Min
Petroleum Coke	4 x Heavy Oil Residue40/Min	Tier 5 – Oil ProcessingOne Refinery Machine (6 Sec)	12 x Petroleum Coke120/Min

Coal Generator recipe

Once you’ve learned how to farm Coal, the next step is to make Coal Generators that eventually expand into Coal Power Plants. To find the Coal Generator, open your Builder Menu and head to Power, then click on Coal Powered Generator under the Generators category.

Coal Generator build in Satisfactory — Coffee Stain/dexerto

You can easily build a Coal Generator after Tier 3 Coal Power in Satisfactory.

To build a Coal Generator in Satisfactory, you’ll need the following materials:

Reinforced Iron Plate: 5 units
Rotor: 4 units
Cable: 15 units
Iron Plate: 25 units

Here’s how these components break down into their basic materials:

Reinforced Iron Plate:
- Made from Iron Plates and Screws.
- Recipe: 6 Iron Plates + 12 Screws = 1 Reinforced Iron Plate
Rotor:
- Made from Iron Rods and Screws.
- Recipe: 4 Iron Rods + 20 Screws = 1 Rotor
Cable:
- Made directly from Wire.
- Recipe: 2 Wires = 1 Cable
Iron Plate:
- Crafted from Iron Ingots.
- Recipe: 1 Iron Ingot = 1 Iron Plate

Best method to build Coal Powered Generator

To build a Coal generator, first find a place near a Coal node and a water source. Proximity simplifies logistics for coal transport and water pipes. If you haven’t found these resources yet, use your scanner to do so.

Water Extractor Satisfactory — Coffee Stain/dexerto

Place a Water Extractor to supply water to the generator.

Next, lay a flat foundation since it not only ensures stability but also aids in the clean alignment of many generators. Consider leaving room for at least 3-4 generators from the start, even if you’re just building one to allow for future expansion. Make sure your location is nearest to your Miner or a Conveyor Belt transporting Coal to your location.

Then, place Water Extractors as close to the water source as possible to reduce pipe length. Use pipe connectors to evenly distribute water among generators. Remember that each generator requires 45 m³/min of water, so arrange your pipes accordingly.

Arrange your Coal generators in a row or grid configuration for aesthetic and functional purposes. Allow ample space between them for maintenance and upgrades. Connect them to your Coal supply and water pipelines with splitters and mergers to ensure even distribution.

Pipelines in Satisfactory — Coffee Stain/dexerto

Ensure you’ve got Conveyor Belts and Pipelines running across the Generator.

Finally, use power poles or wall mounts to link your generators to the electrical grid, ensuring that your arrangement can be expanded without changes. Ensure the connection can handle the generator’s output, which is 75 MW per unit at the base level.

If your power requirements are less than what one generator can supply, you can underclock it to save coal. Furthermore, keep a few biomass burners linked to your grid. They can be activated if there is an unexpected disruption in the coal supply.

How to fix Coal Generator not making Coal

A finished Coal Generator Power Plant in Satisfactory.

Following these steps can help you troubleshoot and repair your Coal Generator if it suddenly stops producing power or Coal in the game:

Make sure the generator is turned on and linked to the grid.
Confirm that the miner is operational and that the Coal node has not been emptied.
Check for obstructions or breaks in Coal transport.
Confirm that the water extractors are operational and contain water.
Check water lines for leaks or obstructions, and make sure the flow fulfills the standards.
Check for error messages in the Generator’s Interface or whether it requires a manual restart.
Ensure that Coal and water supplies meet consumption rates.
Check whether the power grid is overcrowded or underloaded.
Try turning off and on the generator again.
If problems remain, save the game, exit, and restart to clear any bugs.

That’s all you need to know about how to build a Coal-powered generator in Satisfactory and possible repairs if it stops working. Check out more info about the game such as how to make a server, alternate recipes, and how to fix if the game crashes.

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