Battery

Battery is a power-storage building that stores electrical energy and supplies it to nearby consumer blocks when needed. It accepts power input from adjacent power nodes and conveyors of energy (power lines) and releases stored energy to maintain a steady supply during demand spikes or when generation fluctuates. The Battery is a core component in medium-scale and early-mid game power networks where buffering and load smoothing are required.

The Battery appears as a dedicated block that connects to the power grid like other power nodes. It passively charges while excess generation is available and discharges automatically to provide energy to the grid when generation drops below demand. Batteries are placed within the same network as generators and consumers; they do not require item inputs or outputs beyond electrical connections.

Practical usage and interactions:

• Place Batteries distributed across the base near intermittent producers (solar, combustion, thorium generators with intermittent use) or near large consumers (defense turrets, factories) to prevent brownouts during sudden load increases.
• Multiple Batteries stack their stored charge; building several smaller Batteries close to heavy consumers yields more consistent local power than a single distant Battery.
• Batteries smooth out short-term fluctuations but have finite capacity and discharge rate; design systems so that continuous deficits are handled by sufficient generation rather than relying solely on storage.
• Batteries are fully integrated with the power UI: stored charge and current input/output can be monitored to plan expansions or diagnose shortages.
• Batteries require no maintenance and do not consume items or liquids; they only interact with the electrical network.

Historical note: Battery was officially added in Build 41. (Related items such as Biomatter were removed in later builds and have no functional relation to the Battery itself.)