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In Factorio, pollution is a major concern as it attracts biters, which are hostile creatures that will attempt to destroy the source of pollution. While there are ways to mitigate pollution, it is challenging to eliminate it completely. Pollution is generated by various in-game activities, such as resource extraction, raw material processing, and the use of certain buildings and machines. The biggest polluters are often steam burner boilers, resource extraction processes like mining and oil rigs, and raw material processing facilities like chemical plants and smelters. Additionally, certain modules and modifications can increase pollution output. To reduce pollution, players can utilize efficiency modules, switch to cleaner power sources like solar or nuclear power, and strategically place polluting items near forests to take advantage of the pollution-absorbing properties of trees. However, trees have limited absorption capacity and eventually degrade, highlighting the ongoing challenge of pollution management in the game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pollution attracts | Biters |
| Absorbed by | Trees, spawners |
| Pollution reduction methods | Efficiency modules, solar power, wind power, tree planting |
| Pollution-generating items | Steam burner boilers, resource extraction (miners, oil rigs), raw material processing (chemical plants, smelters, centrifuges), burner boilers, electric mining drills, oil rigs, furnaces, assemblers, agricultural towers |
| Pollution-induced attacks | Biter attacks, spitters |
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What You'll Learn
Pollution attracts biters, which destroy the source
Pollution attracts biters, which can be detrimental to the player's progress. Biters are hostile creatures that seek out and destroy pollution sources, and the presence of pollution can lead to attacks on the player's factory.
While pollution is an inevitable consequence of industrial activities in the game, understanding its mechanics is crucial for managing its impact. Firstly, it's important to recognize that pollution spreads through chunks, with each chunk having a certain level of pollution. This pollution can spread to adjacent chunks, leading to a wider area of contamination. Additionally, certain entities, such as trees and spawners, can absorb pollution, reducing its concentration in specific areas.
The absorption of pollution by spawners is particularly noteworthy because it influences the evolution of biters. Even if the pollution doesn't directly reach a biter nest, the mere act of generating pollution contributes to the evolution and aggression of biters. This dynamic poses a strategic challenge for players, as they must balance their industrial activities with the potential consequences of attracting stronger and more frequent biter attacks.
To mitigate the impact of pollution and the resulting biter attacks, players can employ various strategies. One approach is to utilize efficiency modules, which can significantly reduce pollution levels. For example, placing Eff1 modules in electric miners can drastically cut down on pollution while also reducing power consumption. Additionally, players can opt for cleaner energy sources, such as solar panels, which produce minimal pollution compared to coal-based energy generation.
Another strategy is to carefully plan the placement of high-polluting structures. By positioning these structures near forests, players can take advantage of the pollution-absorbing properties of trees. This tactic helps reduce the overall pollution cloud affecting the player's base. While it is challenging to eliminate pollution entirely without mods, these strategies can help players minimize its impact and better manage the threat posed by biters.
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Trees absorb pollution, but eventually degrade
Trees are an important natural resource in Factorio and are the only source of wood. They can be mined for wood, but they also serve another important function: reducing pollution. Trees absorb a small amount of pollution per second, helping to mitigate the spread of pollution. This is particularly useful for players who want to avoid attracting biters, which are drawn to polluted areas and will attempt to destroy the source of pollution.
However, trees have a limited capacity for absorbing pollution and will eventually degrade due to high pollution levels. Once a tree has absorbed a total of 3500 pollution units, it begins to deteriorate, absorbing less pollution per tick as it continues to degrade. This process can be observed through the visual changes in the tree, such as leaf loss and greying. The speed of tree decay due to pollution has been a topic of discussion among players, with some experimenting to understand the mechanics behind it.
The impact of pollution on trees in Factorio is not just aesthetic; it also affects the trees' ability to absorb pollution. As a tree loses leaves or becomes more grey, its rate of pollution absorption decreases. This is because the density of leaves influences the speed of absorption, with less dense leaves resulting in slower absorption. Additionally, once a tree's sum of grey percentage and leaf loss exceeds 120%stops losing leaves and greying altogether, locking in its reduced absorption capacity.
While trees can help reduce pollution, they are not a permanent solution. Players should be mindful of the number of trees they remove, as they play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy environment in the game. Additionally, players can explore other methods of pollution reduction, such as using energy efficiency mods for mines and processing facilities, which tend to be major sources of pollution.
To further complicate matters, trees themselves can become a source of pollution under certain conditions. When trees are damaged by fire, they release high amounts of pollution, contributing to the overall pollution level in the area. This can lead to a vicious cycle where pollution causes trees to deteriorate, and the deteriorating trees release more pollution, exacerbating the problem. Therefore, players must carefully manage their impact on the environment to avoid unintended consequences.
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Burner boilers are extremely polluting
In the game Factorio, pollution is a significant concern, and players must carefully manage their pollution levels to avoid attracting biters, which can destroy a player's factory. While there are ways to mitigate pollution, such as using electric drills, solar panels, and clean power sources, certain activities and machines can significantly contribute to pollution levels.
One of the most polluting machines in the game is the burner boiler, which burns coal to generate power. The use of coal as a fuel source is a major contributor to pollution, and the boiler's inefficiency exacerbates the problem. The boiler's low power output relative to the amount of pollution it generates makes it a significant source of contamination.
When coal is burned in a boiler, it produces approximately 19 pollution per coal mined from the ground. This is significantly higher than the pollution generated by other methods, such as using solar or nuclear power. Additionally, the process of mining and processing coal also contributes to the overall pollution levels.
The inefficiency of burner boilers lies in their low power output relative to the amount of pollution they generate. A single boiler consumes 1.8 MW of fuel and produces energy stored in steam with 100% efficiency. However, this steam energy is then used by steam engines, which consume 0.9 MW of energy, resulting in a significant amount of wasted energy.
To reduce pollution from burner boilers, players can transition to more efficient power sources, such as solar panels or nuclear power. These sources not only reduce pollution but also provide more sustainable and long-term solutions for power generation in the game. Additionally, players can explore other strategies, such as improving their military capabilities to defend against biters or focusing on research and technology upgrades to mitigate the impact of pollution on their gameplay experience.
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Productivity modules increase pollution
In Factorio, productivity modules can increase pollution in a unique way. While they do not directly increase the amount of pollution, they boost the negative pollution of a building. This is because productivity modules increase a machine's energy usage per cycle, and increased energy usage leads to increased pollution generation.
The final pollution value is calculated as (multiplier of pollution x multiplier x baseline energy consumption, pollution). So, for example, if a module affects a building's energy consumption, the pollution will be proportionally higher as well.
However, it is important to note that speed modules used in conjunction with productivity modules can sometimes provide better efficiency gains. This is because the machine will be producing more items per second, which can lead to a higher efficiency in terms of items produced per watt or per pollution generated.
Additionally, efficiency modules can be used to reduce pollution. These modules lower the required electricity to run a machine, which in turn decreases energy usage and pollution generation.
Overall, while productivity modules can indirectly increase pollution, there are strategies and other modules that can be used to mitigate their impact on pollution levels.
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Solar power offers a long-term, pollution-free alternative
In the game, pollution is represented as a cloud that spreads across the map. It is caused by the processing and manufacturing of goods, with higher pollution values leading to more frequent attacks from biters. To reduce pollution, players can use modules that decrease pollution output, plant trees, or switch to cleaner energy sources like solar panels.
Solar panels in Factorio provide an unlimited source of free energy that produces no pollution. They are particularly useful for powering remote outposts or devices that don't require much power. During the day, solar panels provide a constant, maximum power level, while the generated power varies during dawn and dusk, and no power is produced at night. On Nauvis, a single solar panel produces an average of 42 kW over a 24-hour cycle.
To address the issue of nighttime power generation, players can use accumulators charged by solar panels during the day to power their base at night. Additionally, it is not necessary to switch entirely to solar power, as it can be used alongside other energy sources to reduce pollution and fuel consumption. For example, during full daylight, it takes 15 solar panels to offset the power generated by one steam engine.
While some players may consider solar panels a waste of time due to their lower power output and higher cost, others appreciate the benefits of clean energy and the ease of setup. Ultimately, the decision to use solar panels depends on the player's preferences and strategies.
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Frequently asked questions
Efficiency modules reduce pollution. Captive biter spawners absorb 1 pollution per minute. Trees also absorb some pollution, but they degrade over time and eventually become stumps. Solar power produces no pollution, but it takes up a lot of space.
Steam burner boilers, resource extraction, and raw material processing are some of the biggest sources of pollution.
Pollution attracts biters, which will attempt to reach the source of pollution and destroy it. Higher pollution values decrease the time it takes for biters to join the attack force.
Pollution is represented as a cloud and is distributed through an area with constant speed. Each item created contributes to pollution, so it's important to avoid creating unnecessary items.
