Wiki

Research

The Research Lab is how the farm unlocks higher-tier components and system upgrades. Inverter AC output is split between grid (Energy Credits) and lab (research kWh) with the Power Allocation Slider. Lab and grid both draw from inverter AC output, not raw generation. The interface is the control surface; this page is the system.

Research Lab interface

  • Power Allocation Slider: horizontal slider across the top. Left (0) sends 100% inverter output to the grid; right (100) sends 100% to the lab. Real-time feedback shows EC/min and research kWh/min.
  • Reset button: manual prestige trigger.
  • Message display: notifications such as "ITEM Research Completed!" when a research item finishes.

Research toggle system

  • Toggle buttons: 14 on/off buttons, one per research area.
  • Parallel Research capacity: the number of projects that can run at once is set by Parallel Research level. Activate up to that capacity; deactivate one project before activating another when at capacity. Level 5 removes the cap entirely but does not bypass progression unlocks.
  • Progress display: each toggle shows a live progress bar and a “kWh to next level” remaining amount, both updating every tick as lab kWh accrues — not just when a level completes.

The lab only draws power while at least one research project is active. With none active, the lab’s would-be share diverts to the grid instead (sold, when the inverter is exporting) rather than being lost.

Research areas

Fourteen areas:

  1. Lab Efficiency
  2. Parallel Research
  3. Battery Type
  4. Inverter Type
  5. Solar Generator
  6. Solar Controller
  7. Wind Generator
  8. Wind Controller
  9. Hydro Generator
  10. Hydro Controller
  11. Ocean Generator
  12. Ocean Controller
  13. Geothermal Generator
  14. Geothermal Controller

There is no Human Power research area. Human Power tiers unlock on lifetime kWh generated.

Research progression

Research levels (0–5 per area):

  • Level 0: locked
  • Level 1–5: progressive improvements

Lab Efficiency reduces total kWh cost per level by a fractional percentage. Applied as:

Effective_Required_kWh = Base_Required_kWh × (1 − Lab_Efficiency_Percent)

Lab Efficiency reduces cost; it does not boost research rate.

Parallel Research energy split: lab kWh from the allocation slider is divided equally among all active research projects. More parallel projects means slower per-project progress.

Lab_kWh_Rate = Inverter_Output × Lab_Allocation% / Active_Research_Count

Parallel capacity is unlimited at the top Parallel Research level.

Unlock progression

Each research area is either available immediately or gated behind another area’s level. The full unlock chain is not listed here.

When a new generator type unlocks, its starter DIY Resistor charge controller unlocks immediately, so purchased generators contribute power right away.

Battery and inverter tiers follow a research ladder: tier index N requires Battery Type / Inverter Type level N. Lead-Acid and Modified Sine are starting equipment. Generator research level N unlocks tier N+1 as an upgrade target on already-owned generator units.

All energy sources except Human Power unlock via this research chain. Total kWh generated does not gate Wind, Hydro, Ocean, or Geothermal.

New games start with the shake flashlight only.

Bottlenecks

  • Research level limits component types and efficiency
  • Charge controller limits per-source generation
  • Inverter capacity caps AC output
  • Battery determines storage and buffer behavior
  • Parallel research capacity limits simultaneous projects (until Level 5)