Geothermal Engine

Geothermal Engine is a power-producing building that generates continuous electricity when placed on a Geothermal Field. It requires no workers, doors, or path connections to operate and provides power all day, every day. The building occupies the geothermal site and converts the underground heat source into usable mechanical power for a settlement.

Geothermal Engine must be placed directly on a Geothermal Field tile to function. Once constructed on a valid field it immediately begins producing its rated power without any ongoing input, fuel, or staffing. The device produces a fixed amount of power (commonly implemented as 400 horsepower in current builds) and therefore serves as a reliable base-load generator rather than a variable or demand-driven source.

• Placement is limited to Geothermal Field locations; the building has no adjacency requirements for workers, roads, or doors.
• Operation requires no consumable fuel, storage, or maintenance crew.
• Output is continuous; the building produces power 24/7 while built on an active geothermal site.
• Geothermal Engine has a low Science research cost relative to other power technologies, which reflects its modest but dependable utility.
• A single Geothermal Engine provides about 400hp, an amount useful for small to medium power needs but insufficient alone for large industrial demands.
• Prioritise building Geothermal Engine(s) early if the starting area includes multiple accessible Geothermal Fields. If geothermal sites are scarce or distant, consider spending the available Science and wood on alternative infrastructure until fields are secured.

Geothermal Engine is best used as a steady backbone power source. Use it to cover continuous consumption such as basic machines, water pumps, or lighting. Combine one or more Geothermal Engines with other generators when peak or expansion power is needed, and reserve higher-cost research for technologies that scale better if geothermal resources are limited.