In Solarpunk, Solar Panels are one of the very first sources of energy and power players can get their hands on, and are crucial for automating the farming process in the early game.
However, after players have unlocked the recipe for Solar Panels, they might find themselves a bit lost. The game does not explain how Solar Panels work, what they’re supposed to be used for, or how to get the most out of them, leading to some confusion. Here’s the breakdown.
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How to Unlock Solar Panels in Solarpunk
Solar Panels can be unlocked at the Energy Workbench (Tier 2), which is found in the tradebot’s shop on the island directly north of the starting island, accessible via level 1 Airship. After you’ve built your Airship, head to the tradebot’s island, enter his shop, and “repair” the console on the table directly opposite the bot. This is the Energy Workbench.
Interact with the Energy Workbench and unlock the Energy Crafting Table recipe using a Blueprint (Blueprints are rewards for trading with the tradebot). By doing this, you’ll unlock the Tier 1 recipes at the Energy Workbench, one of which is the Solar Panel. Use another Blueprint to unlock the recipe for the Solar Panel.
How to Craft Solar Panels in Solarpunk
In Solarpunk, you will be able to craft Solar Panels at an Energy Crafting Table. This is not the same as the Energy Workbench in the tradebot’s shop. It’s a table you can make at a Crafting Table.
|
Item |
Station |
Recipe |
|---|---|---|
|
Energy Crafting Table |
Crafting Table |
Glass can be made by smelting Sand in a Furnace. Sand can be obtained by mining sand blocks (brown-colored deposits) or as a byproduct from mining ores like Iron, Copper, Cobalt, and others.
After you’ve built an Energy Crafting Table, you’ll be able to craft a Solar Panel using it with the following recipe:
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Item |
Station |
Recipe |
|---|---|---|
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Solar Panel |
Energy Crafting Table |
|
How to Use Solar Panels in Solarpunk
To use a Solar Panel to generate power, you’ll need three things:
- Solar Panel
- Cables x2
- Energy-Powered Device (e.g. Sprinkler, Drill)
Let’s say you want to give power to a Sprinkler in your farm using a Solar Panel. To do this, place the Solar Panel near the farm, and the Sprinkler next to a patch of farmland. Place two Cables, one in the receptacle of the Solar Panel and the other one attached to the Sprinkler.
As soon as the power lines are connected, the Sprinkler will start working using the power generated by the Solar Panel. However, due to the nature of how the Solar Panel works, the power it generates is variable, changing depending on the time of day and weather conditions. From our testing, there are four power “settings” for the Solar Panel:
- Bright Sunlight: 100 Power
- Early Dawn / Late Evening: 70 Power
- Rain: 10 Power
- Night: 0 Power
This means that, at most, you’ll get 100 Power out of one Solar Panel. A Sprinkler requires 40 power to function, which means you can hook two of them to one Solar Panel and they will work at certain times of the day. However, if you attach a third Sprinkler to this system, the Solar Panel will completely stop working, not even providing power to the first two Sprinklers. Additionally, in the evening, when the Solar Panel has 70 power, it will also stop working if it is attached to two Sprinklers.
If you attach a Network Display to your Solar Panel, it will show how much power is being generated as well as how much is being used.
Infinite Power Solar Panel System
The Battery is an energy storage device that can be unlocked using a Blueprint at the Tier 2 Energy Workbench. If you hook up a Battery to a Solar Panel, it will store all excess energy it generates and use it to make up the deficit for when the Solar Panel is not generating power. This can be used to create perpetual Solar Panel systems that never run out of power, even at night.
- Released
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June 8, 2026
- Developer(s)
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Cyberwave
- Publisher(s)
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rokaplay, Metaroot
- Multiplayer
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Online Co-Op
- Number of Players
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Single-player
