Where to Place Solar Panels for Generation
Clear Sky Above
A Solar Panel block only generates when nothing blocks the sky directly above it. Place panels on a flat rooftop, an open field, or a raised platform. Do not bury them under slabs, leaves, or other blocks.
Build a Panel Farm
Lay panels in a grid on top of your base. Each tier — Leadstone Solar Panel, Hardened Solar Panel, Redstone Solar Panel, Signalum Solar Panel, Resonant Solar Panel, Advanced Solar Panel, Ultimate Solar Panel — is a separate block, so you can mix tiers in one array and expand as you craft higher cores.
Pair With Helmets for Mobile Use
If you leave the base, wear a Solar Helmet of the same tier as your panels. The Leadstone Solar Helmet, Hardened Solar Helmet, Redstone Solar Helmet, Signalum Solar Helmet, Resonant Solar Helmet, Advanced Solar Helmet, and Ultimate Solar Helmet all generate while worn under open sky.
Keep Cores and Cells Stocked
Every panel and helmet is built from its tier's Solar Core plus Photovoltaic Cell components and, at low tiers, Lapis Shard. Craft cores in batches so you can drop new panels the moment you have space. Upgrade a panel by crafting the next core up and rebuilding the block in place.