[Top 12] Subnautica: Below Zero Best Bioreactor Fuels (And How To Get Them)

Subnautica: Below Zero Best Bioreactor Fuels
An arsenal of solar panels can't beat a well-powered Bioreactor.


You’ve built your first base in Subnautica: Below Zero! After hours of swimming around gathering materials and using the habitat builder, you're ready to enter your new home and…what’s that? No power? Fear not, we’ve got a list of 12 flora and fauna that will power your Bioreactor with ease. 

12. Lantern Fruit

You can eat them, then pop the the leftovers in the Bioreactor.

Outpost Zero provides the players with tons of new items to scan and samples to take back, the Lantern Tree being one of them. Once you’ve planted a few fruits in your growbeds, you’ve acquired a decent source of fuel for the Bioreactor.
What makes Lantern Fruit Great:

  • Dual use: Lantern fruits are helpful as Bioreactor fuel and as a food source.
  • Easy harvest: You don’t need to keep replanting anything. Once you pluck the fruits, you simply wait for them to grow.

Lantern Fruit Stats: 

  • Lantern fruit takes up 4 slots of the Bioreactor inventory. 
  • The value generated in one space is 52.5, so the total value for one fruit is 210.

How To Get Lantern Fruit: 

Subnautica Below Zero】 How to get a Lantern fruit tree

 

11. Penglings

We won't judge for for this one.

Now hear us out! Many Subnautica: Below Zero players would be understandably horrified at the idea of using Penglings as Bioreactor fuel. But the adorable alien penguin is listed pretty high up in terms of total energy value, so don’t feel bad if you have to put your conscience aside for this one.
What makes Penglings Great:

  • Easy to acquire: Pengwings and Penglings can be found in abundance on the many ice sheets in the area near your Drop Pod. 
  • Space-conserving: Penglings only take up one slot in the Bioreactor and provide decent energy per slot.

Pengling Stats: 

  • Individual Penglings take up a single slot of the Bioreactor inventory. 
  • The total energy value for one Pengling is 210.

How To Get Penglings:

Pick up a Pengling! [Subnautica Below Zero]

 

10. Ribbon plants 

These charged plants are found in abundance.

The humble Ribbon plant can be found growing in multiple biomes. It grows in bunches and has a distinctive blueish glow to it. Ribbon plants have a wide variety of uses, including being a convenient fuel source for your Bioreactor.

What makes Ribbon plant Great:

  • Easy to acquire: Ribbon plants generate in six biomes, and are by no means hard to find.
  • Space-saving: They take up only one slot of inventory space.

Ribbon plant Stats: 

  • Individual Ribbon plants take up a single slot of the Bioreactor inventory. 
  • The total energy value for one Ribbon plant is 210.

How to get Ribbon plants: 

Subnautica Below Zero how to find Ribbon Plant

 

9. Gel Sack

A slimy snack, but a great source of power.

If you don’t like the idea of throwing animals into a machine to power up your base, Gel Sacks are a good replacement. This bioluminescent plant is also used for making Aerogel, an important construction material.

What makes Gel Sacks Great:

  • Value-per-slot: Gel Sacks have one of the highest energy values per slot when compared to most other flora.
  • Can be grown with fauna: If you’re using both flora and fauna for your BIoreactor, Gel Sacks can be grown at the bottom of Alien Containment Tanks.

Gel Sack Stats: 

  • Individual Gel Sacks take up a single slot of the Bioreactor inventory. 
  • The total energy value for one Gel Sack is 245.

How To Get Gel Sack: 

WHERE TO FIND GEL SACK IN SUBNAUTICA BELOW ZERO

 

8. Arrow Ray

It sort of looks like a slice of cheese swimming around.

This small plankton-eating fishcan propel itself at high speeds to evade predators. It also happens to be one of the most efficient fuel sources in terms of  energy-per-slot ratios. Pop some in your alien containment and you’re good to go.
What makes Arrow Rays Great:

  • Space-saving: Arrow Rays are small and take up only one slot of space while also providing a high energy value.

Arrow Ray Stats: 

  • Individual Arrow Rays take up a single slot of the Bioreactor inventory. 
  • The total energy value for one Arrow Ray is 315.

How To Get  Arrow Rays:  
Arrow Rays are found in the Lilypad Islands and the Tree Spires.

 

7. Preston's Delight

It's delightful alright, as a source of fuel.

Preston's Delight is the fruit acquired from the Preston's Plant. While you have to crash Marguerit's Greenhouse to get this one, a single purple fruit packs a good amount of energy. You’re gonna need them to feedbaby Snow Stalkers anyway!

What makes Preston's Delight Great:

  • Ample harvest: Quite a few fruits can be found growing on a single plant. Multiple plants should keep your Bioreactor running without a problem.
  • Space-saving: One fruit takes up only one slot of inventory space.

Preston's Delight Stats:

  • One Preston's Delight takes up a single slot of the Bioreactor inventory. 
  • The total energy value for one Preston's Delight is 210.

How To Get Preston's Delight: 

WHERE TO FIND PRESTONS PLANT LEAF IN SUBNAUTICA BELOW ZERO

 

6. Triops

Strange-looking, sure, but an awesome source of power.

The Triops is a small, roundish species of fish with three distinctive eyes on the front of its body. This fish may be small, but its addition to this list bumps up the total energy value ceiling by a significant amount.
What makes Triops Great:

  • Multiples quickly: Pop in a few of these fish into your alien containment and watch their numbers grow rapidly.
  • High energy value: The Triops’ energy value (per slot) is as high as it gets for fauna. It’s an efficient fuel source, without question.
  • Space-saving: Takes up only one slot, and provides a crazy amount of energy doing so.

Triops Stats: 

  • A single Triops takes up a single slot of the Bioreactor inventory. 
  • The total energy value for one Triops is 350.

How To Get Triops: 
Triops are found in Crystal Caves, Deep Lilypads Cave, Deep Twisty Bridges, Fabricator Caverns, Koppa Mining Site, and Tree Spires.

 

5. Arctic Peeper

The Arctic Peeper feeds you AND powers your base fabulously.

As always, the Arctic Peeper remains the most versatile fish in the game. Having Arctic Peepers in a containment ensures that you won’t be going hungry, thirsty, or without electricity any time soon. 

What makes Arctic Peepers Great:
Multiples quickly: Like the Triops, Arctic Peepers multiply their numbers very quickly, leaving you with a hefty supply of fish.
High energy value: Arctic Peepers and Triops share the same energy value, and they outperform any other fauna in the competition.
Space-saving: The Arctic Peeper doesn’t take more than one space, and it still manages to produce substantial energy.

Arctic Peepers Stats:
A single Arctic Peeper takes up one slot of the Bioreactor inventory.
The total energy value for one Arctic Peeper is 350.

How To Get Arctic Peeper: 
Arctic Peepers are found in Arctic Spires, Glacial Basin, Underwater Caves, Glacial Bay, Glacial Connection, Shallow Twisty Bridges, Sparse Arctic, Thermal Spires, Twisty Bridges, and West Arctic

 

4. Noot Fish

Noot noot. Just a few of these can easily sustain your base.

While it’s memed by developers and players alike, the Noot Fish holds a position of respect as a high-standard Bioreactor fuel. Noot Fish, a colorful species of fauna with trumpet-like mouths, may “noot” taste very good but certainly perform well as fuel.

What makes Noot Fish Great: 

  • High Energy Value: One Noot Fish can provide a surprising amount of energy.
  • Takes only one slot: Filling all 16 slots of the Bioreactor with this fish will sustain your base for as long as you need.

Noot Fish Stats:

  • A single Noot Fish takes up one slot of the Bioreactor inventory. The total energy value for one Noot Fish is 315.

How To Get Noot Fish: 
Noot Fish are found in the Lilypad Islands.

 

3. Fevered Pepper

Spicy on the tongue, great for generating heat.

The Fevered Pepper is another animal-friendly alternative for powering your base. Rich in capsaicin and high in H2O, Fevered Peppers are also a very efficient food for surviving the cold climate. The plant is a must-have addition to your growbeds.

What makes Fevered Pepper Great:

  • Ample Harvest: A single Fevered Pepper plant will give you 4-5 peppers. Having multiple plants ensures optimal efficiency.

Fevered Pepper Stats:

  • A single Fevered Pepper takes up two slots of the Bioreactor inventory. 
  • The total energy value for one Arctic Peeper is 175.
  • That would be a total energy value of 350 per pepper.

How To Get Fevered Pepper: 

WHERE TO FIND FEVERED PEPPER IN SUBNAUTICA BELOW ZERO

 

2. Marblemelon

Always great to have these around.

Whether it's matters of food or power, Marblemelons always come to the rescue. These small melons are essential for every player’s base, because of their high water content, nutritional value, and energy density. 

What makes Marblemelons Great:

  • High energy density: Marblemelons have one of the best energy-per-slot ratios among the fauna. 
  • Ample harvest: If replanting the seeds doesn’t sound like too much of a chore, harvesting Marblemelons is truly worth it.

Marblemelons Stats:

  • A single Marblemelon takes up 4 (2x2) slots of the Bioreactor inventory. 
  • The total energy value for one slot is 105.
  • That would be a total energy value of 420 per melon.

How To Get Marblemelons:
Marblemelons are found exclusively in Marguerit’s Greenhouse. Here’s how to get to it:
 

Marguerit's Greenhouse Location | SUBNAUTICA BELOW ZERO

 

1. Root Pustules

These pustules may not look like much, but they generate crazy amounts of power.

Root pustules crush every other item on this list in terms of total energy value. But these high-energy pustules can only be scavenged from the Kelp Roots in the Arctic Kelp Caves. Accessibility puts off a lot of players from utilizing it, but it remains a powerful fuel source nonetheless.
What makes Root pustules Great:

  • Highest energy value and density: No other fauna even comes close in terms of both energy-per-slot value and total energy.

Root pustules Stats: 

  • A single Root pustule takes up 1 slot of the Bioreactor inventory. 
  • The total energy value for one slot is 700.
  • That would be a total energy value of 720 per Root pustule.

How To Get Root pustules:

How To Find ROOT PUSTULE || Subnautica Below Zero

 

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When she's not sneaking around the Ancient City or spending a ridiculous amount of time chopping wood for a medieval tavern build, Helga likes to sketch, write, and take pictures of her cats.
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