[16.22] Pollution miscalculation

[Dune]

I've been playing 15.40, but I'd found a seeming bug and wanted to check if it was still in place in 16.22, and I've tested it, and it still seems to be there.

Pollution from modules are calculated incorrectly. I've included screenshots, but in brief: A factory (for science lets say) produces 1.8 pollution without any modules (or beacons). Adding a single rank3 productivity module, is +10% pollution.

1.8 x 1.1 = 1.98

But the factory reports 3.564 a 98% increase. Not the 10% increase expected.

Two rank3 productivity modules should be:

1.8 x 1.2 = 2.16

But the factory reports 5.616 a 212% increase. Definitely not the 20% expected.

Three rank3 productivity modules:

1.8 x 1.3 = 2.34

The factory reports 7.956 a 342% increase.

Four rank3 prod. modules

1.8 x 1.4 = 2.52

The factory reports 10.584 a 488% increase.

Add in speed modules that don't affect pollution, by beacon

The single rank3 productivity module should be (as demonstrated above 1.98) affected by a beacon with 2 rank 3 speed modules, the factory reports it as: 4.95 a 175% increase.

Here follows the promised screenshots.

[chrisgbk]

It looks like energy consumption is being applied to pollution; efficiency modules are giving a 50% reduction in pollution AND energy as well.

So with production, you get +10% pollution and +80% pollution from the energy increase, stacking multiplicatively.

1.8 * 1.1 * 1.8 = 3.564
1.8 * 1.2 * 2.6 = 5.616
1.8 * 1.3 * 3.4 = 7.956
1.8 * 1.4 * 4.2 = 10.584

I'm not sure this represents a bug; pollution might be calculated based on energy consumption.

[Rseding91]

Thanks for the report however pollution is calculated based off the addition from the module and energy consumption of the machine.

[Dune]

I really don't think it makes sense. As far as I know, no device in the world produces more pollution by consuming more energy.

You set your clothing dryer on high, no more pollution.

Your electric razor on high, no more pollution.

You have an electric car, no pollution to use. No matter how fast or quick you use the energy stored in the batteries.

The production of that energy, yes more pollution (if it burns something to create it).

So, what is being said, is that my device produces more pollution by consuming the energy that my power plant produces which also produces more pollution. That doesn't make sense to me.

The +10% pollution for a rank 3 module is mislabeled, it is really +100% pollution.

[chrisgbk]

I really don't think it makes sense. As far as I know, no device in the world produces more pollution by consuming more energy.

You set your clothing dryer on high, no more pollution.

Your electric razor on high, no more pollution.

You have an electric car, no pollution to use. No matter how fast or quick you use the energy stored in the batteries.

The production of that energy, yes more pollution (if it burns something to create it).

So, what is being said, is that my device produces more pollution by consuming the energy that my power plant produces which also produces more pollution. That doesn't make sense to me.

The +10% pollution for a rank 3 module is mislabeled, it is really +100% pollution.

Pollution in the Factorio sense means all forms of pollution: noise, heat, toxic gases, etc. A device which uses more energy will probably output more heat -- as an example, an electric motor running on low versus running on high.


See also 52254, 48807, 48787.