In Frostpunk 2, the Heat from the generator is the only thing that keeps the city running. Without the Heat, people will freeze to death, and as you progressively grow, you need more Heat to sustain the city.
How does Heat work in Frostpunk 2?
Heat is an essential resource in Frostpunk 2, and not having enough is the biggest cause of Tension in the city. The supply and demand of Heat is displayed at the top of the screen along with the rest of the resources.
While the resource description says Heat is produced by the generator, the amount it produces depends on how much fuel, like Coal, you have available. You can click on the generator to see the breakdown of the Heat output. There’s also an option to put the generator into overdrive, increasing its output. It’s a handy feature, especially when you need to survive a Whiteout, but don’t keep it in overdrive mode for too long, or it causes damage.
Ways to get more Heat in Frostpunk 2
Build and expand Extraction Districts
The first thing to do is start extracting resources from the city’s area. There are a few Coal deposits that can fuel your reactor until you find something more reliable. Frostbreak the area around the deposit and build an Extraction District. After building it, you can expand the District once to increase its output and get a building slot.
If you still lack Heat, you can research and construct buildings in these Districts. Coal Mines and Advanced Coal Mines are the first ideas you can work on in the Idea Tree. Both have different effects on the city, so choose whichever suits your vision best.
Send expeditions to the Frostland
Deposits in the city are limited, and to get more resources, you inevitably have to start exploring the Frostland. Create enough Frostland Teams to explore two or three challenging territories simultaneously and look for fuel deposits.
The very first deposit is called the Meagre Coal Mine and is north of the city. After discovering it, you have to connect a trail to the city. Do that, and the outpost will start transporting Coal to fuel the generator.
These outposts aren’t endless, though. You have to keep exploring the Frostland to find more deposits and then, eventually, a permanent source of fuel.
Enact Laws to optimize Heat consumption
In Frostpunk 2, there’s a Law for almost everything, including Heat. Some of the policies you should take a look at are Heat Recycling for Waste Heat Conversion and Weather-Adjusted Shifts for Worker Shifts. Both increase the Heat output and decrease its demand, respectively.