Economy infrastructure in Stellaris Stellaris guide, tips
Last update: 14 March 2019
Growth of the individual planets is the one of the most important factors that can bring economic success in Stellaris. More information can be found below.
The process of developing planets is an essential one if you want to have a steadily growing economy. Your buildings should be located in certain slots, based on passive income that is generated in the slots. Buildings can be upgraded and the basic construction that you will build on every planet is the Planetary Administration. It is important to construct buildings according to demand on specific resources. You cannot ignore food production to boost birth on planets and provide happiness of your citizens.
The most basic and important buildings are power plants. They will provide enough energy credits to run all your buildings and afford a large fleet.
Planet Unique is a category of buildings that can be situated only in one slot. Two identical buildings can't be constructed on the same planet.
The following list includes descriptions of the most important buildings in your empire:
Administration
Management center of every planet.
Reassembled Ship Shelter
Planet Unique
Cost | Profit | Neighboring effect |
lack | 2x Food | Ethics divergence: +20% |
Comment: a basic building that will be created once you colonize a planet. It provides the minimal amount of food that is needed to develop your empire further. You will be able to upgrade it when ten populations develop.
Planetary Administration
Planet Unique
Cost | Profit | Neighboring effect |
350 Minerals 50 Influence | 3x Food 3x Minerals | Minerals output: +1 Food output: +1 Energy credits: +1 |
Comment: further levels will affect the neighboring effect, and thus increase production of resources in slots: above and under the building, and on its left and right side. Neighboring effect will work only in the vertical and horizontal position. Sooner or later, the building will be created on every planet that has 10 or more available slots.
Planetary Capital
Planet Unique
Cost | Profit | Neighboring effect |
500 Minerals 100 Influence | 4x Food 4x Minerals | Minerals output: +2 Food output: +2 Energy credits: +2 |
Comment: the third and last form of the administrative building. Gives major bonuses to basic resources. Upgrading this building will affect the overall development of the planet and let you upgrade other buildings.
Empire Capital-Complex
Planet Unique
Cost | Profit | Neighboring effect |
1000 Minerals 200 Influence | 5x Food 5x Minerals 1x Influence | Minerals output: +3 Food output: +3 Energy credits: +3 |
Comment: this building can be built only in the capital city, and this is the only building that will affect influence points. Although it costs a lot, it will grant you profits in terms of resources and high neighboring effect. You should build it as soon as possible.
Electricity
Power plant
Level | Cost | Profit |
I | 60 Minerals | Energy credits +3 |
II | 90 Minerals | Energy credits +4 |
III | 120 Minerals | Energy credits +5 |
IV | 150 Minerals | Energy credits +6 |
V | 150 Minerals | Energy credits +8 |
Comment: your main source of energy credits. Upgrade it when possible to gain even greater profit. Build power stations in slots that provide passive income in the form of energy credits.
Betharian Power Plant
Level | Cost | Profit |
I | 60 Minerals Upkeep: Betharian stone | Energy credits +6 |
II | 90 Minerals Upkeep: Betharian stone | Energy credits +8 |
III | 120 Minerals Upkeep: Betharian stone | Energy credits +10 |
IV | 150 Minerals Upkeep: Betharian stone | Energy credits +12 |
Comment: certain technologies associated with gathering resources are required to build this building. Such power plants are twice as productive as the traditional ones. Remember about limited resources and try to use them as effectively as possible.
Power Hub
Planet Unique
Level | Cost | Profit |
I | 60 Minerals / 25 Influence | Energy credits +3 Planet modifier: Energy credits +10% |
II | 250 Minerals / 25 Influence | Energy credits +6 Planet modifier: Energy credits +15% |
Comment: build them on planets where most slots are reserved for power plants. This way, you will receive more energy credits. It's worth mentioning that a power hub is a source of credits itself, but the modifier is the crucial factor.
Mining Network
Cost | Profit | Comment |
90 Minerals | Depends on the type of resource | These buildings are a valuable source of resources. You will probably depend on them in the early stages of the game. Later on you won't have to get rid of them, as they won't generate any costs. |
Minerals
Mining Network
Level | Cost | Profit |
I | 60 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Energy | Minerals +2 |
II | 90 Minerals Upkeep: 1.5 Energy | Minerals +3 |
III | 120 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy | Minerals +4 |
IV | 150 Minerals Upkeep: 2.5 Energy | Minerals +5 |
V | 150 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Minerals +8 |
Comment: your main source of minerals, and thus you should build them in the maximal number of available slots on several planets. The upkeep is high, but you won't conquer the galaxy without this resource.
Mineral Processing Plant
Planet Unique
Level | Cost | Profit |
I | 150 Minerals / 25 Influence Upkeep: 2 Energy | Minerals +2 Planet modifier: Minerals: +10% |
II | 250 Minerals / 25 Influence Upkeep: 3 Energy | Minerals +3 Planet modifier: Minerals: +15% |
Comment: it improves the process of gathering resources on a given planet. Similar to the power hub, it produces only a small amount of resources, but provides planet modifier in the form improved mineral production. Such buildings are expensive, so build them on planets with at least 10 slots devoted to mineral production.
Orillium Explosives Factory
Planet Unique
Empire unique
Cost | Profit | Comment |
350 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy 1 Orillium ore | Planet modifier: Minerals: +10% Empire modifier: Minerals: +10% | This building can be built only once in the entire empire, so choose wisely. Secure your Orillium source and use extra modifier that will increase Orillium production in the whole empire. |
Mineral Silo
Level | Cost | Profit |
I | 60 Minerals | Mineral capacity: +1000 |
II | 90 Minerals | Mineral capacity: +1500 |
III | 120 Minerals | Mineral capacity: +2000 |
Comment: you don't have to build them until you reach the point when discovering new technologies will not increase the capacity of warehouses. Try to build mineral silos on new planets. They don't require any resources, so you can build as many as you like.
Mining Network
Cost | Profit | Comment |
90 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Energy | Depends on the type of resource | Such mining structures will be useful, especially at the beginning of the gameplay. Draw your attention to the fact that mining network requires energy credits, and you will be unable to upgrade the structure and increase the income. If you keep an appropriate energy balance, you can afford it. In case of any trouble, it is best to shut down mining networks that provide the least income. |
Food
Hydroponics farm
Level | Cost | Profit |
I | 60 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Energy | Food +2 |
II | 90 Minerals Upkeep: 1.5 Energy | Food +3 |
III | 120 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy | Food +4 |
IV | 150 Minerals Upkeep: 2.5 Energy | Food +5 |
V | 180 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Food +8 |
Comment: a building that is crucial for every planet. Before you build one, take food excess into account. If the population is still developing, you may want to leave more buildings, and thus speed up the process. When the entire planet is settled, you can replace farms with building that will be more profitable.
Frontier Clinic
Planet Unique
Cost | Profit | Comment |
150 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Energy | Food +2 Planet modifier: habitability: +5% | This building plays a key role in the process of colonizing a planet. It will allow you to produce a small excess of food, and affect planet modifier. Thus, the population will develop faster. It is especially useful when it comes to planets with climates very different from your home planet. |
Science
Basic Science Lab
Cost | Profit | Comment |
60 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Energy | Physics: +1 Society: +1 Engineering: +1 | This building is crucial for research and science. Each branch of science will require a separate lab that will grant you extra profits. |
Physics Lab
Level | Cost | Profit |
I | 90 Minerals Upkeep: 1.5 Energy | Physics: +2 Society: +1 Engineering: +1 |
II | 120 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy | Physics: +3 Society: +1 Engineering: +1 |
III | 150 Minerals Upkeep: 2.5 Energy | Physics: +4 Society: +1 Engineering: +1 |
IV | 180 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Physics: +6 Society: +1 Engineering: +1 |
Comment: physics lab will grant you benefits in terms of science. It will require a lot of energy, especially last upgrades. It's good to have several of these on your planets, because such research will affect energy and credits management.
Biolab
Level | Cost | Profit |
I | 90 Minerals Upkeep: 1.5 Energy | Physics: +1 Society: +2 Engineering: +1 |
II | 120 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy | Physics: +1 Society: +3 Engineering: +1 |
III | 150 Minerals Upkeep: 2.5 Energy | Physics: +1 Society: +4 Engineering: +1 |
IV | 180 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Physics: +1 Society: +6 Engineering: +1 |
Comment: similar to a physics lab. Few labs in various sectors should be enough to improve your research.
Engineering Facility
Level | Cost | Profit |
I | 90 Minerals Upkeep: 1.5 Energy | Physics: +1 Society: +1 Engineering: +2 |
II | 120 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy | Physics: +1 Society: +1 Engineering: +3 |
III | 150 Minerals Upkeep: 2.5 Energy | Physics: +1 Society: +1 Engineering: +4 |
IV | 180 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Physics: +1 Society: +1 Engineering: +6 |
Comment: similar to a physics lab. Few labs in various sectors should be enough to improve your research speed.
Research Institute
Empire unique
Cost | Profit | Comment |
540 Minerals 50 Influence Upkeep: 10 Energy | Physics: +5 Society: +5 Engineering: +5 Empire modifier: Research speed: +10% | You should build this building if you want to discover new technologies faster. Only one can be built across the entire empire, and it doesn't matter where it will be constructed. Just remember that it requires a lot of energy. |
Research Station
Cost | Profit | Comment |
90 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Energy | Depends on the type of resource | It is a solid source of research. Use it to maximize profits. |
Other
Military Academy
Planet Unique
Cost | Profit | Comment: |
150 Minerals 50 Influence Upkeep: 1 Energy | Planet modifier: Army Build Speed: +25% Army modifier: Army Damage:+10% | This building will improve the pace of recruiting your land forces and increase their damage. One should build at least two academies in different parts of the empire. You can recruit your army on one planet and send it to another one. |
Virtual Combat Arena
Planet Unique
Cost | Profit | Comment |
350 Minerals 10 Influence Upkeep: 3 Energy | Planet modifier: Happiness: +5% Ethics divergence: -5% Army modifier: Army Damage: +10% | Another building that will increase your army's damage. It will also improve overall happiness and decrease ethics divergence. It's best to rise the arena on planets that belonged to a different empire just recently. |
Pitharan Fertilizer Plant
Empire Unique
Cost | Profit | Comment |
350 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy 1 Pitharan Dust | Planet modifier: Food : +10% Empire modifier: Food : +10% | A factory will let you produce more food, and thus reorganize slots on all the planets and decrease the number of unwanted farms. Active this building on a planet that has problems with this resource, and you will affect birth and happiness of the entire empire. |
Teldar Plant
Empire Unique
Cost | Profit | Comment |
350 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy 1 Teldar crystals | Planet modifier: Happiness: +10% Empire modifier: Happiness: +10% | Another Empire Unique that improves modifiers of planets and the entire empire. It is best to activate one on a planet that is occupied by a fraction. Draw your attention to the fact that the plant does not require influence points and the outcome of generated happiness is similar to activating edicts on all the planets separately. |
Planetary Shield Generator
Planet Unique
Cost | Profit | Comment: |
350 Minerals | Planet modifier: Planet fortification toughness : +50% | A building that is especially useful during war, as it will significantly improve your fortification. It is best to wait for an open conflict and investigate which planets are targets of enemy attack. |
Clone Vats
Planet Unique
Cost | Profit | Comment |
350 Minerals | Allows the creation of clone armies | This building allows the creation of clone armies to defend planets and invade other empires. It's best to build it on planets that strictly focus on military facilities and have the right modifiers. |
Xeno Zoo
Planet Unique
Cost | Profit | Comment |
300 Minerals 10 influence Upkeep: 2 Energy 1 Alien Pets | Planet modifier: Happiness: +10% | A building that can be built on any planet, as long as you have enough resources. One should build it on a planet where happiness does not reach the desired level. |
Spaceport
Your primary defense of inhabited planets which can be used to increase the capacity of units. There are six available upgrades. First you have to build your spaceport, depending on the specific type of weapons, and then you may upgrade it five more times. This structure is not a priority, but keep in mind that you won't build any massive units without proper upgrades. Each level of each spaceport will increase the capacity by 1.
Level | Cost | Profit |
I | 350 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Units that can be recruited: - Corvette - research ship - construction ship - colony ship Module slot |
II | 300 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Module slot |
III | 450 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Units that can be recruited: - Destroyer Module slot |
IV | 600 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Module slot |
V | 850 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Units that can be recruited: - Cruiser Module slot |
VI | 1000 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Units that can be recruited: - Battleship Module slot |
Modules
The following list presents all the available modules and components required to complete the upgrade.
Planets
Solar Panel Network
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 75 Minerals | Energy credits +3 |
Comment: a useful upgrade for planets that focus on energy industry, and those that are not directly connected to the military industry.
Crew Quarters
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 100 Minerals | Orbital modifier Fleet Upkeep - 20% |
Comment: useful for planets situated next to other empires. It will reduce your fleet upkeep, and thus very important during war preparation.
Observatory
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 100 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Energy | Planet modifier Research +10% Planet Sensor Range +50% |
Comment: a useful upgrade for planets that focus on research.
Orbital hydroponic farms
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 100 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Energy | Planet modifier Food +3 |
Comment: a module that can save you a lot of trouble. If there is powerful fraction on a newly conquered planet, most of your buildings will be damaged due to sabotage. Furthermore, if farms get destroyed, famine can quickly become a major problem.
Synchronized Defenses
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 150 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Energy | Station Modifier Fire rate +25% Weapons damage +25% |
Comment: improves defense of the very spaceport. Especially useful for capitals and planets in the center of an open conflict. Additional benefits will also be useful once your fleet moves out of the solar system.
Satramene Atmospheric Dispenser
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 300 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy 1 Satramene Gas | Planet modifier Grown Time -15% |
Comment: this module can significantly improve the time of development across certain planets. Once you reach the limit, you can replace the module, not to lose benefits. Then, use this module on another planet and repeat the process until all the populations are fully developed.
Dark Matter reactor
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 500 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Dark matter | Energy credits +10 Physics +10 |
Comment: a useful upgrade for planets that focus on industry. Additional influence will let you use one of the slots for a different purpose and keep your income. Remember that there isn't much of this resource and it's hard to find.
Neutronium Fission Plant
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 500 Minerals Upkeep: 1 nuetronium ore | Energy credits +10 Minerals +10 |
Comment: a useful module for planets that focus on industry. Additional influence will let you use one of the slots for a different purpose and keep your income. Remember that there isn't much of this resource and it's hard to find.
Orbital Mind Control Laser
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 400 Minerals 10 Influence Upkeep: 5 Energy | Planet modifier Ethics divergence -30% |
Comment: a perfect module when you want to take over a planet which had a very different system before. It's very expensive, but the provided benefits are enormous when compared to standard modifiers.
Spaceport
Corvette Assembly Yard
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 100 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Energy | Spaceport modifier Corvette Build Speed +25% Corvette build cost -10% |
Destroyer Assembly Yard
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 300 Minerals Upkeep: 1Energy | Spaceport modifier Destroyer Build Speed +25% Destroyer build cost -10% |
Cruiser Assembly Yard
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 400 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy | Spaceport modifier Cruiser Build Speed +25% Cruiser build cost -10% |
Battleship Assembly Yard
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 500 Minerals Upkeep: 4 Energy | Spaceport modifier Battleship Build Speed +25% Battleship build cost -10% |
Comment: each module will benefit a certain type of ship. It's crucial that each of the modules is placed on a different planet. It's practical in terms of module management and warfare. If you build modules in only one spaceport, and your enemy manages to destroy it, you will suffer economic failure and doom your empire.
Ships
Navigator's guild
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 200 Minerals 25 influence Upkeep: 2 Energy 1 Zro | Ship modifier Hit chance +3 Warp Speed +20% Sensor range +100% |
Fleet Academy
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 300 Minerals 50 influence Upkeep: 2 Energy | Ship modifier Chance to evade +5 Weapons Damage +5% Hit chance +3 |
Pitharan Refinery
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 300 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy 1 Pitharan Dust | Ship modifier Sublight speed +10% Speed +10% Chance to evade +5 |
Engineering Bay
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 100 Minerals Upkeep: 1 Energy | Orbital modifier Ship Repair Speed +25% Ship Repair Cost -25% Ship modifier Ship Upkeep - 10% |
Neutronium Forge
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 500 Minerals Upkeep: 3 Energy 1 neutronium ore | Ship modifier armor +50% |
Orillium Plant
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 300 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy 1 Orillium ore | Ship modifier Explosive Weapon Damage +10% |
Teldar Refinery
Icon | Cost | Profit |
 | 300 Minerals Upkeep: 2 Energy 1 teldar crystal | Ship modifier Kinetic Weapon Damage +10% |
Comment: all the presented modules are prepared for planets that will focus on military industry. The choice depends on specific units that you want to build and projects that you want get involved into. Remember about the neutronium forge, because it's good to have more resources that will allow you to establish four main planets and build your fleet. Each ship that is produced in this spaceport will receive additional armor. Another important module is the engineering bay that will greatly decrease ship upkeep.