OK, let's develop the idea about modular generators.
1) Generator (or some different generators with different max output power)
The machine, that recieves mechanical energy and converts it to electrical energy.
2) Mechanical energy. You can transfer it by the driving shaft, like it was made in "better than wolves", but i don't think, that you need a special device to change direction. - strait shaft will be nice. Shaft can't be longer than 3 blocks.
You can measure the rotation speed of the shaft.
3) Mechanical energy can be generated by
- Steam turbines
- Windmills
- Watermills
- Internal Combustion Engine
4) Turbines. They are recieving hot steam, and generating mechanical energy. May be some different kind of turbines like T1, T2, T3, or just small, medium and big.
5) Steam. Important parameter - pressure (You can measure it in GIBBL!!!) You can transfer steam with the pipes, and they have some pressure loss. Each turbine "eats" some pressure, but you still can use it, if pressure is high enough to spin the turbine. After it, you should cool steam down in the cooler and condence it into water, and return it to the system with the pipes.
6) Boilers. They can boil the water ^___^
- Coal boiler
- Fuel boiler
- Reactor...
Well, we need a new algorythm for the reactor... It should have steam generators (like an element) heated by the uranium cells.
And we will have
T1 - Windmills/Watermills
T2 - Maybe ICE?
T3 - Power plants with steam turbines and boilers
T4 - Nuclear power plant
About solar panels... Well, they are nice, but their price should be rebalanced, because otherwise they will ruin all the system...
//And I'm sorry again... it is my horrible English....