Aetherium fuel is a light liquid frequently used as the primary source of energy in the universe of Project Aetherium. It is produced from particles collected from Aether gas and passed through a generator which refines it into usable liquid form. While it burns hot and is energy dense, it is hard to ignite, which require specialised engines to be used to provide power.
While other sources of energy such as space-whale oil and condensed vine sap are regularly used in daily life, the sheer abundance of Aetherium fuel makes it the primary energy source used by void ships power their propulsion engines.
In liquid state, it is bordering gaseous and is extremely light. In space, it is very sensitive to gravity and will float towards even slight gravitational pulls.
Aetherium fuel is mainly acquired through the use of particle-absorbant sails mounted on almost every space-faring ship. The sails absorb particles in the Aether and sends it to onboard generators which turn it into usable liquid fuel. On ships, most of the fuel is immediately passed to the engines to provide propulsion, with only a small surplus tank as a buffer.
Settlements make use of power stations which utilize Aetherium fuel to produce electricity. Aetherium fuel intended for use in such power stations are harvested using massive sailbarges towed by multiple void ships. Such barges have many massive sails mounted on them and are pulled along gas rich stretches of Aether. The sailbarges collect Aetherium fuel and refine them into liquid form, before storing them into barrels and selling to settlements and planets.
The companies operating these barges also work with merchant guilds and passenger liners to be towed across their routes by their ships in exchange for compensation. Thus, it’s common to see a small fleet of merchant ships and passenger liners traveling together along a common route while towing a giant sailbarge behind them.
Small sailbarge “Typhona” owned by Bruce & Co. Energy towed by some merchant vessels in a nebulae.