MEGA Cells Mod Guide: Massive AE2 Storage, Bulk Cells & Crafting Upgrades
MEGA Cells extends Applied Energistics 2 with storage cells ranging from 1M to 256M types, a Bulk Item Cell for virtually unlimited single-item storage, upgraded crafting infrastructure with 4 co-processing threads per accelerator, and an 18-slot MEGA Pattern Provider. If your AE2 system is outgrowing its 256k cells, this is the addon you need.
Overview
MEGA Cells is an addon for Applied Energistics 2 that picks up where AE2's storage tiers leave off. The base mod caps out at 256k storage components, and once you're running large-scale automation or storing massive quantities of items, those cells fill up fast. MEGA Cells adds five new storage tiers (1M, 4M, 16M, 64M, and 256M) for both items and fluids, along with matching Portable Cells, a unique Bulk Item Cell for near-infinite single-item storage, and upgraded crafting and pattern provider blocks.
The mod also introduces its own crafting material pipeline built around Sky Steel Ingots and the 
Accumulation Processor, a new processor type that serves as the key ingredient in virtually every MEGA Cells recipe. You can browse all 63 recipes and 25 items on the tabs above this guide.
Prerequisites
MEGA Cells requires a working Applied Energistics 2 installation. Before you can craft anything from this mod, you'll need an established AE2 network with access to an Inscriber, Quartz Vibrant Glass, and all three standard AE2 processors (Logic, Calculation, and Engineering). You should also have Sky Stone available, which means you'll need to have found and mined a Meteorite. Familiarity with AE2's cell system, crafting CPUs, and pattern providers will help you get the most out of this addon.
If you have Applied Botanics (AppBot) installed alongside MEGA Cells, you'll also gain access to MEGA-tier Mana Storage Cells and Portable Mana Cells, extending the same massive storage to Botania's mana system.
Getting Started
- 1
Craft the Accumulation Processor Press
The
Accumulation Processor is the core crafting ingredient for nearly everything in MEGA Cells. Start by crafting the Accumulation Processor Press in your Inscriber, then use it to print Accumulation Circuits. Combine a 
Printed Accumulation Circuit with Silicon and Redstone in the Inscriber (just like other AE2 processors) to produce your first Accumulation Processors. - 2
Produce Sky Steel Ingots
Sky Steel Ingots are crafted through a transform recipe: toss Iron Ingots, a Charged Certus Quartz Crystal, and a Sky Stone Block together (similar to AE2's Fluix Crystal creation process). This yields 2 Sky Steel Ingots per craft. You'll need these for the
MEGA Item Cell Housing, Sky Steel Blocks, and the Sky Dust that many recipes require. - 3
Build Your First 1M Cell
Craft a Cell Component 1M by surrounding a 256k Component with Sky Dust and an
Accumulation Processor. Then either combine it with a MEGA Item Cell Housing (crafted from Sky Steel Ingots, Sky Dust, and Quartz Vibrant Glass) or craft the full cell directly in a Crafting Table. Pop it into your ME Drive and you now have storage for over 1 million bytes. - 4
Scale Up Your Crafting CPU
If your autocrafting jobs are hitting storage limits, replace standard Crafting Storage blocks with MEGA variants. A single 256M MEGA Crafting Storage block provides 268,435,456 bytes of crafting storage. MEGA Crafting Accelerators provide 4 co-processing threads each (compared to 1 from standard AE2 accelerators), dramatically speeding up complex crafting jobs.
- 5
Set Up Bulk Storage for High-Volume Items
For items you accumulate in enormous quantities (Cobblestone, Sand, mob drops), craft a Bulk Item Cell. This special cell stores a single item type with virtually no upper limit, using BigInteger math internally. Configure it by setting a filter for the item you want to store, and optionally add a
Compression Card to enable automatic compression and decompression (e.g., Cobblestone to Cobblestone Blocks and back).
Sky Steel Ingots are used in place of Iron for MEGA Item Cell Housings. Fluid Cell Housings still use Copper, matching AE2's convention. Remember that Sky Dust (ground Sky Steel) is the MEGA equivalent of AE2's standard dusts and appears in almost every cell component recipe.
Materials & Processors
Accumulation Processor
The Accumulation Processor is MEGA Cells' fourth processor type, joining AE2's Logic, Calculation, and Engineering Processors. It follows the same Inscriber workflow: first craft the Accumulation Processor Press, then use it to print circuits, and finally combine the printed circuit with the standard processor ingredients. Every MEGA-tier cell component, every crafting block, the Mega Energy Cell, and the Decompression Module all require at least one Accumulation Processor. Automate this early if you plan to build a full set of MEGA storage.
Sky Steel Ingot
Sky Steel is created through a transform recipe using Iron Ingots, a Charged Certus Quartz Crystal, and a Sky Stone Block. The recipe produces 2 Sky Steel Ingots. These can be stored and compressed as Sky Steel Blocks (9 ingots each, reversible). Sky Steel Ingots are used for MEGA Item Cell Housings, and Sky Dust (obtained by grinding Sky Steel) appears in every cell component recipe from 1M through 4M tiers, as well as in the Bulk Cell Component.
Storage Cells
MEGA Item & Fluid Cells
MEGA Cells adds five tiers of storage cells for both items and fluids: 1M, 4M, 16M, 64M, and 256M. These work identically to standard AE2 cells but with vastly more capacity. Item cells support up to 63 different item types per cell, while Fluid cells support 9 types, consistent with AE2's conventions.
Each cell is crafted in two steps: first build the Cell Component at the desired tier, then combine it with the appropriate housing. The MEGA Item Cell Housing uses Sky Steel Ingots (instead of Iron), Sky Dust, and Quartz Vibrant Glass. The 
MEGA Fluid Cell Housing uses Copper Ingots in place of Sky Steel. You can also craft cells directly in a single Crafting Table recipe that combines the housing materials with the component.
Cell Components follow a tiered recipe chain. The 1M Component requires three 256k Components (AE2's highest tier) plus Sky Dust and an Accumulation Processor. Each subsequent tier uses three of the previous tier's components plus an Accumulation Processor, Quartz Vibrant Glass, and either Ender Pearl Dust (4M and 16M) or Matter Balls (64M and 256M). This progression means 256M cells are genuinely expensive endgame items.
Storage Cell Tier Comparison
| 1M | 4M | 16M | 64M | 256M | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Bytes | 1,048,576 | 4,194,304 | 16,777,216 | 67,108,864 | 268,435,456 |
| Kilobytes | 1,024 | 4,096 | 16,384 | 65,536 | 262,144 |
| Item Types (Max) | 63 | 63 | 63 | 63 | 63 |
| Fluid Types (Max) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Idle Drain (AE/t) | 3.0 | 4.5 | 10.5 | 34.5 | 130.5 |
Bulk Item Cell
The Bulk Item Cell is one of the most powerful storage solutions in MEGA Cells. Unlike standard cells that store multiple item types with a byte limit, the Bulk Cell stores a single item type with effectively no upper limit. Internally it uses Java's BigInteger class, meaning the theoretical maximum is astronomically large. The cell has a fixed idle drain of 10.0 AE/t and must be configured with a filter to specify which item it will accept.
Crafting a Bulk Item Cell requires a Bulk Cell Component (which itself needs a Spatial Cell Component 2, a 1M Cell Component, two Accumulation Processors, Sky Dust, and Quartz Vibrant Glass), along with Sky Dust, Quartz Vibrant Glass, and two Netherite Ingots. The Netherite requirement reflects the cell's extraordinary capability.
The Bulk Cell supports one upgrade slot. Installing a Compression Card enables automatic compression: if the item you're storing has reversible compression recipes (like Cobblestone to Cobblestone Blocks, or Iron Ingots to Iron Blocks), the cell will automatically compress stored items and display them in their compressed forms. When you extract items, they decompress back to the base form. The cell recognizes any reversible 4x or 9x crafting recipe as a valid compression chain.
Always set the Bulk Cell's filter before inserting items. If the stored item doesn't match the filter, the tooltip will show a "Mismatched filter!" warning in red text. This can happen if you change the filter after items are already stored. A mismatched cell won't accept new items until you resolve the conflict.
Portable Cells
Every MEGA storage tier is also available as a Portable Cell for both items and fluids. MEGA Portable Cells function like standard AE2 Portable Cells but with MEGA-tier capacity and two notable improvements: they charge at 2x the normal rate and hold 8x the maximum AE power of a standard portable cell. This makes them far more practical for extended use away from your base. Each portable cell is crafted by combining a Chest, the appropriate Cell Component, a Dense Energy Cell, and the matching MEGA Cell Housing.
Crafting Infrastructure
MEGA Crafting Unit & Storage
MEGA Cells adds its own Crafting Unit block that serves as the base for MEGA-tier crafting CPU multiblocks. Like standard AE2 crafting units, you build a rectangular multiblock from these, but the storage and accelerator blocks are significantly more powerful. MEGA Crafting Storage blocks come in the same five tiers (1M through 256M), each providing storage equal to their respective cell component's byte count. A single 256M Crafting Storage block holds 268,435,456 bytes of crafting storage, enough for even the most complex recursive crafting jobs.
MEGA Crafting Accelerator
The MEGA Crafting Co-Processing Unit (Accelerator) provides 4 co-processing threads per block, compared to the standard AE2 Crafting Co-Processing Unit's single thread. This means you need far fewer accelerators to achieve high parallelism in your crafting CPUs. Each accelerator is crafted by combining a MEGA Crafting Unit with an Engineering Processor.
MEGA Crafting Monitor
The MEGA Crafting Monitor works like a standard Crafting Monitor but integrates with the MEGA crafting multiblock. Craft it by combining a MEGA Crafting Unit with a Storage Monitor. Place it on the face of your MEGA crafting CPU multiblock to see the current crafting job's progress.
Network Components
Superdense Energy Cell
The 
Superdense Energy Cell (also known as the Mega Energy Cell) stores 12,800,000 AE, a massive upgrade over the standard Dense Energy Cell. It's crafted from 8 Dense Energy Cells surrounding an Accumulation Processor. Beyond just storing power, this block is also a crafting ingredient for the 
Greater Energy Card, making it a dual-purpose investment.
Greater Energy Card
The Greater Energy Card is an upgrade card that provides 8x the energy injection rate of a standard Energy Card. Install it in devices that need high power throughput, like Wireless Access Points or other energy-hungry AE2 machines. It can be crafted by combining either an Energy Card or an Advanced Card with a Mega Energy Cell.
MEGA Pattern Provider
The 
MEGA Pattern Provider is an upgraded Pattern Provider with 18 pattern slots (compared to the standard 9). It only supports Processing Patterns, not crafting patterns. This is ideal for complex automation setups where you need many processing patterns feeding into one machine or machine group. It's available as both a block and a cable-attached part, and the two forms can be converted freely between each other with a shapeless recipe.
The MEGA Pattern Provider and Cable MEGA Pattern Provider are interconvertible via shapeless recipes. If you need to switch between block and cable form, just toss it in a Crafting Table. You can also craft a MEGA Pattern Provider directly by combining a standard Pattern Provider with an Accumulation Processor.
The Decompression System
The Decompression Module and Decompression Patterns form MEGA Cells' most sophisticated feature: automatic decompression for the Bulk Cell's compression system. When a Bulk Cell with a Compression Card stores items in compressed form (e.g., Iron Blocks instead of Iron Ingots), the Decompression Module makes those compressed forms available as craftable outputs through AE2's autocrafting system.
The Decompression Module is a cable-attached part that you place on your AE2 network. It automatically scans your Bulk Cells for compression chains and registers decompression patterns with the crafting system. When a recipe needs Iron Ingots but your Bulk Cell only contains Iron Blocks, the autocrafting system will automatically use a decompression pattern to convert blocks back to ingots. The module requires a channel to operate and uses 10.0 AE/t of idle power.
The Decompression Module is crafted from an Accumulation Processor, Calculation Processor, Engineering Processor, Logic Processor, a Compression Card, and Iron Ingots. Its recipe cost reflects that it's meant to be a single set-and-forget addition to your network that handles all decompression across every Bulk Cell.
Bulk Cell Compression Flow
Mod Compatibility
MEGA Cells has built-in integration with several AE2 addons. If Applied Botanics (AppBot) is installed, MEGA-tier Mana Storage Cells and Portable Mana Cells become available, using a special 
MEGA Mana Cell Housing crafted on a Terra Plate. If AE2 Wireless Terminals (ae2wtlib) is installed, the MEGA Portable Cells integrate with the wireless terminal system. Applied Mekanistics (AppMek) is also recognized, though the integration focuses on ensuring compatibility rather than adding new items.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do MEGA Cells work in standard AE2 ME Drives?
Yes. All MEGA storage cells (1M through 256M, both item and fluid) are standard AE2 cells and slot directly into ME Drives, ME Chests, and any other AE2 block that accepts cells.
Can I mix MEGA Crafting blocks with standard AE2 Crafting blocks in one CPU?
No. MEGA Crafting Units form their own multiblock separate from standard AE2 crafting units. Your MEGA crafting CPU must be built entirely from MEGA Crafting Units, MEGA Crafting Storage, MEGA Crafting Accelerators, and MEGA Crafting Monitors. You can still have both types of crafting CPUs on the same network.
How does the Bulk Cell's compression work?
When a Compression Card is installed, the Bulk Cell automatically detects reversible 4x or 9x crafting recipes for the filtered item. It tracks all stored items in their smallest unit form internally, then displays them in their highest compressed form. For example, 81 Iron Ingots would show as 1 Iron Block with no remainder. The Decompression Module enables autocrafting to convert between compressed and base forms on demand.
What is the actual storage limit of a Bulk Item Cell?
The Bulk Cell uses Java's BigInteger for its internal counter, so there is no practical upper limit. The tooltip will display the exact count when possible, or simply "A lot." when the number exceeds what can be represented as a standard long integer (over 9.2 quintillion). For all intents and purposes, it's infinite.
Why does the MEGA Pattern Provider only accept Processing Patterns?
The MEGA Pattern Provider is specifically filtered to only accept Processing Patterns (set in the source code via AEItemDefinitionFilter). This is by design: the 18-slot capacity is intended for complex machine automation where you need many processing recipes pointing at external machines. Standard crafting patterns should use regular Pattern Providers or Molecular Assemblers.
Does MEGA Cells work with Fabric and Forge?
MEGA Cells supports multiple mod loaders through its platform abstraction layer. The decompiled source confirms Fabric support, and the mod is typically available for both Fabric and Forge/NeoForge on CurseForge. Check the mod's download page for your specific Minecraft version and mod loader combination.