Power Generation

TYPE
FUSION
OUTPUT
1*10^15 Joule per. Kilogram

Nuclear fusion - the combining of light nuclei into heavier ones, like deuterium into helium, with the release of great amounts of energy as used in the hydrogen bomb, 1000x more powerful than fission. See also: cold fusion
 

TYPE
MATTER / ANTI-MATTER
OUTPUT
9*10^16 Joule per. Kilogram

Mater/anti-mater reactors operate by combining like forms of mater and anti-mater.  These two compounds then cancel each other out, resulting in the destruction of both compounds, producing a massive energy release.  Powerful magnetic fields are required to keep anti-mater separated from mater, in order to avoid catastrophic premature interaction.  These forms of M/AM reaction are very inefficient.
In order for M/AM systems to be cost effective, complex gravity technology is needed to harness the potential energy of mater/anti-mater reaction in order to exploit it to its full potential, limiting this technology to races with a firm grasp of gravitic technology.
 

TYPE
QUANTUM SINGULARITY
OUTPUT
1.8*10^17 Joule per. Kilogram

Quantum/Gravitic reactor is the primary power plant utilized by the "Old Races". This system uses a complex series of graviton beams to mimic the destructive power of a black hole on a local scale, creating an artificial quantum singularity.
This self sustaining reactor system destroys all mater introduced into the singularity, creating a 100% energy release. Efficiency of a given ship to exploit this energy release varies.
Process begins with a series of high-energy fusion reactors, which are used to manipulate zero-point energy to mimic gravity and create the singularity. Once the singularity is formed, any and all mater introduced into the reactor is destroyed, creating a massive energy release.
As any form of mater can be used as fuel for the singularity, this form of reactor has a near infinite run time - so long as there is mater to be used as fuel, the Quantum/Gravitic reactor will continue to produce power. In addition, a key byproduct of this form of reaction is anti-mater, which can be used both as a weapon or a secondary power source.
Key advantage of the Quantum/Gravitic reactor over a mater/anti-mater reactor is system is efficiency and stability. The Quantum/Gravitic reactor only uses half the fuel of an anti-mater based system and, unlike a mater/anti-mater reactor, should this form of reactor breech the singularity will simply collapse with almost no adverse effects.
Once the singularity is shut down all form of mass compression will cease and, with the exception of one final burst of anti-mater, energy production stops almost instantaneously.
 

TYPE
ZPF - HYPERSPACE TAP
OUTPUT
UNKNOWN

Hyperspace Tap is the most advanced form of reactor conceived of, and is the theoretical basis for power plants used by advanced races such as the "Old Race".  Essentially ancient races tap into the tidal forces of Hyperspace its self as a power source.
Having been compared to the galactic equivalent to a hydro-electrical power system, the Hyperspace tap operates by some how using gravimetric fields to create a constant and stable access point between Hyperspace and real space, which is open at all times.
Hyperspace, which is a volatile dimensional plane of existence, is ripe with massive gravitational forces.  Through the use of the Hyperspace Tap ancient races, theoretically, are able to tap into these tidal forces on a galactic scale and harness it to drive their starships.  The complexity of this level of technology is phenomenal, Doctor Antonio M. Lucero of the Arghoa Corp. on Io compared this to humanity being able to harness the energy of our entire universe expanding.