Several Spaceship-classes such as your Colonizationship are equiped with solar cells, which receive over specific planet-types every Cycle (Round/Tick) aditional free solar-energy. It does not matter if your ship is within the orbit or not. The energy fueling is especially important for Spy-probes (unmaned flying objects with solar-cells):
Picture
Icon
Planet Type
Energy through
Solar Cells
Wüstenplanet
6
M Class Planet
4
Moderate Planet
4
Water Planet
4
Lava Planet
3
Ice Planet
2
Rock Planet
1
Tips:
When your Colonizationship or a other ship with Solar Cells rests in orbit for a longer time period, then you can leave your SRS/LRS online without loosing a single Energy/Deuterium. Over a normal planet you receive 4 aditional Solar Energy per Tick, however; over a Desert-Planet you receive 6 per Tick, because there is more sun available to use. Should your ships (with Solar Cells) have no Reaktorfilling/Deuterium/Plasma, your solarcells will still keep your ship going, and will also recharge your ship. It will be slower, but it will work.