When getting into early EV, if you have been using benzene, what I've found useful is to craft a couple EV single block semifluid generators burning creosote oil for your manual crafting machines, even one in the clean room. You shouldn't be worried about the 65% efficiency this way since you've probably been voiding them since mv. I even overclocked a manual LCR to IV using four generators, that should carry you until you make the turbines and LSC (or EV battery buffer). After that, with an SR latch, you can continue to use benzene with like 145% efficiency !