diff --git a/creatur.cabal b/creatur.cabal
--- a/creatur.cabal
+++ b/creatur.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:              creatur
-Version:           5.8.0
+Version:           5.8.2
 Stability:         experimental
 Synopsis:          Framework for artificial life experiments.
 Description:       A software framework for automating experiments
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 source-repository this
   type:     git
   location: https://github.com/mhwombat/creatur.git
-  tag:      5.8.0
+  tag:      5.8.2
 
 library
   GHC-Options:      -Wall -fno-warn-orphans
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@
                     ALife.Creatur.Database.CachedFileSystem,
                     ALife.Creatur.Database.CachedFileSystemInternal,
                     ALife.Creatur.Database.FileSystem,
-                    ALife.Creatur.EnergyPool,
                     ALife.Creatur.Genetics.Analysis,
                     ALife.Creatur.Genetics.BRGCBool,
                     ALife.Creatur.Genetics.BRGCWord8,
diff --git a/src/ALife/Creatur/EnergyPool.hs b/src/ALife/Creatur/EnergyPool.hs
deleted file mode 100644
--- a/src/ALife/Creatur/EnergyPool.hs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- |
--- Module      :  ALife.Creatur.EnergyPool
--- Copyright   :  (c) Amy de Buitléir 2014
--- License     :  BSD-style
--- Maintainer  :  amy@nualeargais.ie
--- Stability   :  experimental
--- Portability :  portable
---
--- An exhaustible resource which persists between runs.
---
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-{-# LANGUAGE TypeSynonymInstances, FlexibleInstances #-}
-module ALife.Creatur.EnergyPool
-  (
-    EnergyPool(..),
-    PersistentEnergyPool,
-    mkPersistentEnergyPool
-  ) where
-
-import ALife.Creatur.Persistent (Persistent, mkPersistent, getPS, putPS)
-import Control.Monad.State (StateT)
-
-class EnergyPool e where
-  replenish :: Double -> StateT e IO ()
-  withdraw :: Double -> StateT e IO Double
-  available :: StateT e IO Double
-
-type PersistentEnergyPool = Persistent Double
-
--- | Creates a resource that will store its value in the specified file.
-mkPersistentEnergyPool :: FilePath -> PersistentEnergyPool
-mkPersistentEnergyPool = mkPersistent 0
-
-instance EnergyPool PersistentEnergyPool where
-  replenish = putPS
-  withdraw xWanted = do
-    xTotal <- getPS
-    let x = min xWanted xTotal
-    putPS (xTotal - x)
-    return x
-  available = getPS
diff --git a/src/ALife/Creatur/Task.hs b/src/ALife/Creatur/Task.hs
--- a/src/ALife/Creatur/Task.hs
+++ b/src/ALife/Creatur/Task.hs
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     simpleJob,
     startupHandler,
     shutdownHandler,
+    doNothing,
     exceptionHandler,
     checkPopSize,
     requestShutdown
@@ -62,6 +63,11 @@
 
 exceptionHandler :: Universe u => u -> SomeException -> IO u
 exceptionHandler u x = execStateT (writeToLog ("WARNING: " ++ show x)) u
+
+-- | Can be used as a startupHandler, shutdownHandler,
+--   startRoundProgram, or endRoundProgram
+doNothing :: Monad m => m ()
+doNothing = return ()
 
 runNoninteractingAgents
   :: (Universe u, Serialize (Agent u))
diff --git a/src/ALife/Creatur/Universe.hs b/src/ALife/Creatur/Universe.hs
--- a/src/ALife/Creatur/Universe.hs
+++ b/src/ALife/Creatur/Universe.hs
@@ -46,9 +46,7 @@
     startOfRound,
     endOfRound,
     refreshLineup,
-    markDone,
-    replenishEnergyPool,
-    withdrawEnergy
+    markDone
  ) where
 
 import Prelude hiding (lookup)
@@ -63,7 +61,6 @@
 import qualified ALife.Creatur.Database.CachedFileSystem as CFS
 import qualified ALife.Creatur.Logger as L
 import qualified ALife.Creatur.Logger.SimpleLogger as SL
-import qualified ALife.Creatur.EnergyPool as E
 import ALife.Creatur.Util (stateMap, shuffle)
 import Control.Monad.IO.Class (liftIO)
 import Control.Monad.Random (evalRandIO)
@@ -73,9 +70,8 @@
 
 -- | A habitat containing artificial life.
 class (C.Clock (Clock u), L.Logger (Logger u), D.Database (AgentDB u),
-  N.Namer (Namer u), CL.Checklist (Checklist u),
-  E.EnergyPool (EnergyPool u), A.Agent (Agent u), D.Record (Agent u),
-  Agent u ~ D.DBRecord (AgentDB u))
+  N.Namer (Namer u), CL.Checklist (Checklist u), A.Agent (Agent u),
+  D.Record (Agent u), Agent u ~ D.DBRecord (AgentDB u))
       => Universe u where
   type Agent u
   type Clock u
@@ -93,9 +89,6 @@
   type Checklist u
   checklist :: u -> Checklist u
   setChecklist :: u -> Checklist u -> u
-  type EnergyPool u
-  energyPool :: u -> EnergyPool u
-  setEnergyPool :: u -> EnergyPool u -> u
 
 withClock :: (Universe u, Monad m) => StateT (Clock u) m a -> StateT u m a
 withClock program = do
@@ -130,13 +123,6 @@
   u <- get
   stateMap (setChecklist u) checklist program
 
-withEnergyPool
-  :: (Universe u, Monad m)
-    => StateT (EnergyPool u) m a -> StateT u m a
-withEnergyPool program = do
-  u <- get
-  stateMap (setEnergyPool u) energyPool program
-
 -- | The current "time" (counter) in this universe
 currentTime :: Universe u => StateT u IO A.Time
 currentTime = withClock C.currentTime
@@ -290,30 +276,13 @@
 shuffledAgentIds
   = agentIds >>= liftIO . evalRandIO . shuffle
 
--- | Replenish the energy pool
-replenishEnergyPool :: Universe u => Double -> StateT u IO ()
-replenishEnergyPool e = do
-  withEnergyPool (E.replenish e)
-  y <- withEnergyPool E.available
-  writeToLog $ "Replenished energy pool, " ++ show y ++ " available"
-
--- | Withdraw energy from the pool
-withdrawEnergy :: Universe u => Double -> StateT u IO Double
-withdrawEnergy e = do
-  x <- withEnergyPool (E.withdraw e)
-  y <- withEnergyPool E.available
-  writeToLog $ "Withdrew " ++ show x ++ " from energy pool, "
-    ++ show y ++ " available"
-  return x
-
 data SimpleUniverse a = SimpleUniverse
   {
     suClock :: K.PersistentCounter,
     suLogger :: SL.SimpleLogger,
     suDB :: FS.FSDatabase a,
     suNamer :: N.SimpleNamer,
-    suChecklist :: CL.PersistentChecklist,
-    suEnergyPool :: E.PersistentEnergyPool
+    suChecklist :: CL.PersistentChecklist
   } deriving (Show, Eq)
 
 instance (A.Agent a, D.Record a) => Universe (SimpleUniverse a) where
@@ -333,19 +302,15 @@
   type Checklist (SimpleUniverse a) = CL.PersistentChecklist
   checklist = suChecklist
   setChecklist u cl = u { suChecklist=cl }
-  type EnergyPool (SimpleUniverse a) = E.PersistentEnergyPool
-  energyPool = suEnergyPool
-  setEnergyPool u cl = u { suEnergyPool=cl }
 
 mkSimpleUniverse :: String -> FilePath -> SimpleUniverse a
 mkSimpleUniverse name dir
-  = SimpleUniverse c l d n cl e
+  = SimpleUniverse c l d n cl
   where c = K.mkPersistentCounter (dir ++ "/clock")
         l = SL.mkSimpleLogger (dir ++ "/log/" ++ name ++ ".log")
         d = FS.mkFSDatabase (dir ++ "/db")
         n = N.mkSimpleNamer (name ++ "_") (dir ++ "/namer")
         cl = CL.mkPersistentChecklist (dir ++ "/todo")
-        e = E.mkPersistentEnergyPool (dir ++ "/energy")
 
 data CachedUniverse a = CachedUniverse
   {
@@ -353,8 +318,7 @@
     cuLogger :: SL.SimpleLogger,
     cuDB :: CFS.CachedFSDatabase a,
     cuNamer :: N.SimpleNamer,
-    cuChecklist :: CL.PersistentChecklist,
-    cuEnergyPool :: E.PersistentEnergyPool
+    cuChecklist :: CL.PersistentChecklist
   } deriving (Show, Eq)
 
 instance (A.Agent a, D.SizedRecord a) => Universe (CachedUniverse a) where
@@ -374,16 +338,12 @@
   type Checklist (CachedUniverse a) = CL.PersistentChecklist
   checklist = cuChecklist
   setChecklist u cl = u { cuChecklist=cl }
-  type EnergyPool (CachedUniverse a) = E.PersistentEnergyPool
-  energyPool = cuEnergyPool
-  setEnergyPool u cl = u { cuEnergyPool=cl }
 
 mkCachedUniverse :: String -> FilePath -> Int -> CachedUniverse a
 mkCachedUniverse name dir cacheSize
-  = CachedUniverse c l d n cl e
+  = CachedUniverse c l d n cl
   where c = K.mkPersistentCounter (dir ++ "/clock")
         l = SL.mkSimpleLogger (dir ++ "/log/" ++ name ++ ".log")
         d = CFS.mkCachedFSDatabase (dir ++ "/db") cacheSize
         n = N.mkSimpleNamer (name ++ "_") (dir ++ "/namer")
         cl = CL.mkPersistentChecklist (dir ++ "/todo")
-        e = E.mkPersistentEnergyPool (dir ++ "/energy")