Considering you canonically start with tools (even if you can't see them), supplies, weapons, I am assuming here you also have something like an STC from WH40k (
http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Standard_Template_Construct_(STC)) Literally everything and anything you could ever need to know would be on there.
Plug in: How to make steel?
gives you chemical equation for process, as well as basic materials, and different methods as to how
Plug in: how to smelt iron? Make charcoal? Build a smelter? From these materials?
gives you different methods as to how to do these things
Plug in: schematic for solar panel
Gives you schematic
Plug in: materials needed?
Gives you materials
considering how the majority of colonists are HILARIOUSLY incompetent at some of the most basic tasks, yet somehow manage to pull a working solar panel out of their ass, there has to be something going on in the background, here. Considering WH40k is an influence on Rimworld, something like an STC makes a whole lot of sense.