[formlessentity]

The sun is a virtually infinite supply of energy. Solar power is self sustaining at this point, very much so at $0.25/watt.

Those panels should be cheaper to manufacture in zero-G (or lunar-G) and capable of providing 24 hours of output at a much higher level.

Nitrogen fertilizer can be obtained from the air, using this cheap electricity. We have an ancient method of fixating it called the Berkeland Eyde process, but there is room for this to be greatly improved, there just isn’t any incentive to do it. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see it make a comeback in the near future. (In fact, this is a big opportunity.)

Plastics… ah yes. Plastics. I don’t know what the solution to that looks like. They’re useful, no doubt, but I don’t think we need to use so much of them. It’s a useful byproduct of oil that is cheap and plentiful, and perhaps equilibrium is wildly offset by that at the moment. Those cheap synthetic fabrics may be expensive as silk someday.

In summary, I see the path forward and it doesn’t look all that bad to me.