First of all, I do want to show some gratitude from writing this excellent post! :)
I doubt it that we will enter a zero fee energy world. You are forgetting that lots of companies are investing into renewable energy. While these investments are good for the environment, they actually do this to make a buck of 2. Also we may not forget that creating batteries does harm the environment also. But it is way better than the oil mining!
People do see what others have and do feel that they should have the same. The never look how these people got what they got. Probably these people are working their buts off, the be capable of purchasing this luxury. These are the people who in lots of cases are happy with what the have. They sacrificed other things, to be capable of achieving this.
It is the same on Steemit. There are lots of inactive accounts. My idea are lots of those from people who thought that Steemit was a quick rich thing. They look at the dolphins or whales and think that it is easy. They forget easily, that their examples did invest into the system (time or money) and do feel that they are entitled to the same without doing anything.
I do try to teach my kids, that they should not sorrow about what they don't have, but that they should be grateful for the things they do have.
It all starts with education!
I particularly liked your last sentence....not to sorrow over what we don't have but to be grateful for what we do have...