THERE’S A BAD MOON ON THE RISE, BECAUSE IT’S DARKNESS IS UNDER THREAT
By Paul Leonard
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Henry Kissinger once said, "He who controls energy controls entire continents." In today’s world, we hear a lot about doing more with less, about being "sustainable" and "green." But let’s be clear: the goal of sustainability is nothing more than an abstract concept, a moving goalpost. The idea that humans must reduce our energy consumption for the sake of the planet sounds noble, but it often means confining our personal freedom to what we can produce for ourselves—that’s the job of renewable energy. And here’s the catch: that renewable energy is always more expensive, less efficient, and more limited than what we could have if we had access to a reliable, centralized energy grid.
So where does the energy we do have actually go? It’s going to data centers, to AI, to the technologies that are increasingly running and organizing our lives. In Virginia, 26% of total power consumption goes to data centres. Meanwhile, the energy production capabilities of centralized plants—whether coal, gas, oil, or even nuclear—remain constrained to boiling water to make electricity. Yes, all of them. The result is that massive portions of energy are funneled into the infrastructure that powers data centers and artificial intelligence. But is it really "free"? Not by a long shot.
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Today, we pay for the electricity that powers our homes and businesses. Tomorrow, we’ll pay for the information that runs our lives—information that consumes vast amounts of that very electricity. Information powers the bureaucracies that run our lives, and we have no choice but to pay for it. So, what exactly does "sustainability" mean in this context? It’s an abstraction, an idea designed to pull us away from the uncomfortable truth: we are reducing our power usage while AI and data centers are consuming more and more.
Let’s face it: sustainability isn’t about doing more with less; it’s about shifting the burden of energy consumption from human hands to the ever-expanding world of data and AI. It’s a transition that has less to do with the environment and more to do with the economics of control. And no, it’s not an evil cabal, rather it's the reality that energy generation has not fundamentally changed in the past 100 or more years.
But here’s where we must be very clear: the true "bad guys" in this equation are not the investors in data centers and AI, who simply see the buildout of energy generation as a necessary function to generate and organize information. They are responding to an expanding need for information, and are doing what any investor would do—building the infrastructure necessary for growth. The real issue lies in the centralized bureaucracies—the governments, regulators, and entrenched systems of control—that stand to lose their grip over us if energy becomes abundant and decentralized.
If we’re correct that abundant energy is attainable—even down to the individual level—then we have a seismic shift on our hands. Solving-for-one, where each individual can generate their own energy, fundamentally obviates the need for the centralized grid. And that’s when the entire system of control breaks down.
Abundant, decentralized energy is not just about "sustainability"; it’s the foundation of a better, more liberated life for all of us. The limiting factor for abundant, clean water is energy—we’ve know for a long time how to purify water; the limiting factor for vertical farms that can grow nutritious food almost anywhere is energy. It means land itself holds a new, valuable meaning—raw land without utilities currently sells for about 10% of the price of land with utilities. Yet with individually available, abundant energy technology, water, shelter, food, and power are not luxuries, but givens.
When energy becomes abundant and accessible to individuals, it is no longer about what we can take from nature—it becomes about what we can create, locally, personally, and sustainably. This breaks the very chains of scarcity, which is the true currency of power in our modern world.
But this is more than just a shift in energy systems. Abundant energy is about rediscovering the fundamental values that forged nations during frontier times—values like self-sufficiency, community, honesty, and respect. It’s about giving individuals the tools to stand on their own two feet, to forge their own path, and to collaborate on common goals. It’s about unleashing the innate human spirit of innovation, where people solve problems for themselves and for each other, rather than relying on the slow, bureaucratic hand of centralized systems.
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However, it’s important to note that it is not necessary to outright replace the grid and centralized bureaucracies to force a Lockean, pastoral world for everyone. To each his own. The real objective is to provide a viable alternative—one that offers genuine liberty for those who value it and want to live it. Early adopters, those who want to live according to different principles, will be able to forge their own path how and where they choose. The idea is not to impose a new order, but to give the freedom of choice, and that’s where real transformation begins.
And here's the thing: when enough early adopters choose liberty successfully, the system as a whole will benefit—whether or not they choose the alternative. The beauty of a viable challenge to the status quo is that it doesn't need to force a mass adoption to prove its worth. The success of these pioneers will showcase the potential for abundance, sustainability, and freedom from centralized control. Those who for whatever reason remain within the old system will still benefit greatly from the competition and the innovation that this alternative path creates. The pressure of a viable alternative forces the existing structures to evolve and adapt, ensuring that even those who don't opt for the new path will see improvements in their own lives.
The technology to create abundant energy is no longer purely theoretical. It exists, it is real, and it is being deployed, albeit in early stages. Companies like Cascade Catalysts Inc. are at the forefront, using advanced quantum diagnostics to optimize energy systems. Through technologies like FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) and Raman spectroscopy, Cascade Catalysts has been able to identify excited states in natural systems, using these techniques to verify and optimize man-made designs to generate and sustain those states.
But it doesn't stop there. Cascade Catalysts has already developed bespoke catalysts that bypass the need for expensive platinum group metals or rare earth elements like cerium and lanthanum. This demonstrates that quantum-effect technology isn't just a theoretical concept—it’s being applied practically in the real world, opening doors to more efficient, cost-effective energy solutions that require no rare earth elements and are environmentally safer than traditional energy generation methods.
As quantum diagnostics evolve and are integrated into everything from drones to satellites, they could provide detailed insights into the atomic and molecular behavior of virtually anything. Imagine what could be achieved with non-invasive medical imaging at the molecular level long before any symptoms could even think about appearing. Imagine using this technology to detect and mitigate health risks before they manifest, unlocking a new era of preventive medicine. Imagine using it to optimize our energy systems down to their atomic structure, or even unlocking new, safer ways of harvesting resources from the planet, or perhaps from other planets. The possibilities are boundless.
Abundant energy—true, limitless, sustainable energy—solves the sustainability riddle. But more than that, it breaks the chains of scarcity. And, importantly, it breaks the method of control that has been wielded by those who profit from scarcity. When energy is abundant and accessible, the existing structures of control are fundamentally challenged. And giving up control means giving up the ability to make you pay for the continuation of centralized bureaucracies.
There’s a bad moon on the rise, because it’s darkness is under threat.
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For further information on harvesting the limitless energy of excited-state electrons, see our article, “New Materials Design Using Excitonic Quantum Effects: Applications for Fuel Cells, Catalysts, Superconductive and Bioactive Materials” on ChemRxiv at:
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Since 2010, Paul Leonard is the president and CEO of Cascade Catalysts, Inc. (Vancouver, BC). The company uniquely designs bespoke quantum-effect catalysts for industry. Paul engages regularly with government and corporate interests in North America, Australia and Europe. He writes a blog “Big Quantum Nerd” on LinkedIn and contributes to www.QuantumToolShack.com where scientists and enthusiasts can share interesting thoughts and ideas.
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