I love this analysis Seth, with some great discussions going on around responses. I am absolutely convinced solar is the world power source of the future, and I am sure there are already some well placed countries knowingly milking the last profits that can be had from oil before switching their drive towards solar, whilst possibly switching to more modern community oriented business models. There is nothing technical preventing development of entirely new solar powered cities from scratch in currently uninhabited desert areas around the world. Living in such places could be virtually free for all residents, with all the usual luxuries of modern life derived entirely from the sun, with energy spare to exchange in return for water.