If we have cheap/free energy, we could just synthesize hydrocarbons instead of digging them out of the ground. As an imperfect analogy, we used to mine fertili

If we have cheap/free energy, we could just synthesize hydrocarbons instead of digging them out of the ground. As an imperfect analogy, we used to mine fertilizers. Now we use energy to create ammonia directly from nitrogen in the air.