We have had the ability to tap limitless solar power from orbit since 1975.
...and had we bothered to build the infrastructure, we could, today, power the USA at any rate, solely from that source.
Instead, our 'leaders' have chosen to believe that our ancient standard of 'scarce' resources, imbedded in our economic and political realities, still apply in a universe of abundance..and abundant power is abundance in everything, given the tiny fraction of even the Earth's tiny fraction of the Solar System's resources we bother to include in our calculations.
Not only is Earth NOT the sole source for resources we have available, but it is the LEAST of such resources.
We did not pursue space-based solar 35 years ago because compared with other generation methods (coal, oil, gas, nuclear)--none of which paid their full ecological costs, SPS appeared more expensive. But when the true costs of obtaining, processing and waste disposal of 'burnable' fuels is calculated, SPS is on par or cheaper as well as a climate-friendly source for energy.
We are as ants, struggling for control of a crumb amidst an immense warehouse full of bread. Too focused on our belief to bother checking reality.
