I've been reading a few books that propose energy taxes, that consumption of energy should be taxed, not labor, as is currently the case. Then there would be an incentive to minimize use of energy and to increase the amount of labor, which would help with employment. Because that would be a regressive tax, raising the prices of goods derived from processes that use energy (meaning just about everything), the poor would be paying a higher percentage of their income in taxes. So everyone gets an energy credit. This would be similar to a minimum salarly below which one is not taxed.
Interesting idea. Kind of like a national sales tax where those who buy things pay more tax. With your idea, those who use more of their energy credits, pay more tax? So if you eat a steak, that would be taxed more than a bowl of rice? And driving a car more than riding the bus?
I think you meant progressive, not regressive, though.
It's interesting, but it is so unlikley to happen based upon our cultural underpinnings, and would require us to completely face our problems. Humans don't generally do that. We're better at exploiting things.
I instead see a transition to the "energy slaves" idea. The poor(er), and that's what going to be most of us soon, will be required to produce a certain amount of "net energy" for the state(elite). Orwellian nightmare cometh. Even in our death, our bodies will be thrown into the furnace to create energy! Yes, that's how the energy credits will work.
My god, I've got a great book idea. Fiction, but who knows?