My gas and electric bill averages to about $100 per month even with the A/C runnning for a 4-bedroom house. I would never install Solar and have to maintain the system unless I could recover the cost in 10 years or less.
Because we are not a planned economy, America’s economic systems is highly flexible. It takes jolts to snap us out of our complecency. That’s what recessions are for.
As far as China goes, they will eventually surpass us in GDP simply because for their population. When that happens, their will be able to afford as good a military as ours and their political and economic influence will be monstruous.
From a standard-of-living standpoint, it will probably take another century for the Chinese to achieve per capita GDP parity with America.
America also has the option to swing its doors wide open to immigration in order to grow economically. But that will affect Joe Average and he won’t like it.