But you will notice that my hypothetical stipulated a new energy source becoming available (or cheaper).
The difference between bitcoin and aluminum is that bitcoin values the energy not qua energy, but purely for its wasted cost, so if energy becomes cheaper overall (or hash computation becomes more efficient), you have to use more of it to create the same value for bitcoin, if it becomes more expensive, you can create the same value using less energy.
That's why I find it silly to say that bitcoin stores "energy". It stores sunk cost.
The difference between bitcoin and aluminum is that bitcoin values the energy not qua energy, but purely for its wasted cost, so if energy becomes cheaper overall (or hash computation becomes more efficient), you have to use more of it to create the same value for bitcoin, if it becomes more expensive, you can create the same value using less energy.
That's why I find it silly to say that bitcoin stores "energy". It stores sunk cost.