Currently, as of December 18, 2014, I am a Knight really trying to keep up with the high energy prices. I rely on the game's economy for energy, and I would really like a alternative way to earn energy. However, I do realize that if we do get too much energy from these "energy collectors", then there will be no money for Three Rings. But, first of all, I will explain the concept.
So, all around Haven, and maybe near an elevator in the Clockworks, there will be small devices that will collect energy emanating from the Core. In exchange for a small amount of energy (you may only perform an exchange twice a day), you will give out two resources.
Crowns and Minerals.
Giving away Crowns makes sense, but why Minerals? Well, according to the game, the minerals are deposited into the gates, so they rotate and change their path. How about actually using there minerals to actually change the gates? Because we have like, thousands of kilograms worth of minerals not used for battle sprite food. So then, you will deposit these minerals into the device, and then the device will accept these resources and give you energy, maybe about 5 energy per exchange (That's how Three Rings can still earn money). In fact, that would be preferable. Furthermore, there will be a 5 hour interval of when you may not perform a energy exchange. So just buy more servers to store up all of that information! =)
I was also suggesting that the Prize Wheel could have a small chance of giving energy as a prize.
-Pokemonviolinist, rank Knight (5-2)
People are going to lambaste this because it's destroys the dichotomy between energy and crowns. Allow me to explain-
Lets say you could trade 10,000 crowns for 100 brand spanking new energy, never before purchased with real world money. That's great, but energy is energy and I can get it from players for less. No one in their right mind would use this, unless they were trying to harm SEGA/Three Rings by manipulating the price of energy; i.e. I pay 10,000 crowns for 100 energy and trade it in for 7,000 crowns, allowing me to pay 3,000 crowns to lower demand very slightly... or not so slightly, if I start out with 2-3,000,000 crowns and have a handful of buddies doing the same thing, a figure that anyone can attain with enough patience. 10,000,000 crowns becomes 333K energy generated, if I lose 3K crowns each time I do it.
The other way this can pan out is if energy is given at a rate less than its market value. Lets say 5,000 crowns per hundred never before seen energy is the new deal. Now, no one in their right mind would use the depot unless it cost less than 5,000 crowns to do so. People then buy less energy with money until supply and demand meet at around the 5,000 priceline, and no one wins except for people like me and you, who are greedy and want to craft+heat things faster.
As for the minerals, well... people keep suggesting this, and I keep telling them why I don't like it.. and it really boils down to my belief that we cannot have minerals be sold for crowns or used in any way without making their power over building the arcade meaningless... and while this is totally not relevant any more, I can dream.