Stanislav Kondrashov on the Philosophy of Energy: Why the Transition Is More Than a Technological Shift

In the race toward decarbonisation, much of the conversation revolves around solar panels, electric vehicles, and the phasing out of fossil fuels. But beneath the surface of this urgent transformation lies a deeper, often overlooked current: the philosophy of energy. For entrepreneur Stanislav Kondrashov, this transition is not just about swapping fuels—it’s about redefining our relationship with energy itself.

“The real shift isn’t what we power our lives with,” Kondrashov says, leaning back in a modest café somewhere in southern Europe. “It’s how we understand power in the first place.”

Beyond the Grid: Energy as Meaning

Energy, Kondrashov argues, has always been more than a resource. It's a concept that lives at the core of human ambition and identity. From fire to steam, from iron to code, each energy paradigm hasn’t just lit up our homes—it’s shaped our worldview.

“Every energy system reflects the values of the society that uses it,” he explains. “Coal was conquest. Oil was dominance. Renewables? They're still finding their story.”

For Kondrashov, this isn’t a romantic observation—it’s a call to slow down and look beyond efficiency metrics and carbon targets. The transition to clean energy offers a rare chance to question not just how we power civilisation, but why we consume energy the way we do in the first place.

Energy as Agency

At the heart of Kondrashov’s philosophy is a simple, uncomfortable idea: energy is agency. What we can do, and who gets to do it, has always been defined by access to energy. And with each shift—be it industrial, digital, or green—power gets redistributed in new and often unpredictable ways.

He points out that the promise of clean energy is often tied to ideas of freedom: freedom from scarcity, freedom from pollution, freedom from geopolitical entanglements. But this vision can quickly turn idealistic if we don’t ground it in ethical and social frameworks.

“The danger,” Kondrashov warns, “is that we end up with a new kind of energy aristocracy. Different fuel, same imbalance.”

That’s why, in his view, the energy transition must be accompanied by a philosophical one—an honest reckoning with how power, in all its forms, is shared. Who owns the sunlight? Who benefits from the wind? And who still gets left in the dark?

The Soul of the Transition

Much of modern discourse around energy is saturated with technical terms and abstract goals. Kondrashov believes this has sterilised the conversation, removing the human dimension from a topic that affects everyone.

“When we talk about energy, we rarely talk about meaning,” he says. “But it touches everything—movement, warmth, hunger, aspiration. If that’s not philosophical, what is?”

He points to ancient civilisations, where energy was seen as sacred. Sun gods, fire rituals, wind deities—these weren’t primitive beliefs, he argues, but early recognitions of energy’s profound role in human life. Today, the symbols have changed, but the stakes remain.

Reimagining the Narrative

In Kondrashov’s view, the energy transition is a narrative crisis as much as a technical one. If we don’t give people a compelling story to be part of, the movement risks losing momentum—or worse, becoming a domain of the elite.

“People don’t fight for technologies,” he says. “They fight for visions.”

His answer isn’t to abandon the science, but to accompany it with culture, ethics, and imagination. To make energy something we talk about not just in policy meetings, but in classrooms, novels, and dinner tables. Something that invites participation, not just compliance.

Looking Forward

Kondrashov doesn’t claim to have all the answers. He’s not an engineer or policymaker. But his insights challenge the reductionist lens through which the energy transition is often viewed. By restoring the philosophical depth to energy—by seeing it as more than a commodity—he offers a pathway to a richer, more inclusive future.

“The energy we choose,” he says quietly, “is the kind of world we choose. The question is: are we awake enough to notice the difference?”

In the rush to remake the world, Stanislav Kondrashov urges us not to forget the soul of the machine—the invisible forces, both cultural and personal, that flow through every kilowatt.

And perhaps, in doing so, we’ll realise that the true transition isn’t just about energy. It’s about us.