First off for those unfamiliar with "The Game" , it has 3 simple rules: 1) Once you read the rules you are playing The Game 2) If you think about The Game you lose The Game 3) If you lose The Game you must state that you lost , you cannot lose for 30 minutes after losing Have fun :D btw I just lost ...
Energy Research ARE beneficial, Each upgrade gives more bang for your buck on Fusion Reactors, esp. with the new update coming thats gonna make them even better.
If you go pure Solar then yes its useless other than to tech for a few ships and buildings.