What happens if bitcoin mining stops or becomes too expensive? Is that within the realm of possibility? Are there mitigating factors, probably the adoption of renewable energy?
There would not come a time when bitcoin mining will be stopped, it could get too expensive because of factors like electricity and maintenance cost. Even if bitcoin mining ends, miners will still remain active to confirm transactions and since their are incentives to that, they will continue to do it even after all bitcoin in the blockchain are completely mined and no one left to be mined. In my opinion, renewable energy will at that time be adopted to the fullest also but that doesn’t stop bitcoin mining not to exist again even at that time.
I agree. In the future, energy generation is likely to be much cheaper than it is today. Technologically speaking, we're producing energy more efficiently and cheaply than in the past, especially when it comes to renewables. And that trend will continue in a much upward trajectory especially with AI.