Howdy. There are a few prerequisites that aren't needed around the solar panel technology. For example: gold -> solar panel -> portable solar panel -> personal battery.
The personal battery doesn't require gold or the solar panels. It also unlocks the small portable generator. This generator can be used to power many of the equipment grid items, some of which do not require gold, such as personal roboport, energy shield, and nightvision, but are locked behind the gold/solar panel prereqs.
There may be other technologies locked behind gold and the solar panels that don't need to be.
Thanks!
