I think the whole point is to make saving your energy a worthwhile strategy instead of "spending as soon as you got it" the only option. It is meant to add more strategy.
In the early game using the gold might be the better investment than hoarding it, because at that point actual growth is still exponential. Once all the cities have been founded though, natural growth of the colony slows and investment might become a really nice option, especcially when international trade adds heftily to surplus in peace time (and peace might be transitory
