Background:
A couple of times recently I've had a lot of energy to use before leveling up and because of the lack of uses for energy, it ended up being wasted on level up. When I level I try to get as close to 1 experience point needed to level up as possible and then do the mission that costs the most amount of energy. This both allows me to carry over some of my experience as well as minimizing the amount of energy wasted.

Mission I would like:

The Matter Converter

A new experimental technology on Galaxy Research Center 1 (GRC1) space station has allowed for the creation of matter from energy. However, the amount of energy needed is above and beyond what the space station can provide. GRC1 has put out a reward for ships willing to invest energy into their matter converter.

Cost: All Your Current Energy
Rewards: Experience = (Energy used * 1.75) + 10% conversion of energy to Artifact Points
Risks: None
Chance to get: 15% conversion of energy to Artifact Points
Attempts: This mission can be repeated at any time.

Example:
I have 57 energy at the moment. There is no missions I can do for another hour at my recharge time.

This mission would take my 57 energy, give me 100 experience (57*1.75 = 99.75 rounded up) plus 6 artifact points (57*0.10 rounded up) or if I'm lucky, 9 artifact points (57*0.15 rounded up).

I don't believe that the experience or artifact return is too high to make things out of balance and would be a good way to help people with too much energy to waste on level up but not enough energy to use on a mission.

Oh yes, I totally support any missions that converts energy into something else other than experience to eliminate the energy waste before ranking up.. Thumbs up..

id rather be able to spend energy to recharge shields.

+1 to this idea. DEFINITELY +1. Would be very useful.

As for what kamuii said above, that would be useful too, but you don't need it for a level up since your shields get recharged on level up anyways. Just before level up, I equip all my best energy and shield modules for max effect.

ODragon, good idea!