Can Dances Up Earthquakes use its third growth option to delay an impending card from being played even if there's no Energy on that card to remove?

Can Dances Up Earthquakes use its third growth option to delay an impending card from being played even if there's no Energy on that card to remove?

Yes. That growth option doesn't immediately change the amount of Energy on the impending card — it changes how much Energy will be gained onto that card later in the Spirit Phase. It's possible to delay a 1-cost card with 0 Energy on it by gaining 1 fewer Energy onto it that turn.