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Bridging the emissions gap is technically possible, he added, explaining carbon emissions could be sharply cut by improving energy efficiency in areas such as industry, farming, transport and buildings.

The number of people on our planet is rising. By 2050 we will be 9 billion, and 75% of us will live in cities. Our demands will place increased pressure on supplies of energy, water and food. The relationship between these resources seems simple: water is needed to produce most forms of energy; energy is required to treat and transport water, and food production relies on water and energy. It is, however, more complex. Shell is using scenarios to help explore the future dynamics of these vital resources.

Survey conclusions, which are highlighted in a report titled “Power Systems of the Future: The Case for Energy Storage, Distributed Generation, and Microgrids” created by Zpryme Research & Consulting, include:

A recent breakthrough by scientists from NUS and University College Cork may mean the arrival of highly energy-efficient smart phones and tablets that can last up to 10 times their usual life.

The market for energy storage in commercial buildings is nascent and developing

If you're wondering when the grid storage market will take off and when your utility can safely dip its toe, Lux Research says the time is now. Although the sector did only $200 million worldwide in 2012, it is set to leap to more than $10 billion by 2017, at least according to Lux Research.

54% Efficient Coal Plants for one third less coal for the same powerThe new thermoelectronic approach promises efficiencies in the high 40-50% range, achieving the latter by acting as a “topping cycle” to a lower temperature steam system. For example a coal furnace burns at ~1500 C (1773 K), but a steam turbine runs at 700 C (973 K) and outputs at 200 C (473 K). Thus there’s significant loss due to the mismatch between furnace and steam power-cycle. A thermoelectronic converter covering the 1773-973 K range will add significantly to the overall power extracted by the power-plant pushing its efficiency above 50%. In this case a 45% efficient coal plant can be pushed to 54%, thus increasing the power output for no additional fuel costs and NO MOVING PARTS.40% efficient concentrated solar powerSwitching to solar-power applications, imagine a thermoelectronic converter at the centre of a concentrator system which focuses sunlight to 500 times its normal intensity (temp ~1900 K.) By using a Photon Enhanced Thermionic Emission (a cousin of the Photoelectric effect) the system can convert raw sunlight to electrical power at over 40% efficiency

Globally, more than half of the energy consumption in buildings – which is expected to rise from 31,983 terawatt-hours (TWh) to 51,253 TWh by 2050, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) – comes from residential buildings.  According to a recent report from Pike Research, a part of Navigant’s Energy Practice, the energy efficient housing sector will expand rapidly over the remainder of the decade, growing from an annual market value of $14 billion in 2012 to almost $84 billion in 2020.

“Several of the major markets for renewables, including Germany, Japan, and the United States, have enacted rules or legislation encouraging the adoption of energy storage systems for the purpose of integrating variable energy sources onto the grid,” says Anissa Dehamna, senior research analyst with Navigant Research.  “These market incentives come in various forms, including outright subsidies for ESS adoption, reforms that change how variable generation is compensated, and adjustments to connection requirements for variable power plants.”

DNV KEMA has released its new standard for floating offshore wind turbine structures that will help ensure safety and reliability in floating wind turbines, and give the nascent floating-turbine sector the confidence to continue its development to commercial maturity.