Are we already talking about a new generation of renewable energy sources, or at least a new generation of technology for capturing energy sources?

In fact, the "only" energy source we have is the Sun... and it is not infinite... scientist say it will eventually run out of energy in about 5 million years, but lets not think about it...

Scientists from the Pentagon's National Security Space Office published a report where they propose having sattelites collecting solar power with high efficiency (because it is not affected by Earth's atmosphere) and beaming it to Earth will become our primary source of energy probably before 2050. They say confidently that we will see a "basic proof-of-concept within 4-6 years and a substantial power demonstration as early as 2017-2020."

A new alliance was already constituted to devellop this issue. The Space Solar Alliance for Future Energy believes that this is a feasible technology. In space, solar power is available 24/7 and collecting it doesn't actually require any scientific breakthrough, just engineering and cost challenges! The concept actually comes from the 60s and 70s, but will it become a reality?

A reality is already the power of crowds. We hear about the wisdom of crowds, but this time it looks like the crowd has a very concrete say. Engineering experts from the University of Hull have developed a system that converts at least 50% of the six to eight watts each person typically generates while walking. Tens of thousands of people can pass through urban hubs like train stations during rush hour, providing a potential energy that could be worth exploring. 

A London-based architectural firm is working on a project that aims to harness the pulse of a city and use it as a renewable energy source.

Two graduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have also developped a concept that seeks to milk the mechanical movement of hundreds or thousands of assembled people to produce electrical power. A large-scale version of the setup could harness the collective energy of commuters bustling toward subway stations, shoppers marching through mega malls or fans dancing at a rock concert. Already, the students have shown how the simple act of sitting on a stool can generate enough power to turn on four LED lights.

Is this for real? What else can we expect? Is our anxiety for alternative energy turning fiction into reality or fiction it is?