In early October a report was released by a group of scientists that independently tested a device purported to produce more energy than it uses, by means of some type of low energy nuclear reaction.
While the report has been met with much skepticism, it cannot in my opinion be discounted out of hand. Here is an interview with the private equity fund that is in possession of the supposed technology. He's exactly right - if this technology really does what it appears to do, coal is dead in the water and rightfully so. But that's not all - as this technology comes online and spreads, what is the purpose of any other type of energy? I can't see there being any purpose to any other form of energy plant. Some specialized means of alternate energy production will retain functionality - ie solar power built into an electric vehicle for passive charging.
Skeptical about the E-cat? Well I am too, skeptical but hopeful. Update: Now a Russian Scientist is claiming to have replicated the results of the E-cat, the evidence is mounting. The internet is full of skeptics, however the naysayers have very flimsy arguments as far as I'm concerned. I look forward to more reports and testing of this device. One more link about the device, with purported quote from NASA engineer Michael Nelson.
Then there is this - Lockheed Martin not more than a week after the release of the report on the E-Cat, made their own announcement that they had made a breakthrough in nuclear fusion & that they think they will have a commercial reactor the size of a small trailer that will power a large city .. within 10 years. There are other players working on Fusion as well.
It appears that either very soon, or in the near future, the world is going to change vastly... and that's an understatement.
Update 1-24-2015: An Indian Scientific journal is doing a special on LENR next month and here is a link to the articles that will be in it: http://www.currentscience.ac.in/php/fcarticles.php
A place to keep an eye on other developments. Such as a Russian scientist claiming to duplicate the e-cat http://www.reddit.com/r/LENR/
One more note - I've had people accuse me of being an environmentalist or just bashing fossil fuels. Nothing could be further from the truth. This technology will make solar and wind worthless as well. It really is as simple as this: fusion & LENR will be ultra cheap ultra abundant power, and will make economic sense. The fact that it is green energy is an excellent side benefit.