Future Energy

We are in for an exciting few decades. By 2050 the earth's population is likely to have increased to 9 billion, up from 7 billion today. Asia's fast-growing cities will absorb much of this growth, with three out of four people living in urban centres. Simultaneously, billions of people will rise out of energy poverty, but when they buy their first refrigerators, computers and cars, there will be a massive increase in pressure on the world's resources.

As a technology pioneer for more than 100 years, Shell is unlocking new energy sources and maximising the potential of what we already have: lowering emissions, managing consumption and helping customers to do the same. As our Energy Timeline testifies, human ingenuity, innovation and technology hold the key to unlocking the energy that society needs to grow and to progress. How successful we prove to be at managing the changes that lie on the horizon depends as much on ourselves as it does on the energy suppliers.