Imagine this: Travel from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in a tube at hypersonic speed. Travel time is just 15 minutes and fare is paid not by cash or card but with digital currency from your smartphone. The environment has become pollution-free because of nanotechnology that harnesses energy more efficiently

This scenario was painted at the World Government Summit on Tuesday by speakers who discussed the hyperloop transport system bitcoins and nanotechnology as the future of renewable energy.

Brogan Bambrogan co-founder and chief technology officer of Hyperloop Technologies said: "Hyperlop is not science fiction it is real and it's happening. We are doing hardcore engineering to bring this technology from the drawing board to real hardware into reality."

Bambrogan described the hyperloop as the future of transport travelling at near the speed of sound. This futuristic mode of transport was first conceptualised by Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk who called it the "fifth mode of transport."

Hyperloop is a "cross between a Concorde and a railgun and an air hockey table." It does not need rails and could work either above ground or underground. It is an air pod - extremely smooth comfortable safe and fast ride like in an elevator (but) with no stops - taking you directly to your destination."

Bambrogan said a full system test is happening in Nevada USA by the end of this year and this can be commercially available in five to six years. If built in the UAE Bambrogan added travel from Abu Dhabi to Dubai would take as little as 15 minutes.

Meanwhile Nicolas Cary co-founder and president of Blockchain said the public don't need to look far beyond the future to use innovative currency.

Cary said: "Bitcoins can revolutionalise how people pay for goods and services and move money around the world ... they are the best form of currency in digital age.

"Digital is part of everyone's DNA; Bitcoins offer frictionless and borderless transactions that are more open and more equal."

He added that Bitcoins which are exchanged over the internet outside existing banking and governmental institutions are safer than credit cards in making online purchases. Cary noted that more than $1 billion has been invested in Bitcoin technology and other future developments include using this currency for asset tracking supply chain monitoring payment rails and smart contracts.

The environment also took centre stage at the summit.

Talking about the future of renewable energy Justin Hall-Tipping CEO of Nanoholdings said governments should make use of nanotechnology in solving environmental problems and depleting energy sources.

"With the earth's population reaching seven billion we currently need 3.5 cubic miles of earth's resources including energy to sustain our lives. We get these cubic miles from oil coal natural gas nuclear energy and burning wood among other methods but none from renewable energy" Hall-Tipping said.

"Thirty years from now we will need seven cubic miles to sustain our environment which may seem impossible to produce but with innovation and ground-breaking technologies humanity can face these challenges head on" he added.

Hall-Tipping explained nanotechnology thus: "When considering the building blocks of the universe the smaller you go the more energetic a material or element becomes. Nanotechnology changes the structure of devices and materials to produce new properties and provide new opportunities to innovate."

"By harnessing properties at the nanoscale you can take something that is not traditionally energetic such as aluminum and shrink it to harness more energy."