  A dynamical scalar field represents the simplest generalization of a pure
Cosmological Constant as a candidate to explain the recent evidence in favour
of the accelerated cosmic expansion. We review the dynamical properties of such
a component, and argue that, even if the background expectation value of this
field is fixed and the equation of state is the same as a Cosmological
Constant, scalar field fluctuations can still be used to distinguish the two
components. We compare predicted spectra of Cosmic Microvave Background (CMB)
anisotropies in tracking scalar field cosmologies with the present CMB data, in
order to get constraints on the amount and equation of state of dark energy.
High precision experiments like SNAP, {\sc Planck} and {\sc SNfactory},
together with the data on Large Scale Structure, are needed to probe this issue
with the necessary accuracy. Here we show the intriguing result that, with a
strong prior on the value of the Hubble constant today, the assumption of a
flat universe, and consistency relations between amplitude and spectral index
of primordial gravitational waves, the present CMB data at $1\sigma$ give
indication of a dark energy equation of state larger than -1, while the
ordinary Cosmological Constant is recovered at $2\sigma$.
