Wouldn't that fall under hydro power ?
No, traditional hydro power usually involves dams (although there are some neat systems near large falls).
The problem with dams is that sediment builds up behind the dam progressively decreasing the depth of the water. Dams also prevent the upstream migration of aquatic animals.
Power systems designed to harness wave and tidal action are only starting to be successfully explored.
You also forgot to mention wind power, natural gas (derived from sources other than crude oil), our still plentiful (although far from clean) coal reserves, cellulosic alcohol, and algal and plant derived oils and alcohol.
@ Franko - Well old sod, I'd prefer to die in my sleep blissfully unaware of my own passing rather the face something painful like death from radiation poisoning or cancer. But I don't think God lets you choose.
BTW - If any of you were watching CNN a few minutes ago you would have heard Bill Nye mention that cesium was detected in the material ejected during the explosion at the one nuke plant in Japan.
For those of you who don't know what that means, cesium is the material used in the control rods of a nuclear plant (it absorbs radioactive particles and slows the reaction rate).
For cesium to be found in the vapor expelled in the hydrogen explosion, some part of the control rods has not just melted, but
vaporized.
Further, if the cesium is melting, then the reaction rate will
increase.
Remember, we didn't even learn about Chernobyl till weeks after the event. Its only recently become common knowledge that Three Mile Island experience some melting.
It seems likely that some melting is occurring in the reactor in Japan.
As I've mentioned before, should temperatures continue rise the fuel rods and the inner steel containment will melt.
Ever put water into boiling oil?
Well then image the result of combining water and molten, highly radioactive metal.
This accident has already surpassed TMI. This reactor will never be restored and placed back on line.
And it is still possible that a massive explosion will level this reactor and that the molten pool of materials from it will only stop spreading out until it has cooled enough to solidify.
During my childhood this used to be called the "China Syndrome" because no one yet knows how far a reactors slag could spread.
By far though, the spread of radioactive material from the potential explosion will be the worst. We learned that in Belarus. Again, you should all look up information on the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
