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Oceanographers reported in the late twentieth century that present and future energy needs could easily meet for millions of years to come if we tapped the vast energy potential of the world's oceans which occupying 70.8% of the earth's surface. A great amount of energy can be produced by placing turbines at strategic locations under strong currents. This method of generating electric power is called hydrokinetic power generation. Tidal energy is produced through the use of tidal energy generators. These large underwater turbines are placed in areas with high tidal movements, and are designed to capture the kinetic motion of the ebbing and surging of ocean tides in order to produce electricity. Tidal power has great potential for future power and electricity generation because of the massive size of the oceans.
Massive underwater structures could run a portion of the flow of the Gulf Stream through large turbines to generate clean electric power. A land bridge or tunnel across the Bering Strait between Asia and North America could generate electrical power and collect and process marine products. A wave power station on the Scottish island of Islay has been providing electricity since 2001.
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