Tidal power is an exciting, up and coming form of hydropower.  Tidal power utilizes the forces of rivers to spin underwater turbines, similar to wind turbines, which generate electricity.  Tidal power projects have only just been started to be put into effect in 2012.

Tidal Power is an extremely cheap form of renewable energy, and has very little environmental drawbacks.  The turbines can be placed near urban areas with minimal impact and its inhabitants, and they eliminate the need for long power lines, which cause some of the generated power to be lost. With tidal power there is no need for controversial dams, and they are very cheap to maintain due to few the moving parts involved in the turbines.

It is also one of the most reliable sources of renewable energy since tides are far more predictable than the wind and can produce power at night unlike the Sun.  One of tidal power’s few flaws is that the technology is still in its infancy.  The underwater turbines aren’t very efficient, on average having an efficiency of 40%-44%.