Cecil Adams has an interesting column today in The Straight Dope, about how much oil we have left. He concludes:

At present consumption rates, the world will burn through three trillion barrels in 105 years--70 years if consumption increases 50 percent as predicted. Mind, that's the optimistic estimate. After that we're left with wind, solar, biofuels, and yes, nukes. To be sure, people fear nukes and will resist till the last. But they'll come around when it becomes clear, as it will, that the alternative is to freeze in the dark.

Yeah, I remember reading about the promise of alternative energy sources (solar, geothermal) in junior high school. I don't necessarily think people should quit looking into them, but it's fairly obvious that the energy/effort ratio of using such sources is impractical.

So Cecil's right. The future is nuclear, whether we like it or not.