Of the bacterial isolates found in the Arctic that are able to degrade PCBs, none used compounds such as 2-chlorobiphenyl, 3-chlorobiphenyl, camphor, citronellol, cymene, dehydroabietic acid, limonene, methanol, n-hexadecane, pentachlorophenol, phenol, or pinene as primary growth substrates (Master and Mohn 1998).
In the 20th century, demand for electricity led to the consideration of geothermal power as a generating source. Prince Piero Ginori Conti tested the first geothermal power generator on 4 July 1904, at the same Larderello dry steam field where geothermal acid extraction began. It successfully lit four light bulbs. Later, in 1911, the world's first commercial geothermal power plant was built there.
Geothermal energy is renewable, clean power derived from the thermal energy in subterranean earth. The earthâs thermal energy is created by the decay of radioactive elements in the earth along with the heat from the sun and that remaining from the earthâs creation.Unlike solar power or wind power, geothermal energy is not interrupted by lull times. The technology also has a small carbon footprint in development.eothermal energy can also be used to drive steam turbines. One example of this technology is Calpine Corporationâs geothermal plants in the Mayacamas Mountains in northwestern California. These 15 plants produce up to 725 megawatts daily, making them the largest geothermal energy source in America.