The first practical devices to be powered by MFC technology were reported in 2008 .
Meteorological buoys capable of measuring air temperature, pressure, relative humidity, water
temperature, and transferring data via real-time line of sight radio frequency telemetry were
exclusively powered by benthic MFCs. Benthic MFCs generate power through the microbial oxidation
of organic substrates in anoxic marine sediments coupled to reduction of oxygen in the overlying water column. Electrons are generated from the metabolism of the naturally occurring microorganism in the marine sediments.