Chinese scientists have developed a method to generate electricity and achieve higher energy efficiency than conventional burning, while producing zero carbon dioxide emissions, by placing coal inside a “battery”.

“Coal-fired power” conjures images of heavy pollution, steep carbon footprints and modest efficiency. But a novel, direct coal power technology challenges that stereotype by eliminating combustion entirely and sidestepping the CO₂ emissions that have long defined coal use.

A team led by Xie Heping, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences with Shenzhen University, has for the first time built what they call a zero-carbon-emission direct coal fuel cell, or ZC-DCFC.

In this system, coal is pulverised, dried, purified and subjected to surface pre-treatment before being fed into the anode chamber of the cell.

Oxygen is supplied to the cathode, and within the cell, the fine coal powder undergoes electrochemical oxidation across an oxide membrane, yielding electricity directly – without any intermediate steam cycle or mechanical turbine.

At the anode outlet, the high-purity carbon dioxide generated by the reaction is captured in situ and catalytically converted into valuable chemical feedstocks such as synthesis gas or mineralised into compounds like sodium bicarbonate.