Could chemical coal electricity cells be the answer?

Zero-carbon-emission direct coal fuel cells (ZC-DCFC) for power generation have been proposed by Chinese researchers Bin Chen, Shuo Zhai, Tao Liu and Heping Xie.

In a paper published in the academic journal Energy Reviews in March, entitled “Towards zero-carbon-emission direct coal fuel cells for power generation”, the academics present what they describe as “a disruptive technological paradigm for efficient coal utilisation”.

Heping Xie is an expert in mechanics and energy engineering, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, former president of Sichuan University, and currently a distinguished professor at Shenzhen University and dean of the Institute of Deep Science and Green Energy.

Sustainable and clean coal utilisation is pivotal to reconciling global carbon neutrality goals with energy security, especially for developing countries, according to Heping Xie et al. (2026).

They have identified an efficient solution for deep coal resource exploitation, “paving the way for transforming coal from a high-carbon liability into a viable near-zero-carbon energy resource”, according to the abstract.

The new method would directly convert chemical energy from coal into electricity through electrochemical oxidation. According to ChinaDaily.com, the team has been developing the ZC-DCFC concept since 2018 and has made breakthroughs in high-performance materials, fuel treatment and electrode design.

ZC-DCFC is a closed-loop architecture that integrates coal pretreatment, electrochemical power generation, and CO₂ conversion and storage. The concept consists mainly of a coal pretreatment section, a high-efficiency DCFC power generation section, and an in-situ CO₂ conversion section.

Transformation

Solid raw coal is transformed into a fluidised, clean and reactive form suitable for electrochemical conversion in the ZC-DCFC. Pretreatment steps include slurry preparation for efficient transport, in-line de-ashing and desulphurisation to reduce poisoning impurities, and pyrolysis for activation to enhance in-situ CO₂ gasification.

Deep underground coal deposits first undergo crushing, grinding, drying and dewatering before additional pretreatment processes such as impurity removal, particle size classification, and surface activation or modification. Coal fuel must be continuously and stably supplied to the anode reaction interface to maintain uninterrupted electrochemical reactions.

The anode facilitates the electrochemical oxidation of coal fuels, while the cathode primarily enables the oxygen reduction reaction. Between them, the sandwiched electrolyte layer links the two electrode reactions via oxygen ion transport.

Through electrochemical treatment, the ZC-DCFC platform directs CO₂ through three complementary routes: high- and low-temperature electrolysis and metal–CO₂ batteries.

“We are currently working to overcome the critical bottlenecks related to the full elimination of carbon emissions and long-term stability,” the researchers say, adding that they are designing a novel system configuration with an integrated CO₂ cycling pathway.

The conflict between high power-generation performance and CO₂ conversion remains the primary challenge for ZC-DCFC systems, they acknowledge.

Identifying suitable application scenarios for ZC-DCFC in the energy sector will be crucial, although adapting such systems to deep underground environments represents a promising option, they say.

A more comprehensive presentation of the research can be found on sciencedirect.com.