Towards Zero-carbon-emission Direct Coal Fuel Cells for Power Generation

Carbon neutrality has become an international consensus under the requirements established by the Paris Agreement. Accordingly, countries worldwide, especially developing nations, have formulated their own carbon neutrality policies. Owing to differences in regional development histories and resource endowments, as well as the intermittency of new energy, developing countries will continue to rely on coal to meet their energy demands for sustainable economic and social development in the near future. However, conventional coal-fired power generation technologies can hardly achieve low-carbon or even negative-carbon emissions. It is therefore urgent to develop novel carbon-free coal power technologies. This perspective proposes the concept of Zero-carbon-emission direct coal fuel cells (ZC-DCFC) for power generation as a disruptive technological paradigm for efficient coal utilization. The technological architecture of ZC-DCFC is discussed, including fuel supply, key materials, and in-situ CO 2 conversion. The technical challenges and future development directions are also identified. ZC-DCFC is expected to open up a new pathway for near-zero-emission coal utilization, transforming coal from a traditional fossil fuel into a feasible clean energy source in the global low-carbon transition.