Scientists in South Korea have discovered a way to transform pollution into power by introducing a new type of gas battery that converts greenhouse gases into usable electricity, according to Interesting Engineering.
The device, which the team refers to as the Gas Capture and Electricity Generator (GCEG), was developed by a team at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in Seoul, the nation’s capital. Unlike conventional carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) systems, which require significant external energy to trap and process gases, the new gas battery converts the energy released during gas adsorption directly into electrical power.
Led by Ji-Soo Jang, PhD, a renewable energy expert and an assistant professor at SKKU, the research also involved specialists from Ajou University in Suwon, as well as Chungbuk National University, in Cheongju. “Capturing greenhouse gases (GHGs) while generating electricity offers a new paradigm for climate mitigation,” the team reported.
From pollution to power
According to the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR), global greenhouse gas emissions reached about 58.6 gigatons (53.2 gigatonnes) of CO2 equivalent in 2024. This figure, however, excludes emissions from land-use change and forestry. China (13.1 gigatons), the US (4.6 gigatons), and India (3.2 gigatons) are the top three CO2 emitters in the world. Although in 2015, nearly 200 nations signed the Paris Agreement to curb emissions and limit global warming, progress still falls short of climate targets. To address both greenhouse emissions and energy challenges, the Korean team designed an asymmetric system, which combines carbon-based electrodes with hydrogel materials.
Once gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) or nitrogen oxides (NOx), come into contact with the system, they are adsorbed onto the electrode surface. This then triggers a series of microscopic reactions in the device, such as charge redistribution and ion migration. The battery generates a continuous flow of direct current (DC) electricity, without relying on additional external energy sources. “This research demonstrates that greenhouse gases are not merely pollutants to be managed, but can serve as a new energy resource,” Jang said.
Producing clean energy
The researchers believe the battery could move beyond the experimental stage. Because it produces electricity autonomously, it could possibly enable a new class of self-powered technologies.
“We aim to further develop this technology into an environmental platform that not only achieves carbon neutrality but also generates energy,” Jang pointed out in a press release.
It could potentially lead to battery-free air quality sensors, as well as distributed Internet of Things (IoT) devices operating in remote or even energy-constrained environments. At the same time, industrial facilities could also benefit, using the technology to both reduce emissions and harvest energy from exhaust streams.
As per the team, the battery could enable simultaneous energy harvesting and emissions reduction. “In essence, atmospheric pollutants act as the ‘fuel’ for electricity generation, simultaneously purifying the environment while supplying energy,” the scientists said.
“By integrating gas capture and electricity generation within a single self-powered platform, this approach provides a scalable, low-energy pathway for mitigating multiple GHGs and offers a promising strategy toward carbon neutrality,” the team concluded.
