Researchers make espresso-strength coffee with room-temperature ultrasound, potentially cutting brewing energy use by up to 75%

Researchers at UNSW developed an ultrasonic espresso process that uses high-frequency sound waves instead of hot water to extract flavor, oils, aroma, and caffeine from coffee grounds. The method can produce espresso-strength coffee in under three minutes while using up to 75% less energy than conventional brewing.

The biggest opportunity may be industrial ready-to-drink coffee, where room-temperature concentrates could reduce heating costs, processing time, and shipping inefficiencies. If scalable, ultrasound brewing could become part of a broader shift toward lower-energy food and beverage manufacturing.