From CO₂ to formic acid fuel cells

Formic acid is a liquid, safe, and energy-dense carrier for fuel cells. Above all, it can be sustainably produced from the electroreduction of CO₂. The formic acid market is currently saturated, and it requires alternative applications to justify additional production capacity. Fuel cell technologies offer a chance to expand it, while creating an opportunity for sustainability in the energy sector. Formic acid-based fuel cells represent a promising energy supply system in terms of high theoretical open-circuit voltage (1.48 V). Compared to common fuel cells running on H2 (e.g., proton-exchange membrane fuel cells), formic acid has a lower storage cost and is safer. This review focuses on the sustainable production of formic acid from CO₂ and on the detailed analysis of commercial examples of formic acid-based fuel cells, in particular direct formic acid fuel cell stacks. Designs described in the literature are mostly at the laboratory scale, still, with 301 W as the maximum power output achieved. These case studies are fundamental for the scale-up; however, additional efforts are required to solve crossover and increase performance.

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