The world's first formic acid-based fuel cell

Scientists at EPFL and GRT Group have built the world's first integrated power supply unit that can produce electricity from formic acid, using a fuel cell in an energy-efficient, safe, cost-effective, and sustainable way. When it comes to renewable energy storage solutions, hydrogen is one of the most promising energy carriers. Using hydrogen to produce heat or electricity produces no carbon or particle emissions, meaning that it has no negative environmental impact. The problem is that hydrogen has a very low energy content by volume. This makes it very difficult to store and transport in its natural form (gas). The alternative solution is to use a hydrogen carrier such as formic acid, which is the simplest combination of hydrogen and CO₂. One liter of formic acid can carry 590 liters of hydrogen.