Fuel cells – converting ethanol chemical energy into electricity

The growing demand for stable energy sources related to today's armed conflicts and increasingly frequent natural disasters related to the ongoing climate change has increased interest in alternative sources of electricity. This research aimed to compare different concentrations/types of ethanol in the process of converting chemical energy into electric current using fuel cells. It was found that fuel cells can be used as an emergency energy source. The highest efficiency was obtained with the use of low concentrations of alcohol, between 5 and 10 %. The highest cell power was obtained using denatured alcohol (168.9 mW).