Marcello Romagnoli

Fuel cells represent an appealing avenue for harnessing eco-friendly energy. While their fuel supply traditionally stems from water electrolysis, an environmentally conscious approach also involves utilizing low-weight alcohols like methanol and ethanol. These alcohols, concentrated from sustainable sources within the enological by-product distillation process, offer a noteworthy contribution to the circular economy. This study delved into evaluating the efficacy of distillery fractions in powering methanol fuel cells. Beyond their energy-generation potential, the performed GC-MS analysis unveiled appreciable quantities of acetic acid resulting from the partial oxidation of ethanol. This revelation opens the door to intriguing possibilities, including the recovery and repurposing of novel compounds such as short-chain fatty acids (predominantly acetic acid), ketones, and aldehydes—establishing a link between sustainable energy production and the emergence of valuable by-product applications.