From Lab Scale to Electrolyzer: Continuous CO2 electroreduction for the Production of Formic Acid and Formate

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) strategies are increasingly recognized as effective means to achieve carbon neutrality, while simultaneously enabling the conversion of CO₂ into value-added products. Among these approaches, electrochemical CO₂ reduction (CO₂RR) stands out due to its operation under mild temperature and pressure conditions and its potential to store intermittent renewable energy—such as solar or wind—in the form of chemical products like formic acid and formate. The Development of Chemical Processes and Pollution Control research group at the University of Cantabria (Spain) has been actively involved in advancing continuous CO₂ electroreduction to formate. Over the past years, the group has systematically investigated a wide range of cathodic and anodic electrocatalysts, as well as various electrode configurations, to optimize the performance and stability of the system. This communication presents recent advances and persistent challenges in the development of efficient continuous-flow CO₂ electroreduction systems, with a particular focus on the influence of the cathodic electrocatalytic area, an aspect that has been scarcely explored to date. These developments represent a significant step forward in the advancement and potential application of CO₂ electroreduction technologies.