Why is formic acid price so high compared to methanol despite similar production routes?
The cost gap is closing as CO2-based routes mature. Electrochemical CO2 reduction to formic acid now achieves high selectivity with bismuth catalysts, and direct production of concentrated formic acid solutions has been demonstrated. If green hydrogen and captured CO2 become feedstock, formic acid's economics could shift dramatically, potentially unlocking the scale needed to rival methanol's market size.
