Sodium germanate is a nontransition-metal catalyst that is active in the selective dehydrogenation of formic acid. However, bulk sodium germanate has a very low surface area, limiting the availability of the germanate sites for catalysis. The dispersion of germanate in the zeolite ZSM-5 has been investigated both computationally and experimentally as a method for the provision of greater surface area and, therefore, higher activity per germanate site. Nanodomain islets of germanate dispersed in the germanium ZSM-5 zeolite invert selectivity from dehydration (in ZSM-5) to dehydrogenation of formic acid, potentially making Na-Ge-ZSM-5 a cost-effective catalyst for releasing hydrogen from formic acid. Clean energy alternatives are a major goal of research in the 21st century because the supply of fossil fuel is inherently limited. Hydrogen, for example, as used in fuel cells or direct combustion, is one possibility; 1 however, many difficulties still need to be overcome for the practical production, storage, and handling of hydrogen. In this context, formic acid is a renewable bioresource and possible source and reservoir of hydrogen that is safe to use, not flammable, nontoxic, and has a relatively high energy density. 2 The possible decomposition pathways of formic acid include dehydrogenation, producing H 2 plus CO 2 → + HCOOH H CO