In this study, we propose a high-performance direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) using nitrate reduction reaction with a carbon felt electrode (DEFC-HNO3) instead of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on a Pt catalyst (DEFC-O-2). The activation energy for the nitrate reduction reaction on the carbon electrode is found to be relatively low at similar to 14.2 kJ mol(-1), compared to the ORR. By using the nitrate reduction reaction at the cathode and oxidation of ethanol as a fuel at the anode, the DEFC shows a significantly high open circuit voltage of 0.85 V and two-fold maximal power density of 68 mW cm(-2) at 80 degrees C, compared to the DEFC-O-2, due to the significantly fast reaction rate of the nitrate reduction reaction. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.