Hydrogen generation from 2-propanol and formic acid and its direct use in fuel cells was studied. 2-propanol was dehydrogenated with ruthenium diamine catalysts. Formic acid was decomposed selectively to hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a system containing ruthenium catalysts and formic acid amine adducts. The best catalyst activity and productivity were achieved with in situ generated ruthenium phosphine catalysts, e.g. [RuCl2(benzene)]2 / dppe (TOF = 900 h-1, TON = 260.000). The influence of irradiation with visible light has been described for the ruthenium phosphine catalysts.