Ultra-efficient electrooxidation of ethylene glycol enable by Pd-loaded Fe-doped Nb2O5 with abundant oxygen vacancies

•The formation mechanism of oxygen vacancy in Fe-doped Nb2O5 is proposed.•Fe doping modifies the electronic structure of Nb2O5, and downgraded Pd’s d-band center.•Pd/FNO-2.5 excels in electrocatalytic performance, initial potential and mass activity.•It decreases the thermodynamic energy barrier of the *CH2OHCHO dehydrogenation reaction.•81.10 % current density is still retained on Pd/FNO even after the consecutive 100 recycles.