TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Components: The chamber is formed by a recess provided on a rear side of the cathode or anode. The flow paths for the solution within the fuel cell stack, both upstream and downstream of the chamber, are lined with a non-electrically conductive insulating material. The anode (120) includes a fuel outlet port and the cathode (130) includes an oxidant outlet port. The energy system further comprises a recovery mechanism connected between each oxidant outlet port and the circulation loop for recovering the water generated in the fuel cell and supplying the recovered water to the solution during the reaction as the chemical hydride is consumed. The storage mechanism includes another gas-liquid separator interconnected in the circulation loop and having an outlet for hydrogen connected to the supplying path. A heat exchanger is located upstream of each chamber in the circulation loop for adjusting the temperature of the solution. The fuel cell includes as an electrolyte, a proton exchange membrane (125).Preferred Method: The method further comprises stopping the supply of the solution to the fuel cell, and flushing hydrogen through the solution flow path to expel the remainder of the solution from the fuel cell upon shut-down of the system.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Component: The catalyst comprises a layer of catalyst foam that is coated onto the surface of the chamber. It has pellets disposed within the chamber. The non-electrically conductive insulating material comprises rubber, silicon, polypropylene or ceramic.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The solution comprises water and chemical hydride(s) in the form of MBxHy (M = metal, preferably sodium, lithium, potassium or rubidium) or an ammonia-borane complex (NH3BH3). The solution further comprises a freezing point depressing agent containing 1-5 wt.% glycerol; and an alkaline additive, preferably lithium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide.Preferred Composition: The chemical hydride comprises sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and less than 5 wt.% lithium borohydride (LiBH4). The alkaline additive comprises 0.1 wt.% sodium hydroxide (NaOH).