TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Electrodes: The anode and/or cathode comprise porous carbon.Preferred Agents: The reducing agent comprises a gas includes hydrogen. The oxidizing agent comprises gas including oxygen. The reducing agent comprises a gas produced by exposure of a hydrocarbon fuel to microwave energy. The reducing agent comprises hydrogen and carbon monoxide.Preferred Fuel: The hydrocarbon fuel comprises methane.Preferred Fuel Cell: The fuel cell is located within a Teflon insert and comprises a porous electrode comprised of cermet or metal.Preferred Process: The reducing agent and/or oxidizing agents may be contacted with a sensitizer and/or a catalyst during exposure to microwave energy. The reducing and/or oxidizing agent is exposed to microwave energy, prior to introduction to respective electrodes in the fuel cell and within the fuel cell. EXAMPLE - A cell was produced including a microwave chamber made of WR975 waveguide. The cell comprised two copper electrodes with carbon sensitizers and plastic spacers located between electrodes. A Nafion membrane was located between the plastic spacers. The gap between the electrodes and the membrane was 0.5 cm. Pure hydrogen gas and air, saturated with water were used. Gas flow was maintained constant at levels up to 2 l/minute corresponding to gas utilization at high current density. System pressures were kept at 1-4 bar for both electrodes. Safety precautions were taken by flushing the system with nitrogen gas for ten minutes before and after each test. A microwave generator was employed operating at 915 MHz, and circulator and stub tuners were used to supply and attenuate the microwave energy in the reaction chamber between the electrodes. The microwave generator was operated at 10 W power. Open circuit potential (OCP) for the cell operating under microwave irradiation was measured. The OCP of the cell at 70, 50 and 30 degrees C were 1.186, 1.188 and 1.185, respectively. The polarization characteristics of the cell was tested under microwave irradiation at 70 degrees C with Panode and Pcathode of 1 bar. The cell potential (V) was 0.90 V, cell current density was 1.7 A/cm2, overpotential was 0.286 V and power density was 1.5 W/cm2.