TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Method: The electrical current is supplied from a non-fossil fuel source of power (14) comprising solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power, and/or geothermal power. The hydrogen storing cathode is removed from the electrolytic cell once the hydrogen storing cathode has become completely hydrided. The hydrogen storing cathodes are stored in a pressure containment vessel adapted to supply hydrogen desorbed from the hydrogen storing cathodes. Heat is provided to the pressure containment vessel to desorb the hydrogen from the hydrogen storing cathodes.Preferred Component: The hydrogen storing cathode further comprises elements adapted to dissolve out of the hydrogen storing cathode upon exposure to the alkaline solution thus increasing the porosity of the hydrogen storing cathode. The hydrogen storing cathode includes flow channels providing pathways for hydrogen to enter and exit the cathode. The anode comprises a substrate with a catalytic material. The substrate comprises metal sheet, expanded metal, foil, wire mesh, or screen. The source of heat is a heat exchanger, a fuel combustor, a catalytic combustor, or a gaseous exhaust stream. The electrolytic cell further comprises bipolar electrode(s) positioned between the anode and the hydrogen storing cathode in the alkaline solution, the one or more bipolar electrodes having an anode side and a cathode side adapted to evolve and store hydrogen in metal hydride form.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - Preferred Component: The hydrogen storing cathode comprises a hydrogen storage alloy. The hydrogen storage alloy comprises rare-earth metal alloys, Misch metal alloys, zirconium alloys, titanium alloys, and/or magnesium/nickel alloys. The substrate includes nickel, steel, titanium, graphite, and/or copper.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The elements comprise aluminum or zinc.Preferred Material: The catalytic material comprises a host matrix including cobalt, nickel, or manganese. The catalytic material further includes cobalt, nickel, strontium, lithium, potassium, tin, carbon, oxygen, manganese, aluminum, or ruthenium.