TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The buffer is a pressure vessel containing a metal hydride.Preferred Material: The reactant metal is aluminum, magnesium, silicon, or zinc. The anti-passivation material is alumina, ceramic compounds containing aluminum ions, carbon, calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, silicon dioxide, or zinc oxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Component: A gas expansion device is fluidly coupled to the container. It is calibrated to receive and store hydrogen gas produced by the generator at a selected charging pressure. It is a hydrogen storage buffer calibrated to discharge stored hydrogen to the consumer at a selected discharge pressure. Each cell comprises a shell having partitions inside the shell that define compartments that each store reactant compound. It further comprises a buoyant water feed valve located in an opening in the top of the shell. The valve is in a depressed position that allows water into the cell when the reactant compound is dry, and is in an elevated position that closes the opening in the top of the shell to outside water when the cell is filled with water. A buoyant water drain valve is located in a water drain in the bottom of the shell. It is in an open position when the cell is not immersed in water, and in an elevated position that closes the water drain when the water level outside the cell rises above the bottom of the shell. A water expansion device is fluidly coupled to the container and calibrated to receive and store water at a selected pressure.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The buffer is a pressure vessel containing a metal hydride.Preferred Material: The reactant metal is aluminum, magnesium, silicon, or zinc. The anti-passivation material is alumina, ceramic compounds containing aluminum ions, carbon, calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, silicon dioxide, or zinc oxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Material: The anti-passivation material is polyethylene glycol. The partitions are made of a reticular aluminum foam.