TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: (II) undergoes the hydrogen-producing reaction in the solid phase. (II) and the base undergo the hydrogen-producing reaction in the presence of liquid water or water vapor. The hydrogen producing reaction does not form carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. The base comprises a hydroxide compound (a metal hydroxide compound (an alkali metal hydroxide compound)). The hydrogen producing reaction further forms a carbonate or bicarbonate compound. The process further includes reacting the carbonate or bicarbonate compound with a metal hydroxide compound; and thermally decomposing the carbonate or bicarbonate precipitate, where the thermal decomposition step producing a metal oxide. The production of hydrogen gas includes an electrochemical reaction, where the electrochemical reaction occurring in an electrochemical cell into which the organic matter, the base and an electrolyte are placed to form an electrochemical reaction system; electrochemical cell including an anode and cathode in contact with the electrochemical system; and electrochemical reaction being initiated upon applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode. Preferred Composition: The carbon in (II) is 50-90 (preferably 60-75) wt.%. (II) further comprises hydrogen, amorphous carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. The carbon/hydrogen weight percent ratio is greater than 6 (preferably greater than 16). (II) is coal, coke, coal tar or peat. The rank of the coal is lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous or anthracite. The base is a metal hydroxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: (II) undergoes the hydrogen-producing reaction in the solid phase. (II) and the base undergo the hydrogen-producing reaction in the presence of liquid water or water vapor. The hydrogen producing reaction does not form carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. The base comprises a hydroxide compound (a metal hydroxide compound (an alkali metal hydroxide compound)). The hydrogen producing reaction further forms a carbonate or bicarbonate compound. The process further includes reacting the carbonate or bicarbonate compound with a metal hydroxide compound; and thermally decomposing the carbonate or bicarbonate precipitate, where the thermal decomposition step producing a metal oxide. The production of hydrogen gas includes an electrochemical reaction, where the electrochemical reaction occurring in an electrochemical cell into which the organic matter, the base and an electrolyte are placed to form an electrochemical reaction system; electrochemical cell including an anode and cathode in contact with the electrochemical system; and electrochemical reaction being initiated upon applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode. Preferred Composition: The carbon in (II) is 50-90 (preferably 60-75) wt.%. (II) further comprises hydrogen, amorphous carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. The carbon/hydrogen weight percent ratio is greater than 6 (preferably greater than 16). (II) is coal, coke, coal tar or peat. The rank of the coal is lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous or anthracite. The base is a metal hydroxide. EXAMPLE - Carbon black (0.3 g) and solid sodium hydroxide (2.0 g) were intimately mixed and placed into a stainless steel cylinder reactor. The sodium hydroxide included about 5% by weight of water. The carbon black and sodium hydroxide occupied about 25% of the volume of the reactor. Electrical coils were wrapped around the reactor for heating and the temperature was controlled with a thermocouple attached to the bottom of the reactor. The reactor was sealed and then flushed with helium to remove oxygen from the reactor. In the flushing process, the cylinder was first evacuated with a vacuum pump and then charged with flowing helium until the pressure reached about atmospheric pressure. The process was performed three times. At the end of the third charge with helium, the helium was left in the reactor and the pressure at room temperature was measured to be about 17 psi. The reactor was wrapped with insulation, raised to the desired reaction temperature and connected to a data acquisition system that recorded the pressure change in the reactor as a function of time. Data were taken at several different temperatures. At each temperature, hydrogen was generated by the instant reaction and the experiment was halted when sufficient time had elapsed to create a pressure of 50 psi in the reactor. Upon reaching this pressure, the process was stopped and the reactor was allowed to cool down to room temperature. When the reactor returned to room temperature, a sample of the gas was taken and analyzed with a gas chromatograph to confirm the presence of hydrogen gas.