TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Method: The temperature of the carbon reactant is maintained at 800degreesC. The microwave radiation supplies all of the needed reaction energy, or 25-50% or 5-25% of the reaction energy. It is supplied by a 915 or 2450 MHz microwave. The method further comprises contacting a material containing carbon-hydrogen bond(s) with carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide at 200-600degreesC to produce carbon for use in the contacting carbon with water step. The reaction products are contacted with alkali hydroxides and/or alkaline earth hydroxides to form carbonates and/or formates with the carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide. They are contacted with sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide and/or zinc hydroxide. The method additionally comprises regenerating the formates or carbonates for the production of hydrogen. The regenerating step comprises contacting the carbonates and/or formates with polymers, elastomers, cellulosics, agricultural wastes and solid fuels at 200-600degreesThe reaction is conducted in a fluidized bed reactor comprising alumina, aluminum silicate and/or quartz. The carbon fed to the fluidized bed has been ground or agglomerated.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The carbon is in a form of cellulosics, plastics, elastomers, coal and/or petroleum residues. EXAMPLE - In a stainless steel microwave confining reactor, an aluminum silicate tube was placed inside a quartz tube such that carbon (20 g) in the inner tube was surrounded by carbon (100 g) in the outer tube. Radiation (2450 MHz) was applied to the system so that the outer carbon was hot enough to be ignited in an air stream. The carbon dioxide and nitrogen off-gases were channeled outside the system and exited a gas suction discharge. The inner tube was positioned such that a part of its carbon charge was directly exposed to the microwave radiation. When this tube had attained a high temperature by radiation and conduction from the burning carbon, a stream of steam in a nitrogen carrier gas was introduced. The hydrogen formed was scrubbed by sodium hydroxide and scrubbed a second time in a glass bead tower for countercurrent contact with downward flowing sodium hydroxide against the rising stream of hydrogen.