TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Method: The method converting step comprises steam reforming of the carbon-based fuel. The converting step is autothermal reforming, partial oxidation and catalytic partial oxidation of the fuel. The method further comprises contacting the H2-rich gas with a water-gas shift catalyst. The repeating step comprises repeating steps (1)-(5) at least 50 (preferably 500) times. The contacting step occurs at not more than 800 degrees C. The regenerating step comprises heating the absorbent material to at least 700 degrees C. The absorbent material is pelletized to coated on a support structure.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Material: The carbon-based fuel is a hydrocarbon-based fuel (preferably methane), a gaseous fuel, or a liquid fuel from diesel fuel, JP-8 aviation fuel, kerosene, ethanol and gasoline.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Composition: The absorbent material retains at least 70 (preferably at least 90) mole% of the theoretical capacity after the repeating step. The absorbent material comprises 1-40 wt.% aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The H2-rich gas comprises at least95 mol% of H2 after each of repeating steps. The absorbent material retains at least 20 (preferably at least 50) g of CO2 per 100 g unreacted absorbent after each of the repeating steps. The mass ration of the absorbent phase to the catalyst phase is greater than 1:1 (preferably 9:1-5:1). The catalysts particles comprise 0.1-5 wt.% of the metal-containing clusters.Preferred Component: The absorbent material contains metal oxide(s) from group IA and IIA metal oxides. The absorbent material comprises calcium-containing compound, preferably calcium oxide (CaO) or CaO:magnesium oxide (MgO). The absorbent material has spherical morphology. The absorbent phase includes an absorbent compound having a reaction fraction of at least70 mol.%. The alumina precursor comprises particulate alumina having an average particle size of not more than 100 nm, or particulate boehmite alumina. The catalyst particles are aggregate particles comprising aggregated primary support particles having an average size of 10-100 nm. The precursor solution further comprises a porosity enhancing agent. The pellet further comprises a binder including aluminum oxide. The particulate absorbent material comprises an active absorbent phase and an inert metal oxide phase. The catalyst phase is steam-methane reforming catalyst.Preferred Parameter: The third bulk density is up to 140 % of the first bulk density. The catalyst achieves at least 90 % of the theoretical thermodynamic conversion of methane to hydrogen at 600 degrees C, and GHSV of 12500/hour in the absence of CO2. The catalyst particles have a surface area of at least150 m2/g.Preferred Material: The support is metal oxide of aluminum, cerium, zirconium, lanthanum, silicon, magnesium, and/or zinc. The absorbent phase precursor is calcium oxalate, calcium nitrate, calcium acetate, calcium lactate, or calcium hydroxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - Preferred Material: The dispersed metal is rhodium (Rh), nickel, ruthenium, platinum, palladium and/or their alloys. The catalyst is a water-gas shift catalyst comprising a metal dispersed on a support phase. The metal is iron, cobalt, copper and/or chromium. Preferred Composition: The reforming catalyst comprises 0.1-1 wt.% of the metal. EXAMPLE - 0.96 kg CaC2O4:MgC2O2 (55:45-ratio and fabricated on a spray dryer) was dispersed in 4 kg of de-ionized water, 39.8 kg 0.5% Rh/Al2O3 fabricated on a spray dryer and an additional 4 kg of de-ionized water was added, and the mixture was shear mixed for 30 minutes. The precursor dispersion was fed into a mixed flow spray dryer at a liquid feed rate to maintain inlet/outlet temperatures of 975/580degreesF, using a two-fluid nozzle with an air pressure of 65 psig, The residence time of the system used is 10 second. The powder was colleted using a cyclone.