TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Components: The system further comprises cathode blower adapted to flow the ambient air directly through the fuel cell; controller is adapted to modulate the first control signal to maintain a molar ratio of oxygen to methane in the reactor inlet, where the ratio is 0.4-0.7; blower adapted to vary a fuel flow through the reactor; controller adapted to control the blower to vary the fuel flow to prevent hydrogen starvation in the fuel cell stack; a fuel blower; and a mixing vessel having a first inlet adapted to receive an air flow from the cathode outlet, a second inlet adapted to receive a fuel flow from the fuel blower, and an outlet adapted to flow a mixture of the air flow and fuel flow into the fuel processing reactor. The controller measures a voltage of the fuel cell stack and controls the blower in response to the voltage measurement. The mixing vessel further comprises a third inlet adapted to receive a flow of ambient air; and fourth inlet adapted to receive a flow of steam. The cathode outlet is connected to a conduit that is connected to the reactor inlet, and where the conduit comprises a by-pass vent. The fuel cell comprises a polybenzimidazole PEM fuel cell.Preferred Method: The cathode exhaust is flowed from the cathode outlet to the reactor inlet, and where the cathode exhaust is maintained at 100degreesC. The method further comprises maintaining an operating temperature of the fuel cell in 120-200 (preferably 160-180)degreesC, flowing ambient air into the reactor, measuring a voltage of the fuel cell, and modulating a flow through the reactor in response to the voltage measurement. The step of providing comprises providing a flow to a reactor having a steam-to-carbon ratio greater than or equal to approximately two.Preferred Parameters: The operating range of each fuel cell is 120-200 (preferably 160-180)degreesC. The carbon monoxide flowed from the fuel processing reactor to the fuel cell has a concentration of greater than or equal to1000 ppm. The steam-to-carbon ratio in a flow into the reactor is greater than or equal to2.