TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Components: The fuel supply comprises fuel flow channels in flow communication with the fuel permeation-controlling member and liquid fuel source in supplying relation to the fuel flow channels. The fuel flow channels comprise a porous fuel-permeating material in flow communication with the liquid fuel source. The heater receives heat produced by an electrochemical reaction of the fuel cell or receives heat from joule heating by passing a current through a heating element implemented in the fuel cell. The fuel-permeating material exhibits a capillary phenomenon, and receives the liquid fuel from the source by a capillary force. The fuel cell further comprises mechanism for electrically interconnecting the anode and the cathode through an external load. The fuel supply comprises multiple separate chambers to accommodate the organic fuel and water. A first chamber accommodates the organic fuel wetting a surface of and permeating through a first fuel permeation zone when heated above an activation temperature, and a second chamber accommodates water wetting a surface of and permeating through a second fuel permeation zone when heated above an activation temperature. A temperature sensor monitors the temperature of the fuel permeation-controlling member. A temperature control device regulates the temperature of the member. A tab (32) is connected to or integral with the anode to serve as a negative terminal for transferring the electrons generated by the fuel cell. A supporting conductive layer is disposed between the anode and the fuel permeation-controlling member; and has a tab to serve as a negative terminal. The heater comprises using a rechargeable battery to provide initial heating to begin a fuel cell operation, or feeding a fraction of the current generated by the fuel cell to the heating element. The electron transfer between anodes and cathodes forms a series circuit. The fuel supply comprises a fuel chamber (22) accommodating and supplying the organic fuel and water in a mixture form to the fuel permeation-controlling member; or multiple separate chambers, with at least two separate chambers accommodating the organic fuel and water on a separate basis, or with at least two separate chambers accommodating two organic fuel-water mixtures with different organic-to-water ratios. The fuel permeation-controlling member comprises multiple fuel permeation membrane zones, at least two of the zones comprising different membrane materials or membranes of different thicknesses. The fuel supply comprises multiple separate chambers to accommodate and supply the organic fuel and water to the membrane zones, with at least two separate chambers accommodating the organic fuel and water on a separate basis, or with at least two separate chambers accommodating two organic fuel-water mixtures with different organic-to-water ratios.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The organic fuel and water is supplied as a mixture at a first organic-to-water ratio while being accommodated in the fuel flow channels as a feeding fuel and the permeated fuel fluid is at a second organic-to-water ratio, which is different than the first ratio. The organic fuel is methanol and the second ratio is approximately one-to-one on a molecular basis. The fuel permeation-controlling member comprises multiple fuel permeation zones. The supporting conductive layer is metallic screen, porous metal sheet, sheet of carbon foam, paper or felt, perforated carbon plate, and/or sheet of carbon composite. The organic fuel is methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, trimethoxymethane, dimethoxymethane, dimethyl ether, trioxane, formaldehyde, and/or formic acid.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Materials: The fuel permeation-controlling member is a pervaporation membrane, vapor-permeating membrane, micro-filtration or ultra-filtration membrane, polymer containing an amorphous phase, ceramic-supported polymer membrane, and/or composite membrane.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - TEXTILES AND PAPER - Preferred Materials: The porous fuel-permeating material is selected from porous materials, cottons, papers, non-woven fabrics, or woven fabrics which produce a capillary action. The porous material has a pore volume of 20-90% and a pore diameter of 0.01-150 microns.