NOVELTY - A fuel cell system (50) comprises a hydrogen storage system (56) for storing and releasing hydrogen; and a catalytic combustor (54) in fluid communication with a fuel cell (52) for receiving a portion(s) of an anode exhaust (64), and for catalytically reacting the anode exhaust to produce an offgas (66) having an elevated temperature that is greater than the temperature of the anode exhaust, where heat from the offgas is used to release the hydrogen from the hydrogen storage system.    USE - The fuel cell (i.e. proton exchange membrane, phosphoric acid, or alkali fuel cell) system is used in an automobile (claimed) or other vehicles.    ADVANTAGE - The fuel cell system enables utilization of metal hydride storage tanks with higher hydrogen storage capacities, without requiring independent heat generation to release the hydrogen from the metal hydride storage tanks.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A fuel cell system comprises:    (1) a hydrogen storage system for storing and releasing hydrogen;    (2) a fuel cell in fluid communication with the hydrogen storage system for receiving released hydrogen from the hydrogen storage system and for electrochemically reacting the hydrogen with an oxidant to produce electricity and an anode exhaust; and    (3) a catalytic combustor in fluid communication with the fuel cell for receiving a portion(s) of the anode exhaust, and for catalytically reacting the anode exhaust to produce an offgas having an elevated temperature that is greater than the temperature of the anode exhaust, where heat from the offgas is used to release the hydrogen from the hydrogen storage system.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for the following:    (1) a hydrogen storage system comprising a hydrogen storage material for storing and releasing hydrogen; an exhaust source for producing an exhaust having a hydrogen content of between 0-15 vol.%; and a catalytic combustor in fluid communication with the exhaust source for receiving the exhaust, and for catalytically reacting the exhaust to produce an offgas having an elevated temperature that is greater than a temperature of the exhaust, where heat from the offgas is used to release the hydrogen from the hydrogen storage material;    (2) releasing hydrogen comprising electrochemically reacting hydrogen with an oxidant to produce electricity and an exhaust; catalytically reacting the exhaust to create an offgas having an elevated temperature; and heating a hydrogen storage material using the offgas having an elevated temperature to release the hydrogen from the hydrogen storage material; and    (3) an automobile comprising a hydrogen storage system for storing and releasing hydrogen, a fuel cell, and a catalytic combustor.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a schematic illustration of a fuel cell system.    Fuel cell system (50)    Fuel cell (52)    Catalytic combustor (54)    Hydrogen storage system (56)    Anode exhaust (64)    Offgas (66)