NOVELTY - Sewage sludge is introduced into an anaerobic digester (14) interfacing pairs of cathodes (16b) and anodes (16a) spaced at 0.5-1.5 inches from one another. Anaerobic conditions are maintained within the digester to cause digestion of sewage sludge. An electric potential is applied between the cathodes and anodes to create a current density of 0.25-2 amps/square foot at electrodes in order to suppress the formation of methane and enhance the production of hydrogen. Gas containing hydrogen produced from the digester is then collected.    USE - Production of hydrogen from sewage sludge, for powering fuel cell which produces power for use in digester (claimed). The produced hydrogen can also be used in production of fertilizers, dyes, drugs, plastics, hydrogenated fats-and-oils, and other products.    ADVANTAGE - The method efficiently suppresses formation of methane and economically enhances hydrogen production. The weight and volume of volatile solids in digested sewage sludge from waste-treatment plants is reduced. Time required for sewage-sludge treatment is decreased.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) sewage sludge digester comprising a digester, a unit for introducing sewage sludge into digester, a gas effluent unit for removing the gas produced within a digester, a temperature control unit for sensing and controlling the temperature of the sludge within the digester, and an electrical control unit for imposing a current density of 0.25-2 amps/square foot at electrodes; and    (2) batchwise acceleration of anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge and reduction of amount of methane produced, which involves collecting off-gas from the digester, feeding the off-gas to a power-generating turbine, using portion(s) of power generated in the turbine for applying electric potential, and removing processed sewage sludge from digester.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a schematic flow sheet of the pilot plant in which hydrogen production is carried out.    Sewage-sludge holding tank (12)    Digester (14)    Anode (16a)    Cathode (16b)    Gas compressor (58)