NOVELTY - Operating a fuel cell comprising a solid anion exchange membrane involves contacting an anode in the fuel cell with urea, ammonia or an ammonium salt and contacting the cathode with an oxidant to generate electricity.    USE - For operating a fuel cell comprising a solid anion exchange membrane useful for powering a device selected from a vehicle or a submarine (claimed), non-portable devices such as fixed machinery or portable devices such as mobile telephones, digital cameras, laptop computers or portable power packs, and non-stationary devices such as cars, under-water vehicles, rocket and in other aeronautical applications; and to clean up municipal waste water and generate electricity.    ADVANTAGE - The fuel cell technology based upon hydroxide or other anion such as bicarbonate or carbonate exchange instead of proton exchange as the mechanism for fuel cell design is that the use of a non-acidic, e.g. alkaline, electrolyte lessens the dependence on, and indeed can avoid the use of, noble metal catalysts in the construction of the anode and cathode in the fuel cells because other catalysts that can not withstand exposure to the acidic environment in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) can be used in the alkaline environment in alkaline membrane fuel cells (AMFCs). Thus, whilst platinum- and palladium-based (particularly platinum-based, including platinum- and platinum/ruthenium-based) catalysts can be used as both the anode and cathode, thus expensive and rare metal can be avoided, with the electrodes made instead of non-precious catalysts such as nickel and silver. By using the method, it is possible to develop renewable and sustainable urine fuel cells. The method thus provides for direct urea/urine, and ammonia or ammonium salt fuel cells based on low-cost alkaline membrane electrolytes and non-noble catalysts such as nickel, silver and MnO2. For stationary power generation, high power density is not a stringent requirement as long as the cost of the cell itself is low. High power can be achieved by using enlarged fuel cell area or increased numbers of single cells. The method can be practiced at considerably lower temperatures such as at 5-200 (preferably 15-150 degrees C). Moreover, the fuel cells use a fuel other than hydrogen directly, particularly those suitable for use in non-stationary applications such as in transport applications, and are thus economically viable and environmentally acceptable fuel cells.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Operating a fuel cell comprising a solid anion exchange membrane involves contacting an anode in the fuel cell with urea, ammonia or an ammonium salt and contacting the cathode with an oxidant to generate electricity. The method involves introducing an ammonium salt into the fuel cell. The solid membrane further comprises at least one neutral polymer. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) a fuel cell comprising a solid hydroxide ion exchange membrane, and urea, ammonia or an ammonium salt;    (2) a fuel cell stack comprising at least two fuel cells;    (3) powering a device involving carrying out a method of operating the fuel cell and using the electricity generated to power the device; and    (4) a solid anion exchange membrane comprising a blend of an alkaline anion exchange resin or polymer and poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) in a w/w ratio of 20:80 to 80:20.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic diagram of the operating principal (working mechanism) of a direct ammonia fuel cell showing hydroxide ions passing across the anion exchange membrane.