TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Device: Each of the heating elements comprises a heat generating rod extending through a fuel pellet and coupled at a first end to a first electrically conductive connector on a first side of the pellet and coupled at a second end to a second electrically conductive connector on a second side of the pellet for generating heat when electrical current is conducted on the rod. The heat generating rod extends entirely through the fuel pellet from the first side to the second side, where the first side is opposite the second side. The connectors comprise a first array of electrical conducting strips coupled to the first ends of the rods on the first side of the fuel pellets and a second array of electrical conducting strips coupled to the second ends of the rods on the second side of the fuel pellets, where electrical current is controlled to transmit through selected fuel pellets by selecting one or more of each of the first and second arrays of electrical conducting strips. Each of the first and second arrays of electrical conducting strips comprises a friction connector for engaging an end of the heater element. The heating elements are coupled to the electrically conductive connectors on the same side. The hydrogen generator further comprises a circuit board having circuitry coupled to the electrically conductive connectors, where the fuel pellets are mounted onto the circuit board via the electrical contacts. The fuel pellet has a prismatic shape. It has a pyramid shape. Each heating element comprises a carbon rod. The hydrogen generator also comprises a space provided between adjacent fuel pellets; thermal insulation material disposed in the space between adjacent fuel pellets; a hydrogen outlet coupled to the housing in fluid communication with each of the fuel pellets to provide a hydrogen outlet path; and a controller for controlling activation of each of the heating elements to selectively heat one or more of the fuel pellets at a time. It is adapted to be coupled to a fuel cell to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell. The heating element comprises a heat generating rod extending through the pellet and coupled at a first end to the first electrical terminal on a first side of the fuel pellet and coupled at a second end to the second electrical terminal on a second side of the fuel pellet. Heat generating rod extends entirely through the solid from the first side to the second side, and where the first side is opposite the second side. Heating element is coupled to the first and second electrical terminals on the same side of solid. The pellet has a prismatic shape. It has a pyramid shape. The heating element comprises a carbon rod.