NOVELTY - Operating fuel cell, by providing an anode and a cathode electrode in fluid communication through membrane, exposing the anode electrode to a source of methanol, exposing the cathode electrode to a source of air, and configuring the membrane fuel cell operating conditions thus during operation the water migration rate is substantially equal to the sum of the back diffusion rate and the water evaporation rate thus all the water circulating within the fuel cell is produced at the cathode electrode from the reaction of the methanol at the anode electrode.    USE - The method is useful for operating a fuel cell (claimed).    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Method for operating a fuel cell, involves (a) providing an anode and a cathode electrode in fluid communication through membrane, exposing the anode electrode to a source of methanol, thus the methanol is oxidized at the anode to produce protons, carbon dioxide, and oxygen, exposing the cathode electrode to a source of air, thus the cathode reduces the oxygen from the anode to produce water, where the cathode electrode evaporates water at a determined water evaporation rate, the membrane is disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode has a water migration rate that determines the flow of water molecules from the anode electrode to the cathode electrode resulting from electro-osmotic drag, and having a back diffusion rate that determines the flow of water molecules from the cathode electrode to the anode electrode, and configuring the membrane fuel cell operating conditions thus during operation the water migration rate is substantially equal to the sum of the back diffusion rate and the water evaporation rate thus all the water circulating within the fuel cell is produced at the cathode electrode from the reaction of the methanol at the anode electrode, or (b) configuring the fuel cell thus a water migration rate that determines the flow of water molecules from the anode electrode to the cathode electrode resulting from electro-osmotic drag is substantially equal to the sum of a back diffusion rate that determines the flow of water molecules from the cathode electrode to the anode electrode and a water evaporation rate at the cathode electrode.