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ScienceDaily: Microbial Fuel Cell: High Yield Hydrogen Source And Wastewater Cleaner
Penn State environmental engineers and a scientist at Ion Power Inc., a company involved in development of fuel cells, have developed a process to produce hydrogen and clean wastewater.

Hydrogen-producing MFC, a BioElectrochemically-Assisted Microbial Reactor or BEAMR. The BEAMR not only produces hydrogen but simultaneously cleans the wastewater used as its feedstock. It uses about one-tenth of the voltage needed for electrolysis, the process that uses electricity to break water down into hydrogen and oxygen.

Although this method will not produce huge amount or usable hydrogen, it can help reduce the costs of wastewater treatment and contribute to renewable energy.

Penn State Report on Hydrogen and fuel cells.
Fuel cells not an engine, not a battery, an electromagnetic device that directly converts water into electricity. The trick is to make them cheaper.

Part of the expense of fuel cells is the use of platinum in producing them. platinum is very expensive, but so far a necessary part of fuel cells, for its hardness and heat resistance.

Fuel cell research is very complicated, and those involved find it necessary to form teams from many diverse disciplines and institutions for successful outcomes.

Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment