a fuel cell is disclosed which is formed on a semiconductor wafer by etching channel in the wafer and forming electronics on the substrate electronically coupled to the fuel cell that controls generation of power by the fuel cell through electrical communication with the fuel cell . a hydrogen fuel is admitted into one of the divided channels and an oxidant into the other . the hydrogen reacts with a catalyst formed on an anode electrode at the hydrogen side of the channel to release hydrogen ions which are absorbed into the pem . the protons migrate through the pem and recombine with return hydrogen electrons on a cathode electrode on the oxygen side of the pem and the oxygen to form water .