Organic fuel cell and methods of operation thereof

A method of operating a fuel cell of a direct fed type having an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte is provided, which comprises: using a membrane-electrode assembly formed of a multi-layer composite structure with an anode, cathode and solid polymer electrolyte membrane; and circulating liquid organic methanol fuel, which fuel is substantially free of acid components, to parts of said membrane electrode assembly, to electrochemically generate electricity. Preferably at least parts of said membrane electrode assembly are impregnated with a hydrophilic material, preferably Teflon or Nafion. Further a method is disclosed which comprises: forming a fuel cell that has an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte; and electrochemically generating electricity from said fuel cell using a methanol fuel which is substantially free of an acid electrolyte in said fuel cell.