an inlet of reformer 12 as is known in the art fuel may comprise any conventional or alternative fuel as is known in the art for example gasoline diesel jet fuel kerosene propane natural gas carbon biodiesel ethanol and methanol air is supplied from a source not shown such as a blower or other air pump via line 32 to intake air side 24 of heat exchanger 22 and thence via line 34 to cathode passageway 20 at start up heated air is also supplied from heat exchanger 22 via line 36 to an inlet on reformer 12 to provide oxygen for reformer start up in known fashion at a time after start up when such air is no longer needed or may be reduced in volume in accordance with the invention the air flow to the reformer may be controllably modulated by an air valve 38 reformate is supplied via line 40 from reformer 12 to anode passageway 18 anode tail gas is exhausted from stack 16 via line 42 and is preferably assisted by inline pump 28 syngas is exhausted from pump 28 via line 44 and a portion of the exhausted syngas may be recycled to an inlet of reformer 12 via line 46 preferably the recycled portion in line 46 is between about 50 and about 95 of.