Abstract: Hydrogen storage fuel compositions comprising a mixture of at least one chemical hydride compound and at least one compound, polymer, carboxylic acid or salt that acts as a water surrogate source, and methods for thermally initiated hydrogen generation from fuel compositions, are disclosed. The water surrogate source/chemical hydride compositions are preferably solids, and may be powders, caplets, tablets, pellets or granules, for example. The water surrogate source/chemical hydride compositions may comprise alternating layers of the chemical hydride and of the water surrogate source.