Abstract: The present invention provides a power management and protection system for a hybrid fuel cell system. The hybridization includes a fuel cell stack and an energy storage device (ESD) comprised of either batteries or ultracapacitors or both in parallel with the fuel cell for delivering power to an electrical load. The power management system provides voltage and current protection to the fuel cell stack, the ESD and the load by use of a two stage control system. The first stage limits the current being drawn from the fuel cell stack and the charging rate of the ESD and provides for the voltage output to be within a adjustable predetermined range to prevent an over-voltage condition on the ESD and the load and an under-voltage condition in the fuel cell stack. The second stage limits the current delivered to the load to an adjustable predetermined level and assures that the load will not see an under-voltage condition and in the case of a short circuit prevents rapid discharge of the ESD.