A clean power supply unit with a high fuel utilization rate using a fuel
cell is provided. The power supply unit of the present invention
comprises a fuel cell using methanol as fuel; a secondary battery for
supplying power to a load; a fuel cell control part for controlling the
amount of fuel and/or air supplied to the above-mentioned fuel cell; and
a power converter for converting the power output from the
above-mentioned fuel cell to a predetermined voltage or current,
supplying power to the load and/or the above-mentioned secondary battery
and controlling the supplied power so as to fall within a predetermined
range including the value at which the amount of methanol discharged from
the above-mentioned fuel cell becomes minimized.