Reply #7: I've been talking up this one for a while. This makes renewable

[NNadir]

energy more attractive I note.

If this works, it will be better than any birthday present I could possibly imagine.

If these devices can be industrially scaled, it is effectively an outstanding way of converting any electrical energy to a liquid fuel, wind, solar, nuclear.

This is a very big deal, if it works and can be industrially scaled.

I have read excerpts of the patent. The chemistry involves supported precious metal catalysts, specifically ruthenium/platinum supported on organic substrates. The patent is US6,821,659.

The world supply of these metals is limited, although I happily note that there is a great deal of ruthenium available in so called "nuclear waste."

I do not support methanol fuel, because of its toxicity and miscibility with water. However methanol is easily dehydrated to give DME, which will easily be the best fuel ever used by the human race.