(DE19605547-A1)      Direct production of methanol from oxygen and a methane-containing gas (preferably natural gas) is effected by passing the mixture through a silent electric discharge gap (15) bounded on one side by a dielectric (14) having an electrode (16) facing away from the gap (15) and there being e.g. a metal tube (11) on the other side of the gap serving as a second electrode. The methane-containing gas is mixed with O2 and N2 or with an O2 - and/or N2 -containing gas or with compounds releasing O2 and/or N2 and is fed to a gap (15) which is supplied with an approximately sinusoidal alternating voltage.    ADVANTAGE -   Gaseous methane is converted directly to liquid methanol at low temperature and pressure without the need for either a catalyst or expensive apparatus such as a rotary spark gap. This is achieved on account of the O2 being split to give rapidly-reacting excited species and the N2 acting as accelerator.    (DE19621653-A1)      Greenhouse gas is converted into a fuel- or chemical intermediate(s). The gas is subjected to a silent electrical discharge, promoted by an alternating current source (7) using a dielectric (6). This produces electrically excited and/or ionised reactants which are then converted into at least one energy-storing fuel or mixture. (13, 13'). An energy-storing, reaction catalysing gas containing nitrogen is added to the greenhouse gas. Following a relaxation interval, this transfers energy to greenhouse gas reactant(s). The volume of catalyst gas is 0.1%-5% of the entire volume of gases undergoing conversion. Also claimed is a plant converting a greenhouse gas as described. An additional thermal reactor (14) may be included.    USE -   To convert an undesirable greenhouse gas into a useful fuel, e.g. production of methanol from methane.    ADVANTAGE -   The fuel gas may be recovered for small energy expenditure, on a large scale. Carbon dioxide and hydrogen may be recovered in a single stage from a green house gas and converted in a second stage into the desired fuel. This has the advantage of obviating the use of hydrogen as a starting material.    (DE19621653-C2)      Greenhouse gas is converted into a fuel- or chemical intermediate(s). The gas is subjected to a silent electrical discharge, promoted by an alternating current source (7) using a dielectric (6). This produces electrically excited and/or ionised reactants which are then converted into at least one energy-storing fuel or mixture. (13, 13'). An energy-storing, reaction catalysing gas containing nitrogen is added to the greenhouse gas. Following a relaxation interval, this transfers energy to greenhouse gas reactant(s). The volume of catalyst gas is 0.1%-5% of the entire volume of gases undergoing conversion. Also claimed is a plant converting a greenhouse gas as described. An additional thermal reactor (14) may be included.    USE -   To convert an undesirable greenhouse gas into a useful fuel, e.g. production of methanol from methane.    ADVANTAGE -   The fuel gas may be recovered for small energy expenditure, on a large scale. Carbon dioxide and hydrogen may be recovered in a single stage from a green house gas and converted in a second stage into the desired fuel. This has the advantage of obviating the use of hydrogen as a starting material.    (US6045761-A)      Greenhouse gas is converted into a fuel- or chemical intermediate(s). The gas is subjected to a silent electrical discharge, promoted by an alternating current source (7) using a dielectric (6). This produces electrically excited and/or ionised reactants which are then converted into at least one energy-storing fuel or mixture. (13, 13'). An energy-storing, reaction catalysing gas containing nitrogen is added to the greenhouse gas. Following a relaxation interval, this transfers energy to greenhouse gas reactant(s). The volume of catalyst gas is 0.1%-5% of the entire volume of gases undergoing conversion. Also claimed is a plant converting a greenhouse gas as described. An additional thermal reactor (14) may be included.    USE -   To convert an undesirable greenhouse gas into a useful fuel, e.g. production of methanol from methane.    ADVANTAGE -   The fuel gas may be recovered for small energy expenditure, on a large scale. Carbon dioxide and hydrogen may be recovered in a single stage from a green house gas and converted in a second stage into the desired fuel. This has the advantage of obviating the use of hydrogen as a starting material.