NOVELTY - Producing methane, comprises: either charging an electrolytic cell with a carbon source, oxygen and an aqueous electrolyte, or with a carbon source, oxygen, carbon monoxide and an aqueous electrolyte, and producing carbon dioxide and methane through an electrochemical process within the cell, where the cell comprises at least one anode, at least one first cathode and at least one second cathode; or combining a carbon source, oxygen and water (steam) at 150-200 degrees C to produce methane and carbon dioxide.    USE - The method is useful for producing: lower alkyls, preferably methane and propane, and alcohols, preferably methanol and ethanol from carbon sources thermally and/or electrolytically; and hydrocarbons, preferably methane, which is useful as fuel sources.    ADVANTAGE - The method efficiently transforms raw carbon sources into desirable hydrocarbon products in pure form. The method shows that the reactions proceeding in the opposite direction, from carbon up to hydrocarbons, are both catalytically and thermodynamically feasible and the hydrocarbons are reliably and reproducibly produced.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Producing methane, comprises: either charging an electrolytic cell with a carbon source, oxygen and an aqueous electrolyte, or with a carbon source, oxygen, carbon monoxide and an aqueous electrolyte, and producing carbon dioxide and methane through an electrochemical process within the cell, where the cell comprises at least one anode, at least one first cathode and at least one second cathode; or combining in a first step a carbon source, carbon monoxide and water (steam) at 150-430 degrees C to produce methane and carbon dioxide, combining in a second step carbon dioxide and methane produced in the first step with oxygen to form carbon monoxide and water, and recycling carbon monoxide and water formed in the second step for use in the first step; or combining a carbon source, oxygen and water (steam) at 150-200 degrees C to produce methane and carbon dioxide. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) a method of producing methanol, comprising: either charging an electrolytic cell with a carbon source and an aqueous electrolyte, and producing carbon dioxide and methanol through an electrochemical process within the cell, where the cell comprises at least one anode, at least one first carbon cathode and at least one second cathode; or charging an electrolytic cell with a carbon source, carbon monoxide and an aqueous electrolyte, and producing oxygen and methanol through an electrochemical process within the cell, where the cell comprises at least one anode, at least one first copper plate cathode and at least one second cathode;    (2) a method of producing ethanol, comprising: either charging an electrolytic cell with a carbon source, oxygen and an aqueous electrolyte, and producing carbon dioxide and ethanol through an electrochemical process within the cell, where the cell comprising at least one anode, at least one first cathode and at least one second cathode; or charging an electrolytic cell with a carbon source, oxygen, carbon monoxide and an aqueous electrolyte, and producing oxygen and ethanol through an electrochemical process within the cell, where the cell comprises at least one anode, at least one first cathode and at least one second cathode; and    (3) a method of producing propane, comprising charging an electrolytic cell with a carbon source, oxygen, methanol and an aqueous electrolyte, and producing carbon dioxide and propane through an electrochemical process within the cell, where the cell comprises at least one anode, at least one first cathode and at least one second cathode.