TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOLOGY - Preferred Components: The plant based material comprises lignocellulosic material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The acidic solution comprises hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrobromic acid, or nitric acid. The proton removing agent is sodium hydroxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred System: The second reaction vessel is configured to synthesize a biofuel; is configured to synthesize a furfural; or the synthesis catalyzed in the second reaction vessel is configured to comprise a chemical reaction selected from transesterification, esterification, and hydrolysis. The electrochemical system is configured to operate at a voltage of less than or equal to 2 volts. The electrochemical system is configured to avoid production of chlorine gas. The electrochemical system comprises: an ion exchange membrane (310) interposed between an anode compartment comprising a gas diffusion anode (304) and a cathode compartment comprising a catholyte in contact with a cathode (305); a percolator positioned in the anode compartment between the gas diffusion anode and the ion exchange membrane and configured to percolate an anolyte axially through the percolator; a voltage supply connected to the anode and cathode and operable to cause oxidation of hydrogen to protons at the gas diffusion anode, migration of anions from the catholyte into the anolyte or migration of cations from the anolyte into the catholyte, through the ion exchange membrane, migration of the protons into the percolator to produce an acid in the anolyte in the percolator, and generation of hydroxide ions and hydrogen at the cathode to form an alkaline solution in the catholyte; and a source of carbon dioxide configured to dissolve carbon dioxide to the catholyte and sequester the carbon dioxide as a carbonate and/or bicarbonate.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The electrochemical reaction involves: (a1) interposing an ion exchange membrane between an anode compartment comprising a gas diffusion anode, and a cathode compartment comprising a catholyte in contact with a cathode in an electrochemical system; (b1) positioning a percolator in the anode compartment between the gas diffusion anode and the ion exchange membrane and percolating an anolyte through the percolator to establish an ionic pathway from the anode to the cathode through the anolyte, the ion exchange membrane and the catholyte; (c1) oxidizing hydrogen to protons at the gas diffusion anode and migrating the protons into the percolator while generating a proton removing agent and hydrogen at the cathode by applying a voltage across the gas diffusion anode and cathode; and (d1) migrating anions from the catholyte into the anolyte to form the acidic solution in the anolyte. The electrochemical reaction operates at a voltage of less than or equal to 2 volts. The electrochemical reaction is configured to avoid production of chlorine gas. The method (M1) further involves sequestering a second portion of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the plant based material via photosynthesis; calculating the sum of carbon dioxide sequestered in the first and second portion; precipitating a carbonate containing compound from the aqueous solution (preferably by contacting aqueous solution with divalent cation); converting the acidic solution to a vapor prior to contacting with the plant based material; and raising the pH of reaction mixture after catalyzing of the chemical synthesis. The chemical synthesis reaction comprises synthesis of biofuel; or synthesis or furfural. The catalyzed chemical synthesis comprises a chemical reaction selected from transesterification, esterificaton and hydrolysis. Preferred Components: The acidic solution comprises acetic acid. The acidic solution has a concentration of (0.5-30 wt.%). The pH of acidic solution is less than 1. The plant based material comprises plant oil. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.