TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The process (A) further comprises: maintaining the pH in the anolyte compartment at a pH of 7-11, preferably 7.5-9.5; maintaining the temperature in the anolyte compartment at 20-70 degrees C; reacting carbon dioxide with aqueous alkali carbonate outside the anolyte compartment; using the carbon dioxide recovered from the anolyte compartment; reacting that carbon dioxide with aqueous alkali carbonate outside the anolyte compartment; introducing water and optionally a dilute alkali hydroxide solution into the catholyte compartment; electrolyzing the water at the cathode by reaction (b1) including reacting 2 moles of metal cation, 2 moles of water and 2 electrons to give 2 moles of metal hydroxide and hydrogen; recovering the alkali hydroxide and hydrogen; introducing methanol into the catholyte compartment; electrolyzing the methanol solution at the cathode in the presence of alkali ions transported from the anolyte compartment across the alkali ion conductive membrane by the reaction (c1) including reacting 2 moles of metal cation, 2 moles of methanol and 2 electrons to give 2 moles of metal methoxide and hydrogen; recovering the alkali methoxide and hydrogen; and pressurizing the anolyte compartment to promote carbon dioxide dissolution and reaction to form bicarbonate. The pH in the anolyte compartment is maintained by controlling the concentration of alkali carbonate introduced into the anolyte compartment and the cell operation temperature. The processes (B) and (C) further comprise: recovering the hydrogen; performing the reaction (a1); and recovering the alkali bicarbonate. Preferred Components: The alkali ion conductive membrane is an alkali ion super ion conductive membrane including sodium super ionic conductor or sodium super ionic conductor-type membranes (preferred), lithium super ionic conductor or lithium super ionic conductor-type membranes, or potassium super ionic conductor or potassium super ionic conductor-type membranes. EXAMPLE - The electrolytic cell containing a sodium super ionic conductor membrane was assembled with a platinum/titanium anode and a nickel cathode. Sodium carbonate anolyte solution (2.88 M) and a catholyte solution at sodium hydroxide (15 wt.%) were prepared. The solutions were heated to 65 degrees C and then circulated through respective compartments. The cell was operated at a current density of 50 m Angstrom /cm2 of membrane. At the cell a voltage measurement was made. The cell was operated in batch mode for 47.5 hours during which the anolyte sodium carbonate concentration decreased to 0.85 M. The voltage increased from 20-33 hours and white precipitate of sodium bicarbonate on the surface of the electrodes, membranes, and other cell components were produced. The bicarbonate ions converted back into soluble carbonate. The starting pH of the 2.88M sodium carbonate solution was nearly 13 and so the solution contained predominantly carbonate ions. As sodium was removed and carbon dioxide released from the anolyte, the pH of the solution decreased and more sodium bicarbonate formed. At a pH of approximately 8.5, the solution contained mainly bicarbonate ions. The sodium bicarbonate precipitated out as its solubility was lower than that of sodium carbonate. The precipitated sodium bicarbonate formed a resistive coating on the anode and alkali ion selective membrane causing the increase in cell voltage. Further sodium removal decreased the pH further converting the bicarbonate ions back to soluble carbonate ions. The resistive coating on the anode and membrane was removed and the cell voltage decreased.