They take a hydrocarbon fuel and split it into hydrogen and carbon, producing an electric current in the process.

This represents a potentially important future source of hydrocarbon fuel.

The group said in a technical update that it had made a 'major step' towards being able to provide a commercial alternative to hydrocarbon fuels.

However, photovoltaics produce electricity rather than storable, portable liquid hydrocarbon fuel, so they are largely irrelevant for powering the large existing fleet of vehicles and equipment having internal combustion engines.

The high energy electrons of microplasmas accommodate chemical modification and reformation of liquid hydrocarbon fuels to produce fuel for fuel cells.