Microwave Hydrocarbon Processing

Global Resource Corporation claims to have prototyped an industrial process to recycle impure hydrocarbons (plastics, tire rubber, oil shale, auto shredder residue) into pure gaseous hydrocarbons. They claim the prototype uses microwaves of specific frequencies to break complex hydrocarbon chains into simpler chains that condense to high grade natural gas, diesel, gasoline, and lubricating oil. The process takes place in a vacuum chamber so there are no inherent environmental contaminants. Supposedly, the entire process can be powered by the fuel byproducts, with an excess remaining.

Global Resource Corporation is currently seeking patents and independent verification. There is a dearth of scientific information on their website, but here are some quotes:

"Energy recovery rates [from oil shale]: Current technology - 15% by Weight, GRC technology 50% from Estonia[n shale]; 30% from USA [shale]." - GRC

"GRC says its Hawk-10 can extract enough oil and gas from the [auto shredder residue] to run the Hawk-10 itself and a number of other machines used by Gershow [an auto shredding company]." - New Scientist

According to this GRC press release (PDF)

"Global Resource Corporation (OTC: GBRC.PK) announced today that they were recognized by the United States Department of Energy as a company that may one day unlock billions of barrels of energy from domestic United States deposits. Patent pending gasification technology, developed by engineers at Global Resource, is applied to various materials to unlock energy in the form of oil and gas, and this technology, when commercialized, may succeed in satisfying domestic energy consumption."

Perhaps the Department of Energy is jumping the gun a little bit with independent verification pending. Or perhaps GRC is jumping the gun, since I can't find any mention of Global Resource Corporation on the DOE website. Yahoo Finance has picked up the story too, probably from New Scientist.