A method for converting methane to methanol, comprising the steps of: - providing a structure comprising: a multi-layer cathode having a backside and a front side, said cathode comprising the following layers in the following order from the backside towards the front side: a conductive metal layer, a wide-band gap layer, a cathodic conductive layer, an optional insulator layer, and a porous support layer incorporating catalytic transition metal centres, wherein the porous support material is a zeolite layer, or comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, graphene and fullerenes and wherein the transition metal atoms in said centres are pairwise bridged by an oxygen atom during operation; an anode positioned at a distance from and facing the cathode front side; a first node conductively connected to the cathodic conductive layer and a second node conductively connected to the anode; - applying a first bias voltage to the first node and a second bias voltage to the second node, generating hot electrons; - directing said hot electrons towards the porous support, - conveying a stream comprising methane to the porous support, and - recovering methanol from a stream leaving the porous support. - providing a structure comprising: a multi-layer cathode having a backside and a front side, said cathode comprising the following layers in the following order from the backside towards the front side: a conductive metal layer, a wide-band gap layer, a cathodic conductive layer, an optional insulator layer, and a porous support layer incorporating catalytic transition metal centres, wherein the porous support material is a zeolite layer, or comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, graphene and fullerenes and wherein the transition metal atoms in said centres are pairwise bridged by an oxygen atom during operation; an anode positioned at a distance from and facing the cathode front side; a first node conductively connected to the cathodic conductive layer and a second node conductively connected to the anode; a multi-layer cathode having a backside and a front side, said cathode comprising the following layers in the following order from the backside towards the front side: a conductive metal layer, a wide-band gap layer, a cathodic conductive layer, an optional insulator layer, and a porous support layer incorporating catalytic transition metal centres, wherein the porous support material is a zeolite layer, or comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, graphene and fullerenes and wherein the transition metal atoms in said centres are pairwise bridged by an oxygen atom during operation; an anode positioned at a distance from and facing the cathode front side; a first node conductively connected to the cathodic conductive layer and a second node conductively connected to the anode; - applying a first bias voltage to the first node and a second bias voltage to the second node, generating hot electrons; - directing said hot electrons towards the porous support, - conveying a stream comprising methane to the porous support, and - recovering methanol from a stream leaving the porous support. <EOS>