TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOTECHNOLOGY - Preferred Component: The saccharification enzyme consortium comprises glycosidase(s); enzyme(s) from cellulose-hydrolyzing glycosidases, hemicellulose-hydrolyzing glycosidases, starch-hydrolyzing glycosidases, peptidases, lipases, ligninases, or feruloyl esterases; or enzyme(s) from cellulases, endoglucanase, exoglucanase, cellobiohydrolases, beta-glucosidases, xylanases, endoxylanase, exo xylanases, beta-Xylosidases, arabinoxylanase, mannoses, galuctose, pectinase, glucuronidase, amylases, alpha-amylases, beta-amylases, glucoamylases, alpha-glucosidases, or isoamylase.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Method: Vacuum is applied to the biomass prior to contacting the biomass with the aqueous solution comprising ammonia. The first contacting step is carried out at 4-200, preferably 90-150degreesC. It is carried out for a time of up to 25, preferably up to 8 hours. A portion of the ammonia in the first contacting step is removed prior to the second contacting step. The ammonia from the first contacting step is recycled. The second contacting step is at a dry weight of biomass concentration of greater than or equal to15%. The contacting steps are repeated at least one time. The method further includes adding plasticizer(s) and/or softening agent(s) in the first contacting step; and applying energy before or during the first contacting step, and/or before or during the second contacting step. The energy is from milling, crushing, grinding, shredding, chopping, disk refining, ultrasound, or microwave. Carbon dioxide from fermentation is used to adjust the pH of the pretreatment mixture prior to saccharification. The second contacting step is performed at 15-100degreesC and at a pH of 2-11. Preferred Parameter: The pH of the biomass-aqueous ammonia mixture is greater than 8.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The aqueous solution comprising ammonia further comprises additional base(s). The base is sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, or calcium carbonate.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The dry weight of biomass is at a high solids concentration of greater than or equal to15-80, preferably 15-60%. The ammonia is present at less than 10, preferably less than or equal to6 wt.% relative to dry weight of biomass. The biomass is from bio-energy crops, agricultural residues, municipal solid waste, industrial solid waste, yard waste, wood, or forestry waste. It is preferably switchgrass, waste paper, sludge from paper manufacture, corn grain, corn cobs, corn husks, corn stover, grasses, wheat, wheat straw, hay, barley, barley straw, rice straw, sugar cane bagasse, sorghum, soy, components obtained from processing of grains, trees, branches, roots, leaves, wood chips, sawdust, shrubs, bushes, vegetables, fruits, flowers, or animal manure; corn cobs, corn stover, corn husks, sugar cane bagasse, sawdust, switchgrass, wheat straw, hay, barely straw, rice straw, or grasses; or corn cobs, corn stover, sawdust, or sugar cane bagasse. The ammonia is ammonia gas, ammonium hydroxide, and/or urea.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Component: The plasticizer and/or the softening agent are polyols, esters of polyols, glycol ethers, acetamide, ethanol, or ethanolamines.