TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOTECHNOLOGY - Preferred Method: The recalcitrance of the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material is reduced relative to that of the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material in its native state, before saccharification process. The method of reducing the recalcitrance of the material is chosen from mechanically treating, chemically treating, sonicating, pyrolyzing, irradiating, oxidizing, steam exploding and their combinations. The method of reducing recalcitrance of the material comprises irradiation the material with ionizing radiation. The irradiation comprises irradiation with a dose of at least 10 Mrad. The ionizing radiation comprises electron beam irradiation. The method further involves mechanically treating the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material to reduce the bulk density of the material and/or increase its surface area. The method further involves utilizing an additive in the fuel cell. The treatment of the lignocellulosic material is chosen from sonication, pyrolysis, irradiation, oxidation, steam explosion and their combinations. The method further involves contacting the lignocellulosic material with an enzyme. The method further involves fermenting the saccharified treated lignocellulosic material to produce the fuel. Treating the lignocellulosic material by irradiating the lignocellulosic material with ionizing radiation with a dose of at least 10 Mrad. The ionizing radiation comprises an electron beam. Preferred Components: The cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass is chosen from paper, paper products, paper waste, paper pulp, pigmented papers, loaded papers, coated papers, filled papers, magazines, printed matter, printer paper, polycoated paper, card stock, cardboard, paperboard, offal, cotton, wood, particle board, forestry wastes, sawdust, aspen wood, wood chips, grasses, switchgrass, Miscanthus, cord grass, reed canary grass, grain residues, rice hulls, oat hulls, wheat chaff, barley hulls, agricultural waste, silage, canola straw, wheat straw, barley straw, oat straw, rice straw, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, corn cobs, corn stover, soybean stover, corn fiber, alfalfa, hay, coconut hair, sugar processing residues, bagasse, beet pulp, Agave bagasse, algae, seaweed, manure, sewage, Arracacia, buckwheat, banana, barley, cassava, kudzu, oca, sago, Sorghum, potato, sweet potato, taro, yams, beans, favas, lentils, peas, and their mixtures. The enzyme is a cellulase. The fuel comprises a sugar. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.