TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Method: Transporting is performed with: a nautical vessel that is a boat, a barge, a ship, a dock, a floating platform, a sea platform, or a sea rig; a land vehicle that is a car, truck, tractor trailer or train; or an airborne vehicle that is a plane, helicopter or blimp. Transporting is performed by: more than a single mode; and a land vehicle and a water vehicle. Producing is performed while transporting. The fermenter forms part of a system that comprises a component consisting of cutters, shearing devices, measuring devices, flow devices, mills, mixers, pumps, wiring, cookers, heaters, coolers, aerators, containers, holding containers, distillation columns, piping, electrical components, energy sources, sewage sources and/or water sources. The first site and second site are spaced apart by a distance of greater than or equal to 25 miles, preferably greater than or equal to 100 miles. Producing ethanol from biomass at the first and/or second site comprises hydrolyzing the biomass, and then fermenting the biomass. The method of producing ethanol from biomass further comprises: transporting the system to a third site, and then producing ethanol at the third site; and transporting the fermenter to a fourth site, and then producing ethanol at the fourth site. Prior to producing ethanol from biomass at the first and/or second site with the fermenter, the fermenter is assembled as part of a system. Producing ethanol from biomass comprises contacting the biomass with at least one microorganism disposed in the fermenter. The method (M1) of producing a product from biomass is carried out in the reactor, where the first site is located on a body of water, and the biomass is plankton, aquatic plants, algae and/or seaweed. In the method (M2): producing a processed biomass comprises grinding the biomass material into a fine powder or chopping the biomass material, and shearing the biomass material; transporting is performed with a nautical vessel, a truck, tractor trailer or train, and by more than a single mode of transport; and producing the first product further comprises fermenting the sugars. The method (M2) further comprises transporting the reactor or converter to a third site, and then producing a third product at the third site. In the method (M2), shearing exposes fibers of the biomass material, where the first and the second sites are located on bodies of water. The method (M2) further comprises transporting the reactor or converter to a fourth site, and then producing a fourth product at the fourth site. Opening up or texturizing is performed while transporting. The method (M3) further comprises: transporting a component of the second system to a third site, and then opening up or texturing a biomass at the third site; producing the sugars at the first and/or second site with the first and/or second system; transporting a component of the system at the third site to a fourth site, and then opening up or texturizing a biomass at the fourth site; producing product from the sugars at the first and/or second site; and producing a product comprising ethanol or n-butanol from the sugars at the first and/or second site with the first and/or second system, by contacting the sugars with at least one microorganism disposed in the fermenter, where the first and/or second system comprises the fermenter. The method (M4) further comprises: transporting the biomass with the portable components; texturizing or opening up the cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass while it is transported, where transporting is performed by more than a single mode; producing a second preprocessed biomass by transporting the portable components from the first site to a third site and texturizing or opening up a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass at the third site utilizing the portable components; producing a third preprocessed biomass by transporting the portable components from the third site to a fourth site and texturizing or opening up a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass at the fourth site utilizing the portable components; converting the sugar to a product consisting of alcohols, hydrocarbons, hydrogen and/or biodiesel, where the reactor or converter comprises a fermenter; producing a product comprising ethanol or n-butanol from the sugars at the second site, where producing the product comprising ethanol or n-butanol from the sugars comprises contacting the sugars with at least one microorganism disposed in the fermenter. Preferred Components: The microorganisms comprise at least one genetically engineered bacterium. The first and second energy sources are the same. The energy source is alcohols, ethanol, n-butanol, gasoline, hydrocarbons, hydrogen, natural gas, biodiesel and/or electricity. The energy source comprises ethanol. The first and second products are the same. In the method (M2), the first or second products comprise ethanol or n-butanol. The reactor or converter at the first site and/or the reactor or converter at the second site comprises a component consisting of cutters, shearing devices, measuring devices, flow devices, mills, mixers, pumps, wiring, cookers, heaters, coolers, aerators, containers, holding containers, distillation columns, piping, electrical components, energy sources, sewage sources and/or water sources. The portable components at the first site are shearing devices, mills (both preferred), cutters, and/or holding containers. The components of the system at the second site are not transportable. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.