TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Method: The polysaccharide comprises hemicellulose and the hydrolyzing involves thermochemical hydrolysis. The renewable material comprises a simple alcohol and the purifying comprises distilling a portion of a fermentation broth. The method involves distillative hydrolysis occurring separate from fermenting processes using a lignocellulosic feedstock, where heat supplied drives distillation and hydrolysis. Preferably the method involves producing renewable materials from a lignocellulosic feedstock comprising a hemicellulose material, a cellulose material, and a lignin material, by (a1) separating the renewable material from a fermentation broth while hydrolyzing a portion of the hemicellulose material to form a pentose material; (b1) hydrolyzing the cellulose material to form a hexose material; and (c1) fermenting the pentose material and the hexose material to produce fermentation broth comprising the renewable material. The steps (b1) and (c1) occur substantially simultaneously. The separating involves distilling the renewable material. Particularly producing renewable materials from a lignocellulosic feedstock comprising an unbound carbohydrate material, a hemicellulose material, a cellulose material, and a lignin material, by (a2) fermenting the unbound carbohydrate material to produce renewable material in the presence of the hemicellulose material, the cellulose material, and the lignin material; (b2) separating the renewable material from the hemicellulose material, the cellulose material, and the lignin material while hydrolzying a portion of the hemicellulose material to form a pentose material; (c2) hydrolyzing the cellulose material to form a hexose material; and (d2) fermenting the pentose material and the hexose material to produce renewable material. The steps (c2) and (d2) occur substantially concurrently. The steps (a2) and (d2) occur together. The method further involves combining the renewable material of the step (a2) and (d2) before step (b2); and separating the lignin material between the step (c2) and step (d2). The heat supplied for separating the renewable material also hydrolyses the hemicellulose material. Preferred Components: The lignocellulosic feedstock comprises sugarcane, energy cane, miscanthus, sorghum, sweet sorghum, Napier grass, corn stover, corn cobs, leaves, agricultural residue, switch grass, Arundo, energy grass, or municipal solid waste. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.