North Carolina State University researchers will help turn fast-growing grasses into biobased materials. The project is part of a major regional research initiative, backed by up to $160 million from the National Science Foundation.
The initiative, known as BRIDGES Engine, will develop miscanthus and switchgrass for use in biobased products. These include applications in automotive, construction and packaging. It also aims to build new markets, businesses and jobs in rural communities.
Ronalds Gonzalez, an associate professor in NC State’s Department of Forest Biomaterials, has joined the BRIDGES leadership team. He will assess the affordability and sustainability of products developed through the initiative. He’ll work alongside fellow professors Hasan Jameel, Joel Pawlak, Daniel Saloni and Richard Venditti, all experts in biobased materials.
Using computer models, the team will run a techno-economic analysis on each product. This will test technical feasibility and financial profitability. They’ll also assess each product’s environmental footprint, from raw materials to end of life, to spot potential tradeoffs.
Gonzalez said the goal is simple. The team wants to know whether these technologies will be affordable. They also want to know whether they’re genuinely good for the planet over the long run. He added that the aim is to move beyond interesting lab experiments. The goal is practical, environmentally friendly tools.
The researchers will also help develop the processing needed to turn raw plant feedstocks into usable fiber materials for manufacturers. Feedstocks include switchgrass and miscanthus.
NC State is one of five core institutional partners in BRIDGES Engine. The initiative was awarded up to $160 million over the next decade in July 2026. Funding comes through the NSF’s Regional Innovation Engines program. It aims to expand perennial fiber production to 50,000 acres, generate $30 million in annual farm income and create more than 4,000 jobs.
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