North Carolina State University researchers will help advance biobased manufacturing and rural economic development in the Southeast as part of a regional research initiative backed by up to $160 million from the National Science Foundation.
The initiative, known as the BRIDGES Engine, will develop miscanthus and switchgrass for use in biobased products for automotive, construction and packaging applications while building new markets, businesses and jobs in rural communities.
Ronalds Gonzalez, an associate professor in the Department of Forest Biomaterials at NC State, has been appointed to the BRIDGES leadership team and will assess the affordability and sustainability of products developed through the initiative.
Gonzalez will collaborate with Hasan Jameel, Joel Pawlak, Daniel Saloni and Richard Venditti, all professors in the Department of Forest Biomaterials with longstanding expertise in the development of biobased materials and products.
"It is an honor to bring NC State's expertise to a national stage. It confirms that our team's approach to solving real-world financial and environmental problems is recognized and valued at the highest levels," Gonzalez said.
Using computer models, Gonzalez and his colleagues will conduct a techno-economic analysis of the products developed through the initiative to determine their technical feasibility and financial profitability.
They will also conduct a sustainability analysis to assess each product's environmental footprint from production through end of life, including energy use, raw materials and waste, to identify potential environmental tradeoffs.
"Our goal is to answer two simple questions: Will these new technologies be affordable, and are they truly good for the planet over the long run?" Gonzalez said.
He added, "We are making sure these technologies aren't just fascinating lab experiments but affordable, environmentally friendly tools that can make a positive difference in everyday life."
Gonzalez and his colleagues will also help develop and provide the processing needed to turn raw plant materials - the "feedstocks," such as switchgrass or miscanthus - into usable fiber materials that manufacturers can use in products.
NC State is one of the five core institutional partners supporting the BRIDGES Engine initiative, which in July 2026 was awarded up to $160 million over the next decade through the NSF's Regional Innovation Engines program.
The initiative is expected to expand perennial fiber production to 50,000 acres, generate $30 million in annual farm income, attract more than $2 billion in private investment, create over 4,000 jobs and engage and train more than 10,000 people.
This post was originally published in College of Natural Resources News.
