Auburn University awarded $1.6M in grants for biofuels, biomaterials and bioeconomy research

In Alabama, Auburn University has been awarded $1.6 million in research grants from the state of Alabama through the Alabama Research Development and Enhancement Fund.

The grants, administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, are earmarked for research and development of four different sustainability projects housed in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.

Of the $1,590,470 total awarded to Auburn:

• • $727,677 goes to research for producing jet and diesel fuels from woody biomass and waste plastics;
• • $294,008 goes to researching and assessing the economic feasibility of converting organic wastes into bioplastics;
• • $268,353 goes to conducting research involving polymer smart machines; and
• • $300,432 goes to developing soybean hulls as a means to keep aquaculture feed pellets in mass, resulting in less waste and more intake by farm-raised fish and shellfish.