Mississippi Could Play Big Role in Biomass Industry

A biodiesel processor. Biodiesel is one of the products that can be produced from biomass.

The greening of the US economy and a new focus on renewable energy could have a big impact on Mississippi. MPB’s Stephen Koranda reports.

Mississippi has the ability to position itself as one of the top producers of renewable energy from biomass, says Ted Abernathy, executive director of the Southern Growth Policy Board. This means farm products, or byproducts from chicken processing or logging could be turned into fuels and energy. But Abernathy says there needs to be smart planning, and a focus on supply and demand.

“You don’t want to create big uses for wood pellets that in turn make house prices more
expensive. We can grow new switch grass, grow new tree bamboo. The idea is to make sure there are places where that works.”

Sumesh Arora, with the Mississippi Technology Alliance, says more renewable energy could benefit Mississippi in another way, through manufacturing.

“So even though we may not be able to make wind energy, we can still make components for the wind turbines, or we can be doing solar panel manufacturing or solar component manufacturing.”

Some of the processes for developing biomass energy aren’t yet ready to go into full scale production, but Arora says it’s worth the investment if it means better energy security.

“Investing in renewable energy is like investing for your retirement. So it’s a long term proposition. But Any investment advisor will tell you, well the first thing you have to do is diversify your portfolio, the second thing the guy will tell you is start investing right now, don’t wait until you’re 65.”

Arora hopes production in Mississippi could help renewable energy someday make up 20 percent or more of the energy used in the US.