Recently in Mississippi Category

From Enerkem press release:

Enerkem Inc., an advanced biofuels and green chemicals technology company, recently announced its plans to build and operate a second-generation biofuels production facility located in Pontotoc, Mississippi. In addition, the company announced the signature of a Memorandum of Intent with the Three Rivers Solid Waste Management Authority of Mississippi (TRSWMA) for the supply of approximately 189,000 tons of unsorted municipal solid waste (MSW) per year for use as feedstock at the Pontotoc facility.

Plans call for the plant to be built, owned and operated by Enerkem Mississippi Biofuels, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Enerkem. It is expected to produce 20 million gallons per year of next-generation ethanol using a mix of feedstock comprised of wood residues from regional forest and agricultural operations, as well as urban biomass such as municipal solid waste, construction and demolition debris, and treated wood. In addition to the biofuels production facility, the investment includes an upstream municipal solid waste recycling and pre-treatment center.

The total project represents a US$250 million investment. The Enerkem process will recycle and convert approximately 60% of the MSW that crosses the gate at the Three Rivers landfill. The majority of the MSW will be converted into biofuels and the remainder will be distributed to recycling processors. The overall project is expected to create 150 long-term direct and indirect jobs, and to generate an additional 300 jobs during the construction and start-up phases.

In a press release, Toyota has announced that the newly built Mississippi manufacturing plant while original slated to produce the Toyota Highlander SUV, will instead produce the Toyota Prius. Siting increase demand for hybrids in North America, the plant will be Toyota's second hybrid producing plant. The company also announced a three-month suspension of production of the Tundra and Sequoia in their Alabama plant. No job losses were announced. The full press release can be found here.

A recent report from Forbes magazine ranks the top five states for alternative energy in the categories of wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. Rounding out the top five best places for biomass are Georgia, Mississippi, and North Carolina. Georgia's 25 million tons of mill wood debris; Mississippi's 3.6 million tons of logging waste, and North Carolina's methane from manure based on the 10 million hog population were the driving factors behind the rankings. Iowa and North Dakota ranked first and second.

In a press release, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue said, "Georgia's wealth of natural resources combined with our research institutions and a strong business climate create an ideal environment for the development of renewable energy. We appreciate Forbes' recognition of our ability to develop alternative energy sources."

In October 2006, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) released the report Energizing Appalachia - A regional blueprint for economic and energy development. The report focused on promoting energy efficiency, increasing the use of renewable energy resources, and supporting the development of conventional energy sources. The paper state that

The commission's objective was to provide a strategic framework for the promotion of new energy-related job opportunities through the stimulation of sustainable energy production, efficiency measures, and innovation efforts throughout the region.

The report reviews the energy landscape for the ARC region and identifies strategies for reaching their objectives.