As renewable energy disparager President Donald Trump continues to prop up and promote coal and fossil fuel industries, Mississippi finds itself on a path to grow industries producing renewable energy alternatives to coal.
Gov. Tate Reeves did not mention renewable energy when he announced the new partnership between Weyerhaeuser and Aymium that will bring “biocarbon” production to Magnolia in Pike County. “TerraForge Biocarbon Solutions is bringing innovative industrial manufacturing to Mississippi and helping modernize an industry that powers our economy,” said Reeves. Over the next five years Weyerhaeuser expects to construct multiple new biocarbon production facilities across its national footprint.
“We are thrilled to partner with Weyerhaeuser to expand our footprint in Mississippi,” said Aymium CEO and founder James A. Mennell.
Yes, this is Aymium’s second venture into Mississippi. In 2022, Aymium partnered with Steel Dynamics in Columbus to create SDI Biocarbon Solutions. Its announcement was part of the announcement of Steel Dynamics $2.5 billion aluminum plant, the largest capital investment in Mississippi at the time.
Aymium says that by replacing emission-intensive materials, its offerings provide measurable environmental impact across energy, metals, agriculture, and water and air purification sectors. As the Weyerhaeuser plan indicates, Aymium is on a path to revolutionize metallurgical processing worldwide.
Aymium only has two other major industrial sites at this time, one in Gwinn, Michigan, and one in Williams, California. The company touts itself as “accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels” by using renewable biomass to produce clean energy alternatives. A summary of the company’s history says it began in 2012 as Biogenic Reagents – its R&D phase, transitioned to National Carbon Technologies – its proof of concept phase, then to Aymium – its global decarbonization platform, all driven by the same core renewable-biomass carbon technology.
Here’s how it works. Biomass is placed in large rotary kilns and heated through pyrolysis to reduce it to pure carbon. Pyrolysis is the heating of an organic material at high temperatures (500°C or higher) in the absence of oxygen so there is no burning. Aymium’s process also produces biohydrogen. Waste heat and the gas are then used to sustain the highly efficient process.
In both Mississippi ventures, Aymium’s patented process converts wood fiber biomass into high-purity biocarbon that can substitute for coal and coke in metallurgical manufacturing. Both Mississippi facilities are located near major wood waste sources – in Magnolia by a Weyerhaeuser lumber mill and in Columbus by an International Paper pulp mill.
Mississippians can be thankful that Reeve’s “Mississippi Power Play” initiative incorporates an “all of the above” approach to pursuing energy related industries.
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" – Galatians 6:9.
Crawford is an author and syndicated columnist from Jackson.
8 comments:
Noted that there is no mention by Crawford of his previous boosterism for Kemper. I'm certain he felt at the time that Mississippians should have been thankful for that boondoggle also.
One thing Mississippi does very well is cook up government schemes that help turn pie in the sky plans into expensive boondoggles.
Because the government (Biden) didn’t prop up “renewable energy” with billions of taxpayer dollars. Billy the RINO is so full of shit.
" its proof of concept phase, then to Aymium – its global decarbonization platform, all driven by the same core renewable-biomass carbon technology. "
Better known as - "firewood".
We need more nuclear power. We also have enough coal reserves to supply us for 1000 years. And yes, it is expensive but we can make plastics and petroleum products from coal.
I don’t personally think we should do everything like China. But some things they do make perfect sense. They ramped up solar production to supply Obama’s subsidies. They quickly learned that building coal plants for themselves was far more efficient and cost effective. Once our subsidies ran out, China wound down panel productions. Most of their solar cell plants are idle. They too have 1000 years worth of coal.
It’s woodgas. Just like North Korea has used. Just like Nazi Germany was using toward the end of WW2. And just like FEMA released a cold ware era booklet on how to make wood gasifiers in the event of an collapse in our national petroleum infrastructure.
Speak in whispers at the mention of "renewable energy" Tater. Must not upset the Trumpster with such treasonous talk. In fact, play it safe, prohibit the use of the term itself. Now there.
There is absolutely nothing “renewable” about the alternative energy boondoggles pushed by the globalist leftist grifters.
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