Bioeconomy could be next local green wave
Whatever successes Memphis has achieved throughout history usually occurred when the city took advantage of its natural assets.
As a cultural crossroads where musical genres collided, Memphis became the home of the blues and the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll.
As a commercial crossroads where transportation modes intersected, Memphis became a hub for logistics and distribution.
And as a farming crossroads where myriad crops are cultivated, Memphis could become a leader in the burgeoning bioeconomy.
That is the green energy model in which plant-based products replace petroleum-based ones, helping address the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels and potentially helping transform the Mid-South through job creation and economic development.
Steve Bares, executive director of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation, the nonprofit organization pushing this area toward a bioeconomy, said the region stands to benefit greatly from converting plants and biomass – or organic matter – into biofuels and other products.
