Lafarge Canada Inc. has entered into a purchase power agreement (PPA) with Calgary-based electricity company, TransAlta Corp.
Committed to responsible energy management and the increased use of renewable sources in place of traditional fossil fuels, Lafarge will maximize this PPA to supply 100 GWh/year of wind power (electricity only) to its Exshaw cement plant.
“We are proud to have partnered with TransAlta to deliver wind energy to the Exshaw cement plant. Cement manufacturing is an energy-intensive process, and we are considering all levers available to supply our operations with power from renewable sources of energy,” said Brad Kohl, president and CEO of Lafarge Western Canada.
“The PPA will cover 25% of Exshaw’s energy demands, depending on actual production volumes in 2022 and 2023. This agreement, first of its kind for Lafarge in Alberta, is an important step to utilizing higher amounts of renewable electricity at our facilities,” added Cailee Ellis, head of sustainability and environment of Lafarge Western Canada.
Lafarge is in the final planning stages of its low carbon fuel project at Exshaw, which will support a lower specific net CO2 per tonne of cement produced. The PPA with TransAlta provides electricity for the project.
Demand for cement and concrete continues to expand across Canada, and the organization is committed to meeting that need as sustainably as possible. “We can support renewable electricity development and low carbon fuel projects, with innovative cement mixes to maximize our emissions reductions,” said Kohl. “It’s essential for us to meet the needs of our communities while building sustainably for future generations.”
