Lafarge Canada, a member of Holcim Group, officially commissioned its state-of-the-art Low-Carbon Fuel (LCF) facility at its Exshaw cement plant in collaboration with Geocycle Canada. The $38 million facility will reduce the plant’s reliance on traditional fuels by replacing up to 50% of natural gas used for one of its kilns.
The alternative thermal energy is derived from construction demolition waste (CDW), primarily discarded wood that would otherwise end up in landfills and emit methane.
To mark this milestone, Lafarge and Geocycle hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony, which was attended by local leaders and key stakeholders.
“Our commitment to building a sustainable future is at the core of everything we do,” said Brad Kohl, president and CEO of Lafarge Canada (West). “The LCF project is a prime example of how innovation and collaboration can drive positive change, lowering our environmental footprint through the use of waste biomass materials while closing the material loop to conserve natural resources.”
Geocycle Canada, also a member of Holcim Group, is responsible for co-processing the CDW into low-carbon fuels. This method ensures no residue is left behind, offering a complete solution. The materials are carefully selected and processed to maintain high safety and quality standards.
“Alberta is showing the world you can reduce emissions while growing the economy at the same time. We are proud to support this announcement as another way our province is reducing emissions and creating good jobs for Albertans for years to come,” said Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas.
The new facility was made possible with $10 million in funding from Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) through the Government of Alberta’s Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund. “Advancing technology solutions that will help keep valuable materials in the economy and out of landfills makes good environmental and economic sense,” said Justin Riemer, CEO of Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA). “Our hope is that any positive results or lessons learned will encourage others in the cement industry to do the same, giving this investment a greater, far-reaching impact.”
The Exshaw plant, a key supplier of cement across Canada and the Pacific Northwest of the United States, supports major infrastructure projects while advancing Lafarge’s coast-to-coast sustainability efforts. The LCF facility is projected to divert up to 120,000 tonnes of construction demolition waste from landfills each year, reducing CO2 emissions by as much as 30,000 tonnes annually.
The Exshaw plant is on track to become one of Canada’s most carbon-efficient cement facilities, setting a new industry benchmark for low-carbon technologies.
