Lafarge Canada brings wind power to Exshaw plant

February 8, 2022 – EXSHAW, AB – Lafarge Canada Inc. (Lafarge) today announced it has entered into a Purchase Power Agreement (PPA) with Calgary-based electricity company, TransAlta Corporation (“TransAlta”).

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 the 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,” says 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,” adds Cailee Ellis, Head of Sustainability and Environment of Lafarge Western Canada.

“TransAlta is pleased to provide competitive retail electricity solutions to our customers, like Lafarge, that can include power from our existing renewable assets in Alberta,” said Blain van Melle, Executive Vice President, Alberta Business at TransAlta.

Lafarge is in the final planning stages of their 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 this project.

Demand for cement and concrete continues to expand across Canada, and the organization is committed to meeting that need as sustainably as possible, says Kohl. “We can support renewable electricity development and low carbon fuel projects, with innovative cement mixes to maximize our emissions reductions,” he says. “It’s essential for us to meet the needs of our communities while building sustainably for future generations.”

This announcement was originally posted on the website of Lafarge Canada – Sustainable cement, concrete, aggregates & construction across Canada