Lafarge Canada (“Lafarge”) and TransAlta Corporation (“TransAlta”) (TSX: TA) (NYSE: TAC) have entered into an agreement that will advance low-carbon concrete projects in Alberta. The newest project will repurpose landfilled fly ash, a waste product from TransAlta’s Canadian coal-fired electricity operations west of Edmonton, which ended in 2021. The ash will be used to replace cement in concrete manufacturing.

“Driving innovative and sustainable initiatives is a key part of our business in Alberta and across Western Canada,” said Brad Kohl, President and CEO, Lafarge Canada (West). “There is great potential in repurposing materials across the construction value chain. Transforming landfilled material, such as fly ash, into a usable product for construction, is a win-win solution for all of us.”

“Our role in this project demonstrates TransAlta’s commitment to supporting innovative solutions for our customers that reduce their environmental footprints and meet their ESG goals. Using fly ash to make concrete creates a valuable opportunity to recycle one of the largest waste streams in North America. It’s a great complement to the zero-emissions electricity we are currently providing to Lafarge from our wind platform in Alberta,” said Blain van Melle, TransAlta Corporation’s Executive Vice President, Alberta Business.

Landfilled fly ash must first go through a beneficiation process in order to be used in concrete. The project will utilize the Ash-TEK Ponded Ash Beneficiation System (PABS) technology, which consistently produced high quality ash during trials and proved to have a low carbon footprint and an economical operating cost. Lafarge will deploy this unique approach to the process, removing moisture from the ash, milling it, and removing excess carbon, ensuring that it meets regulatory standards and market expectations.

Geocycle, a leading provider of sustainable waste management services worldwide, and Lafarge’s subsidiary in Canada, will also join the initiative. The organization brings experience in managing millions of tonnes of fly ash in the U.S. “Landfilled fly ash sometimes has too much carbon, which affects how much air there is in the concrete. Once we can treat and separate that carbon, then the fly ash is ready to be used (up to 25% standard replacement) in place of cement,” commented Sophie Wu, Head of Geocycle, North America.

Although the role of fly ash in concrete manufacturing isn’t new, the technology for beneficiation is highly exact and specialized. “We recognize that seizing opportunities to optimize cement is a key part of our CO2 reduction strategy,” said Kohl. “Thinking outside the box is a part of how we do business.”

In November 2021, Lafarge Canada was awarded $15 million from the Government of Alberta through Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) to advance this project with TransAlta. “Innovation works best when we collaborate,” commented Kohl. “The support of ERA is essential to help us drive this progress. Now, we’re not just talking about it - we’re doing it right here in Alberta.”

About Lafarge Canada Inc.

Lafarge is Canada’s largest provider of sustainable and innovative building solutions including Aggregates, Cement, Ready Mix and Precast Concrete, Asphalt and Paving, and Road and Civil Construction. With over 6,900 employees and 400 sites across the country, we provide green products to build the infrastructure and communities where Canadians live and work.

As a member of Holcim Group, our purpose is to build progress for people and the planet. www.lafarge.ca

About TransAlta Corporation

TransAlta owns, operates and develops a diverse fleet of electrical power generation assets in Canada, the United States and Australia with a focus on long-term shareholder value. TransAlta provides municipalities, medium and large industries, businesses and utility customers with clean, affordable, energy efficient and reliable power. Today, TransAlta is one of Canada’s largest producers of wind power and Alberta’s largest producer of hydroelectric power. For over 111 years, TransAlta has been a responsible operator and a proud member of the communities where we operate and where our employees work and live. TransAlta aligns its corporate goals with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and its climate change strategy with CDP (formerly Climate Disclosure Project) and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations. TransAlta has achieved a 61 per cent reduction in GHG emissions since 2015. https://transalta.com/

About Geocycle

Geocycle is an international network of over 50 companies, located on five continents, and is a leading provider of sustainable waste management services worldwide. We apply the proven technology of ‘co-processing’ and utilize existing facilities in the cement industry to resolve waste challenges sustainably. This enables us to recover energy and recycle materials from waste. We contribute towards a regenerative, circular economy that closes resource cycles. Geocycle manages more than 10 million tons of waste annually, thus making a tangible contribution to bringing society a step closer to a zero-waste future. www.geocycle.com/

About Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA)

For 12 years, ERA has been investing the revenues from the carbon price paid by large final emitters to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative clean technology solutions. Since ERA was established in 2009, they have committed $821 million toward 231 projects worth $6.5 billion that are helping to reduce GHGs, create competitive industries and are leading to new business opportunities in Alberta. These projects are estimated to deliver cumulative reductions of 40 million tonnes CO₂e per year by 2030 and 99 million tonnes by 2050. Please visit https://eralberta.ca.