The split between industry emissions and other emissions (transportation, buildings, etc.)
in the Calgary Regional Airshed Zone is 30% / 70%.
Lafarge Cement Plant
- Fall 2022 - Back in 2019, BVCAS withdrew our statement of concern for Lafarge’s Low Carbon Fuel project on the promise from Lafarge that they would carry out meaningful continuous improvement as part of their permit renewal. We have recently reviewed Lafarge's permit renewal application and studied it to see if proposed improvements are significant or not. In addition, we formally requested that Lafarge’s renewal be modified such that coal is no longer used as a day-to-day fuel source. Lafarge has concerns with completely removing coal in the event of a natural gas disruption so, as a compromise, BVCAS has suggested that coal could only be used in the event of a natural gas pipeline failure. Over the last year or so, BVCAS has encouraged Lafarge to consider Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) for Exshaw. As of the last meetings with Lafarge, we have learned that they are now looking at CCS more seriously and they acknowledge that the cement industry must do CCS as part of the solution to net zero by 2050. This is good news. We continue to meet with Lafarge on a regular basis through their Community Advisory Panel (CAP). We appreciate that Lafarge continues to reach out to community members and groups and we feel participating in CAP is a worthwhile effort given that Lafarge Exshaw is ranking the 49th largest industrial emitter in Canada while burning natural gas (emissions data from the Canadian government's GHG reporting program). If Lafarge were to burn coal, we estimate that the Exshaw plant would be the 25th largest industrial emitter. (2019 numbers)
Baymag
- Fall 2022 - Baymag is proceeding with their plant expansion. Unfortunately the department at Alberta Environment that approves these industrial permits is not responsible for enforcing CO2 reduction targets. Alberta Environment also approved the project with a number of concerns of ours left unaddressed.
Baymag Exshaw is the 250th largest emitter according to the Canadian government's GHG reporting program. (2019 numbers)
Graymont
- Fall 2022 - Graymont's permit renewal application includes a new bag house on Kiln 1 to replace the outdated wet scrubber. This is good news. However, we have reviewed the application and have a number of other concerns which we are trying to address with Graymont.
Graymont Exshaw is the 255th largest emitter according to the Canadian government's GHG reporting program. (2019 numbers)