Aggregates giant Lafarge Canada uses biosolids to fuel cement plant

July 22, 2020

Lafarge Canada has joined forces with Victoria’s Capital Regional District on Vancouver Island to use biosolids as fuel at its Richmond cement plant.

Lafarge's western Canadian Geocycle team received $753,000 from the government of British Columbia's CleanBC Industry Fund for the capital investment in a silo designed to co-process biosolids as low carbon fuel for the Richmond cement kiln.

The company says the silo and its associated systems will receive, store and feed biosolids into the kiln.

According to Lafarge, biosolids that replace coal can reduce greenhouse gases by approximately 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year while also significantly increasing TSR (Thermal Substitution Rate).

Current estimates show tonnes of material per year to be co-processed at the facility. This will enhance the capability of Lafarge's low carbon fuel system that is currently handling huge amounts of avoided landfill material, the company adds.

The cement sector replaces fossil fuels with lower carbon fuels such as biosolids to reduce its carbon footprint.

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