Lafarge and Hyperion are collaborating on a pilot project for a new technology called the Tandem Carbon Recycling System. This system captures carbon emissions from a cement plant and transforms them into high-performance minerals for sustainable building materials like low-carbon concrete.
The pilot system has a capture capacity of 1,000 tonnes of CO2 per year,with the potential to be scaled up tenfold in the next year. This could lead to a major reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the cement industry.
The captured carbon is converted into minerals that enhance the strength and density of concrete. This paves the way for the development of more sustainable building materials with a lower carbon footprint.
The Whole Story:
Lafarge Canada Inc., a member of Holcim Group, and Canadian carbon technology innovator Hyperion Global Energy Corp, are launching Hyperion’s patented Tandem Carbon Recycling System pilot.
The process advances circularity by capturing and transforming carbon emissions into high-performance mineral components used to make sustainable building solutions such as low-carbon concrete and other materials.
The pilot project, currently in operation at Lafarge’s Bath Cement Plant in Ontario, involves the testing of Hyperion’s net-zero mineral solutions for advanced concrete such as Lafarge’s ECOPact, the broadest range of low-carbon concrete globally, which can lower embedded carbon between 30-90% compared to standard concrete without any compromise in performance.
The joint effort will further develop and scale Hyperion’s proprietary Tandem Carbon Recycling technology, a drop-in system that captures and transforms waste carbon emissions into high purity minerals that permanently store carbon. Hyperion says its novel reactive mineralization process achieves up to 98% capture efficiency of carbon dioxide emissions, producing innovative mineral components that enhance the density and strength of concrete, among other industrial uses.
Lafarge’s Bath Cement Plant in Ontario. – Lafarge
“Our collaboration with Hyperion marks an exciting milestone in our decarbonization journey and the advancement of our circular construction technologies,” said David Redfern, president and CEO of Lafarge (Eastern Canada). “We look forward to advancing our Net Zero strategy by leveraging carbon utilization technology like Hyperion’s, enabling us to further reduce CO2 emissions from our operations while at the same time producing innovative and sustainable building solutions.”
The pilot currently has the capacity to remove up to 1,000t CO2/year from plant operations, with potential to scale the system 10X over the next year. This represents a 500% scale-up of Hyperion’s novel technology since its original prototype as part of the global Carbon XPRIZE competition. The current system was fully manufactured in Ontario, working with local suppliers and trades, along with Hyperion’s team of industrial engineers.
“Working together with an innovative partner like Lafarge on this exciting pilot project allows us to apply our proprietary carbon recycling technology to large-scale industries, and make an immediate, measurable reduction on carbon emissions. At the same time, we are advancing our vision to offer a scalable and affordable decarbonization solution for industry, and a market-driven profit incentive on the cost of carbon removal,” said Heather Ward, CEO and Co-Founder of Hyperion.
Key Takeaways:
The CIB is providing a $100 million loan to finance sustainable building retrofits.
GDI’s subsidiaries Ainsworth and Énergère will provide turnkey design/build retrofit services.
Each building is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 30% annually, for an average of 37% across the project portfolio.
The work is expected to support approximately 500 jobs in the trades sector.
The Whole Story:
The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) has reached financial close on a $100 million investment with GDI Integrated Facility Services Inc. (GDI). The financing supports deep energy retrofits in aging buildings across Canada to help reduce their environmental impact.
GDI has formed a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to finance the capital costs of the retrofits which will include the CIB’s investment with the remainder funded through an equity investment by GDI and third parties. GDI’s wholly owned subsidiary Ainsworth (Ainsworth) and its subsidiary, Énergère will source energy projects and provide complete turnkey design/build services. The companies will offer initial energy audits, energy modelling, system design, installation, commissioning, measurement and ongoing energy management, data analytics and energy optimisation.
Ainsworth, GDI’s technical services business segment, alongside Énergère, an energy services company have the capacity and experience to provide their clients with tangible solutions to accelerate the decarbonization of buildings.
Each project carried out by the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will vary in scale and approach. Ainsworth’s turnkey energy services will provide their clients with deep energy retrofit solutions to dramatically reduce carbon emissions. Carbon reduction measures include fuel switching, HVAC upgrades, transitioning to clean and renewable power sources like solar generation, electrical vehicle charging and energy storage facilities.
Once all retrofits are complete, it is estimated that approximately 44,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) will be reduced per year. In addition, the projects are expected to support approximately 500 jobs in the trades sector.
The investment is part of the CIB’s Building Retrofits Initiative which has committed over $1.2 billion towards financing sustainable retrofits. Buildings account for around 18% of Canada’s total GHG emissions. Investments from the CIB help to prioritize and accelerate building retrofits to help meet Canada’s climate change goals.
“No one can reduce the environmental impact of aging buildings across the country on their own,” said Sean Fraser, minister of housing. “This requires the public and private sectors coming together. We are proud to announce this agreement today that is a shining example of such a partnership, and is one that will help Canada reach net-zero emissions by 2050.”
Key Takeaways:
The project represents a significant advancement in ATCO’s and Alberta’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The captured CO2 from industrial facilities will be permanently stored underground.
The facility is designed as a multi-phase project with initial storage capacity secured by Shell’s existing carbon capture project. Future development will cater to the needs of ATCO and Shell, with additional space available for other industrial emitters in the region.
The Atlas Hub will leverage the experience and technology from Shell’s Quest CCS project.
The Whole Story:
ATCO EnPower and its partner Shell Canada Limited have decided to proceed with the first phase of the Atlas Carbon Storage Hub.
ATCO stated that the investment in this multi-phase, open-access carbon storage hub is a major milestone in its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The facility will be located east of Edmonton and able to store industrial emissions from the Alberta Industrial Heartland region.
“Today’s announcement marks a significant step forward in Alberta’s energy transition. Carbon capture and storage is a critical component of our successful energy future,” said Bob Myles, chief operating officer, ATCO EnPower. “ATCO EnPower is actively working across all aspects of the energy transition value chain, and collaborative efforts with government, our partners and local communities have been instrumental in advancing this initiative.”
ATCO EnPower and Shell are 50/50 partners in the Atlas Carbon Storage Hub, which is located in the middle of Alberta’s energy and petrochemical sector. The first phase of the Atlas project is planned to be operational by 2028, anchored by CO2 volumes from Shell’s Polaris carbon capture project.
Future development of Atlas, which is subject to a future investment decision, will be aimed at meeting both ATCO EnPower and Shell’s carbon storage needs, with remaining capacity available for third-party emitters through open access.
A C02 pipe at the Quest CCS facility near Edmonton. – Shell Canada
The Atlas Carbon Storage Hub is integral to ATCO’s decarbonization and ESG targets. The facility is expected to provide a resource for emitters in the Alberta Industrial Heartland to reduce both their carbon emissions and carbon tax liability.
The Atlas Hub plans to leverage the lessons learned from Quest CCS, which was built and is operated by Shell at the Scotford upgrader near Edmonton. The Quest project originated as a collaboration between Shell Canada, other oil sands producers, and the Canadian and Alberta governments. Following construction, the Quest facility achieved mechanical completion in February 2015
Quest has safely stored over nine million tonnes of CO2 since it began operations in 2015. The project exceeded expectations by capturing and safely storing over 1 million tonnes of CO2 by September 2016, ahead of schedule. Additionally, Shell has made the project’s design and learnings publicly available to promote wider CCS adoption.
Shell’s Quest facility captures carbon dioxide emissions from an oil sands upgrader using a chemical solvent. The captured CO2 is then compressed and transported via pipeline to a deep underground rock formation where it’s safely stored, permanently preventing its release into the atmosphere.
Key Takeaways:
BC Hydro is investing $725 million over the next decade to upgrade and expand Langley’s electricity grid. This is part of a larger provincial plan with a 50% increase in capital investments.
The Langley upgrades are designed to address population growth, new housing developments, and a shift towards clean electricity.
Investments are also being made in transmission and distribution infrastructure to enable the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain. That work is expected to be complete by spring 2025.
The Whole Story:
BC Hydro will spend approximately $725 million in capital construction throughout Langley over the next decade to upgrade and expand the electricity grid and provide clean power for homes and businesses in growing communities.
“We must build out B.C.’s electrical system like never before, to power our homes and businesses, to power a growing economy and to power our future,” said Josie Osborne, minister of energy, mines and low carbon Innovation. “In Langley and communities across B.C., these construction projects will create thousands of good jobs over the next decade and ensure that people have access to clean, affordable and reliable electricity, when they need it and where they need it.”
In January 2024, the Province announced BC Hydro’s updated 10-Year Capital Plan containing $36 billion in regional and community infrastructure investments across B.C., which is a 50% increase in investments over its previous capital plan. These new construction projects are forecast to support 10,500 to 12,500 jobs on average annually, and will increase and maintain BC Hydro’s capital investments as major projects such as the Site C hydroelectric dam are completed.
The plan reflects growing demand for electricity across sectors due to population growth and housing construction, increased industrial development, and people and businesses switching from fossil fuels to clean electricity, among other factors.
We’re powering #LangleyBC with more clean electricity ⚡ Today, Hon. @Josie_Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, alongside Charlotte Mitha, our Executive Vice-President, Operations announced about $725 million in capital projects throughout Langley to… pic.twitter.com/ogzbDPIoPf
“In growing cities like Langley where we are seeing substantial housing, building, transportation and industrial growth, we are embarking on significant upgrades to our electricity system, including investments in new and expanded substation projects as well as major distribution investments to support underground and overhead infrastructure extensions to ensure we can continue to provide reliable and clean electricity to our customers,” said Chris O’Riley, president and CEO of BC Hydro. “We are also making important changes to our customer connections process to speed up timelines for newly constructed homes and buildings.”
Langley is experiencing significant growth in the Willoughby, Brookswood and Gloucester neighbourhoods. To meet growth in these areas, BC Hydro is investing in several projects as part its 10-Year Capital Plan, including:
McLellan substation expansion will be done in two phases that are expected to be in service in 2026 and 2028 and will power an additional 40,000 to 70,000 homes;
new Campbell Heights substation will be in service by 2032 and will power an additional 20,000 to 35,000 homes;
new Willoughby-Clayton substation will be in service by 2032 and will power an additional 20,000 to 35,000 homes; and
major distribution investments to support underground and overhead infrastructure extensions, keeping pace with increased and growing demand in Willoughby-Clayton, Brookswood and Gloucester.
Investments are also being made in transmission and distribution infrastructure to enable the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain. That work is expected to be complete by spring 2025.
Separate from its 10-Year Capital Plan, BC Hydro recently launched a call for power to acquire approximately 3,000 gigawatt hours per year (GWh/y) of clean electricity. This is BC Hydro’s first competitive call for power in more than 15 years and will add 5% to its current supply. This will be the first in a series of calls for power as BC Hydro requires more power to electrify B.C.’s growing economy and reduce harmful pollution.
Building a sterling reputation in the renewable energy sector doesn’t come easy. It takes years of doing things right and building trust.
For Alltrade Industrial Contractors, its journey to becoming a respected contractor in the field can be traced back to its very inception. Its first major project was performing the electrical scope on a 10MW solar project outside of Ottawa in 2011. From there, the team quickly built up a solid reputation for executing renewable work. Within four years, it had 350 team members working across Ontario, with many focused on utility-scale solar and wind projects during the province’s Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program.
“We didn’t know much about the market at that point, but we won the electrical self-perform scope and we took that project on,” said Kevin Ritzmann, Alltrade’s Senior Director, Energy. “We learned a lot, and this was just as the FIT program was launching in Ontario. We didn’t really realize how big that would be for us at the time, but we just focused on doing a good job on this first project.”
Banking Experience
With the FIT program in full swing, Alltrade’s growing skills were in high demand.
“It seemed like all of these projects came at once due to the funding that came in Ontario. They were all very focused and schedule driven—you had to be able to execute on time,” said Ritzmann. “That was the main driver.”
Its renewables resume today is impressive: Alltrade has worked on over 1GW of utility-scale solar projects in Canada, 500MW of wind projects, and 360MWh of Battery Energy Storage (BESS) projects. Some of the most notable are the 102MW Sollair Solar Project, the 300MW Henvey Inlet Wind Project, and the Elmira BESS Project (Alltrade’s first major BESS project), and its first BESS augmentation project.
One key to Alltrade’s success has been its company culture of empowering workers and giving them the necessary resources to achieve their goals. This cuts down on red tape and allows the agile team to move quickly and keep projects on schedule.
“We have always been very focused on empowering the people, the team members doing the work by providing the right tools, information, and material,” said Ritzmann. “Most people naturally want to do a good day’s work, so supporting them through the challenges of construction so that they can achieve their personal and professional goals builds trust and loyalty over time.”
Growing a Reputation
Reputation is everything when it comes to renewable projects. Clients have to trust that their contractor will perform quality work on time. One of the ways Alltrade builds trust is by getting involved early on in a project.
“We are able to provide guidance and advice as well as show our customers ongoing or completed projects so that they can see our work firsthand,” said Ritzmann.
Over time as projects are completed,this success can enhance a company’s reputation.
“Having a strong track record of executing work safely, with a high level of quality, and delivery on time is very important when you are talking to owners,” said Ritzmann. “We have been fortunate to have been on many projects over the last 13 years in this industry. We have seen what works and what doesn’t and have been able to avoid many major challenges by having this experience.”
Getting it Done, Together
Alltrade also doesn’t believe in silos. Instead, the company has adopted a partnership mindset with suppliers and subcontractors; a victory for one is a victory for all.
“We want everyone to be successful on the project so that it’s a win-win-win for all involved. We want to continue working together on the next project and take all the efficiencies gained and lessons learned and apply them moving forward together as a team. This approach has proven to be very valuable to us over the years in maintaining a good reputation in the industry.”
Working together is especially critical for renewable energy projects, which can be deceptively complex. Executing takes a detailed understanding of the full project process, from permitting and interconnection to detailed design and long-lead procurement. Thinking quickly is essential when challenges arise.
“Once you actually start on site, you have to maintain that assembly line of installation while facing inevitable material delays and geotechnical challenges,” he said. “Knowing what challenges your client will face and avoiding those pitfalls on the front end as much as possible and working together closely with the owner to collectively come up with innovative solutions is how trust is built.”
The entire process is a carefully orchestrated dance that cannot be interrupted. Using solar as an example, Ritzmann explained that sequencing is critical. The civil work has to go first, the pile foundations next, and then your rack and panel installations follow. If you have a log jam in one area, the entire flow gets backed up and problems compound quickly.
“Scheduling is very important, making physical space for the work on site is important,” said Ritzmann. “And, of course, you can’t install material that you don’t have, and you can’t order the material without a design.”
That’s where Alltrade’s early involvement and collaboration shine. The team can work together to anticipate any potential interruptions and solve them before they happen.
“We don’t go into a project crossing our fingers,” said Ritzmann. “We have a plan. If you don’t have one when you hit the site, it’s already too late. It’s very difficult to make that time up once you’re in construction, and it’s very, very expensive.”
If you are looking for a trusted partner, Alltrade offers full turn-key Engineer, Procure,and Construct (EPC) solutions on utility-scale solar and battery energy storage projects up to any system size across Canada. Alltrade offers value by self-performing the electrical scope up to 230kV and above to be able to handle the interconnection process for clients and help manage the overall schedule to complete projects on time.
Alltrade has experienced estimators, engineering managers, project managers, and construction managers, as well as key superintendents and field supervisors who are involved throughout the construction process.
Alltrade is supported by its parent company, Barton Malow, which was listed among the top 400 contractors of 2024 by Engineering News-Record (ENR). Barton Malow checks in at No. 19 with $6.4 billion USD in revenue.
Key Takeaways:
The pilot project at the Lafarge Brookfield Cement Plant (Nova Scotia) aimed to produce high-quality clinker made of recycled minerals recovered from waste sources.
The positive industrial trial was performed in February and cement from this clinker will be produced in spring for further testing and development of the technology.
In order to be able to produce 100% recycled material clinker, Geocycle Canada collaborated with waste and by-products generators in Nova Scotia.
The pilot project at the Lafarge Brookfield Cement Plant (Nova Scotia) aimed to produce high-quality clinker made of recycled minerals recovered from waste sources. The method can potentially reduce CO2 level by 60% per tonne of clinker. Clinker is the main ingredient in cement, which in turn, is the active ingredient in concrete. It was the first-ever pilot test conducted in North America and the second one in the world across Holcim Group. Globally, each year, there is more concrete sold than all other building materials combined.
“Our teams have been tirelessly working towards finding solutions to decarbonize our business in Canada,” says David Redfern, president and CEO, Lafarge Canada (East). “This new recycled minerals clinker combines operational excellence with circular construction, building new and green from what is considered old and waste. This is a great example of how far we can go – the local team at Brookfield is certainly setting the tone for the industry in Canada.”
Over the past year, Lafarge Canada, Geocycle Canada, and the Holcim Group Innovation Centre have been collaborating on a 100% circular production of clinker at the Brookfield Plant. The new production method involves substitution of virgin raw materials with lower carbon options from waste sources and utilization of fuels from materials otherwise destined for landfill. The positive industrial trial was performed in February and cement from this clinker will be produced in spring for further testing and development of the technology.
“This new clinker product will be used to produce a 100% recycled cement during this pilot, which will in turn be employed in ready mix concrete operations to produce a 100% recycled concrete product – advancing decarbonization and circular construction in Nova Scotia,” explained Andrew Stewart, vice president, Cement, Lafarge Canada (East).
In order to be able to produce 100% recycled material clinker, Geocycle Canada collaborated with waste and by-products generators in Nova Scotia to secure a solution that contained the necessary components.
“Our Green Growth goals are repurposing industrial waste and by-products for the very foundations of our homes and other buildings, and this is how we contribute to the circular economy, ” said Sophie Wu, head of Geocycle North America.
In 2022, Holcim’s Altkirch plant (France) was the first cement manufacturing facility in the world to produce clinker made entirely of recycled minerals. This year, the successful trial in Nova Scotia is a further testament to the company’s global commitment to business decarbonization and investment in circular construction.
Key Takeaways:
The $1 billion dollar infrastructure program would secure up to 1,700 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity.
OPG and its partner, GE Vernova, will refurbish up to 25 units in total at the Sir Adam Beck Complex as the first phase of this work beginning in 2025. This will take around 15 years to complete.
OPG is also developing future plans for its DeCew I and DeCew II generating stations in the region.
The Whole Story:
The Ontario government is supporting Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) plan to refurbish its hydroelectric stations in the Niagara region, including the Sir Adam Beck Complex at Niagara Falls.
The $1 billion dollar infrastructure program would secure up to 1,700 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity, equivalent to powering 1.7 million homes, helping to meet increasing demand.
“For more than 100 years hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls has powered our province, and with today’s investment we’re extending the life of these stations by another 30 years to help Ontario meet its growing electricity needs,” said Todd Smith, minister of energy. “This refurbishment program – part of our Powering Ontario’s Growth Plan – will create jobs and ensure we have the power we need for the next major international investment, the new homes we are building and industries as they grow and electrify.”
OPG and its partner, GE Vernova, will refurbish up to 25 units in total at the Sir Adam Beck Complex as the first phase of this work beginning in 2025, increasing the stations capacity by up to 50 MW. OPG is also developing future plans for its DeCew I and DeCew II generating stations in the region.
“Upgrading and optimizing OPG’s renewable generation workhorses like the Sir Adam Beck complex is crucial to support the growing demands of electrification and a thriving economy,” said Ken Hartwick, OPG President and CEO. “Through this refurbishment, this hydropower facility will build on its century-plus history, and continue to produce the low-cost, reliable electricity Ontarians need for decades to come.”
The work at the Sir Adam Beck complex will take place over the next 15 years, creating more than 200 jobs in the Niagara region.
“Ontario is blessed with a diverse supply of clean energy sources. Through this historic investment in the Sir Adam Beck Generating Stations, we are able to keep costs down for families while funding more reliable sources of energy,” said Andrea Khanjin, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “This investment will ensure a future of clean, reliable and affordable power in the province for generations to come.”
Key Takeaways:
The $50-million pilot project will analyze the energy performance of 20 single family homes and four apartment buildings following a deep energy retrofit.
The pilot will take an envelope-first approach, improving the building envelope (outer shell) to prevent heat loss and reduce heating demand. This includes upgrades to walls, windows, doors and insulation.
All buildings have completed the majority of upgrades and construction is now underway in the four apartment buildings. Once complete, each home and building will be tested for one year to determine the energy savings.
The Whole Story:
FortisBC Energy Inc. has embarked on an extensive $50 million pilot project aimed at uncovering the best pathway to reduce energy use in older homes and multifamily housing units.
Working with partners such as Metro Vancouver Housing and participating customers from across the Lower Mainland and Southern Interior. FortisBC now has 20 single family homes and four apartment buildings participating in a deep energy retrofit pilot. A deep energy retrofit is a comprehensive, whole-home upgrade aimed at reducing energy use by half or more.
During each phase of the multi-year pilot, FortisBC will analyze the energy reductions, customer experience and overall costs. The information gained will be invaluable for industry, policymakers and FortisBC to determine how best to ensure older housing units can continue to meet the needs of families as the province moves towards a net-zero future.
“To our knowledge, this is the largest targeted, real-world study of deep energy-efficiency upgrades in B.C. homes and the information will be invaluable to us and others looking to transform energy use,” said Joe Mazza, vice president, energy supply and resource development, FortisBC. “Determining the most effective path to greatly lower energy use in older homes is a critical way we can help lower emissions while helping customers save money on energy costs.”
FortisBC officials noted that buildings account for just over 10% of B.C.’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To address this, the province has set a target of lowering GHG emissions in the building and communities sector by 59 to 64% of 2007 levels by 2030. However, older homes and apartment buildings pose a complex challenge to achieving those targets because a significant number across B.C. were built before energy efficiency was incorporated into the National Energy Code for Buildings in 1997. With many expected to remain in active use by 2050, they will need to undergo a deep energy retrofit to achieve these targets.
“Metro Vancouver Housing has set targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions from our buildings by 45% (from 2010 levels) over the next 10 years and significantly bring down energy consumption through rehabilitation projects. Reducing emissions from buildings is one of the main ways that Metro Vancouver will reach its goal of becoming a carbon neutral region by 2050,” said George V. Harvie, chair, Metro Vancouver Board of Directors. “Partnering with FortisBC on a deep energy retrofit project offers a way to explore and implement new technologies to improve energy efficiency and reduce GHGs, resulting in a building that’s more resilient and comfortable for tenants.”
The current pilot takes an envelope-first approach, improving the building envelope (outer shell) to prevent heat loss and reduce heating demand. This includes upgrades to walls, windows, doors and insulation. Each home and building will also have its space heating, domestic hot water and ventilation systems upgraded to be as energy efficient as possible. This includes installing new gas heating technologies like dual-fuel hybrid systems or gas heat pumps that have achieved efficiencies of more than 100% in manufacturers’ testing, and determining if this can be replicated in real-word settings.
Each of the participating homes and buildings have now undergone a detailed energy assessment, modelling and design phase and these early indicators show promising results. For example, Metro Vancouver Housing is participating with Manor House, a 1972 three-level apartment building in North Vancouver that provides affordable housing to 50 households. The project is projected to reduce GHG emissions by 66% and energy usage by 56%.
All 20 participating single family homes have completed the majority of upgrades and construction is now underway in the four apartment buildings. Once complete, each home and building will be tested for one year to determine the energy savings.
With FortisBC planning to invest close to $700 million in energy-savings programs over the next four years, the information gained from the pilot will be used for establishing the most effective, affordable ways to lower energy use in existing buildings and will help inform future incentive programs. FortisBC and its industry partners plan to use the findings to determine what to replicate in similar buildings and set benchmarks for future upgrade projects, policy decisions and incentive programs.
Key Takeaways:
Global building materials supplier Holcim is introducing ECOAsh starting in Western Canada.
It is a specification-grade Type F fly ash reclaimed from landfills and transformed into a resource for enhancing cement and concrete construction applications.
ECOAsh is produced using advanced beneficiation technology and proprietary techniques to mine the landfill ash, remove moisture, mill the material, and remove excess carbon.
As the region shifts away from coal-fired power plants continues, addressing challenges related to sourcing reliable fly ash supplies prompts the exploration of harvesting and beneficiating legacy landfilled ash as a viable replacement, said officials.
The Whole Story:
Holcim North America is rolling out ECOAsh beneficiated ash into its Lafarge Western Canada operations, its first application of the product globally.
With plans for future expansion into the U.S., Holcim stated that the move demonstrates its dedication to sustainability but also positions the company as an early adopter of innovative technology aimed at decarbonizing the construction industry.
Holcim explained that ECOAsh stands as a high-quality, specification-grade Type F fly ash reclaimed from landfills and transformed into a resource for enhancing cement and concrete construction applications.
“As we continue to build to support growing population demands, the integration of circular building materials such as ECOAsh plays a crucial role in driving our portfolio towards a more sustainable future,” said Toufic Tabbara, Holcim regional head, North America. “By embracing these strategies, we not only provide essential building materials but also establish the foundation for building greener and smarter cities while shaping the trajectory of our industry for generations to come.”
Officials explained that fly ash, known for being a byproduct of coal-fired power plant operations, is extensively used as a supplementary cementitious material. In addition to its performance and economic advantages, fly ash use is beneficial to the environment because it recycles an industrial byproduct and can reduce the carbon footprint of construction materials.
Holcim noted that as the shift away from coal-fired power plants continues, addressing challenges related to sourcing reliable fly ash supplies prompts the exploration of harvesting and beneficiating legacy landfilled ash as a viable replacement.
“The transformation of landfill materials into high-value fly ash for sustainable building presents an exciting opportunity for our customers and us to build more with less and work towards a net-zero future,” said Brad Kohl, president and CEO of Lafarge, Western Canada. “At Holcim, we are fully dedicated to meeting future market demands by harnessing and enhancing extensive fly ash reserves secured through well-established, long-term sourcing agreements with electric utilities.”
Following extensive landfill ash evaluations, Holcim North America and Geocycle North America’s new state-of-the-art processing facility in Alberta—the first of its kind within Holcim’s global operations—will use advanced beneficiation technology and proprietary techniques to produce fly ash with equivalent performance and more consistent quality compared to any freshly produced Type F fly ash commercially available. The ECOAsh then undergoes rigorous testing in the plant’s certified quality-assurance laboratories to ensure it meets or exceeds regulatory standards for cement and concrete applications.
ECOAsh can be used in a wide range of construction applications, from general buildings to specialized projects like dams and piers. Its ability to improve concrete’s durability and strength makes it suitable for numerous structural components, including foundations, columns, beams, walls, driveways, and walkways.
Commissioned in February, the new ECOAsh processing facility will commence production and the supply of products to customers throughout Western Canada in the first quarter
While constructing a building can pose a multitude of challenges, tearing one down presents its own. With a variety of environmental concerns and even some surprise discoveries, demolition contractors have to be experts in taking a structure down in a way that makes sure the environment is protected and people are kept safe. They are paving the way for the structures of the future.
Clearview
Clearview crews help demolish a stray barge in Vancouver’s English Bay. – Clearview
All Vancouverites remember the iconic moment in 2021 when a giant steel barge washed ashore in English Bay. Western Canadian demolition contractor Clearview was part of the team that chopped up the barge and cleared the beach (sorry, barge fans). The company’s history goes back to 2006, when they began doing small demolitions with an excavator and a wood chip grinder, with a focus on recycling and land clearing. In 2009, the team saw the opportunity to take on new challenges with hazardous materials abatement. Since then, Clearview has grown into a full-service demolition company, capable of taking down the biggest and most complex projects, with a large fleet of heavy equipment and a dedicated team of professional technicians and operators. Their project resume includes several major pulp mills, the Centerm Expansion Project, Playland’s Corkscrew roller coaster and more.
QM Environmental
Started by Dragons Den star and expert investor Wes Hall, QM Environmental has more than 600 employees in locations across the country and is one of Canada’s leading environmental and industrial services companies. They have worked on projects at Gunnar Mines, Harbour Towers Hotel, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Halifax Shopping Centre, Elbow Park School and more with a focus on protecting the environment. In 2022, the company successfully completed the acquisition of HighPoint Environmental, a Toronto-based environmental services company, as part of its growth strategy.
JMX Demolition
A demolition robot looks out over English Bay in Vancouver while carefully deconstructing the Empire Hotel. – Brokk
After being incorporated in 2000, JMX swiftly rose to prominence as a national leader in commercial, industrial, and institutional environmental contracting services. With numerous successful projects completed across all provinces in Canada, they started expanding the demolition business to better serve current clientele and support the areas where other national companies are pulling out. One of their most eye-catching tasks was demolishing Vancouver’s 42-storey Empire Landmark Hotel, the tallest demolition in the city’s history. They did this over 21 months, floor-by-floor, using cutting edge robots.
Dallas Watt
Dallas Watt Demo is an industry veteran that has been providing demolition and specialty contracting services since the 1980s. Their services include the complete demolition of any building and/or on-site improvements, selective demolition, and asset recovery for renovations to heritage buildings, residential, hospitality, institutional, commercial, industrial, and warehouse, as well as seismic upgrades and building envelope projects. Dallas Watt is part of the BM Group of Companies, an alliance of integrated companies within the construction sector.
Priestly Demolition
Priestly Demolition is a giant in North American but has stayed true to its family business roots. Founded as Priestly Contracting in 1971 by Vic Priestly, Priestly Demolition Inc. (PDI) was incorporated as a unionized company with 10 employees in 1993. Since that time, PDI has provided demolition, excavation, remediation, hazardous material abatement, and salvage services to the commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors of the construction industry in Canada and the United States. Today, it has over 400 employees and operate in the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Calgary and Virginia. And its executive team is still led be the Priestly family. Their team was instrumental in projects like the Gardiner Expressway demolition, the Nipigon River Bridge, Humber Hospital and even parts of the CN Tower. They also produce some of the most epic demolition photos in the industry.
Inflector Environmental Services
Started in an Ottawa basement with Jeffrey Clarke Sr. in 1994, Inflector Environmental Services‘ legacy has carried on with his son, Jeff W. Clarke. Under his leadership, the company grown into the largest environmental services contractor in all of Atlantic Canada with offices in Halifax, N.S. and Moncton, N.B. Part of their growth strategy has been through acquisitions, including Donalco and EnviroBate. The company also caught the eye of Fengate Asset Management, which announced a minority equity investment in Inflector in 2022 to fuel its growth. This month they marked 30 years of doing business. Their project resume includes Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Brockville General Hospital, Toronto Transit Commission: North York Centre and more.
Reputation is everything in construction.
While the technology and complexity of work has changed, the value of a strong reputation has remained.
For service provider Stormtec Water Management, reputation has connected it with the nation’s largest contractors, won it work on multi-billion dollar mega projects, grown its workforce to more than 90 and carried it to its 20th anniversary.
“There are thousands and thousands of hours of effort, good days and bad days, that go together to build that reputation. We work as hard as we can to maintain it,” said Chris Jakul, Stormtec’s Director of Regional Operations and a 15-veteran at the company.
Water management services cover a lot, but it essentially comes down to solving any sort of problems water could cause at a construction site while also protecting the environment.
“We extract, move and clean water,” said Jakul. “Our clients are expert builders and expert contractors, but they are not water experts and water can become a huge hindrance to completing work on time and on budget.”
Building trust
Founded in 2003, Stormtec initially focused on filtering water on residential and commercial developments in the Lower Mainland. Over time, they expanded their capabilities to work on contaminated sites and work with cities on infrastructure projects like sanitary sewer system upgrades requiring temporary bypass solutions. Wherever there was opportunity, they flowed.
“We have grown organically over the last 20 years, adding services while we perfected existing ones and hiring people to develop those services,” said Jakul.
They are now fast approaching nearly 2,500 projects under their belt. One of their first big breaks on larger infrastructure work was doing filtration systems for the cut-and-cover portion of the Canada Line Skytrain project in Vancouver.
“That really raised awareness for us at that time,” said Jakul. “Our type of work was in a really new part of construction. It was very new to have to do more than simply just pump muddy water out of the excavation and let it run down the street to need to filter it. That was a new idea. That really set the stage for us.”
With offices in B.C. and Alberta, as well as a growing reputation for tackling challenging work, their footprint grew. Stormtec’s team went on to work on Calgary West LRT, Confederation Line LRT, Kitchener Waterloo LRT, Pointe Du Bois spillway replacement, Ruskin Dam upgrades and even Canada’s largest current project, the Site C Dam.
“It’s pretty hard to drive around Vancouver, Burnaby, Calgary or Richmond without seeing new towers we have worked on. In Calgary, especially since 2009, we’ve done probably 95% of the new high-rise development in the city,” said Jakul. “Everybody at Stormtec is like a little kid when we see a big crane or a dump truck or excavator. We’re all geeks when it comes to construction work, so being able to see our part in that finished product is a source of pride.”
While Stormtec is proud of the size and scope of their projects, they are also proud of their impact on the environment.
“We take our responsibility to return clean water back to the environment very seriously,” said Jakul, fondly recalling the times he has seen water from their projects safely discharged directly back into aquatic habitat.
Massive growth
In 2003, Art Cote established Stormtec in his garage. Over time, the company proved to be very successful and grew to be a leader in the water treatment industry. However, Cote realized that changes were necessary to take the business to the next level. In 2014, he decided to seek the help of a consulting firm, Bellrock Benchmarking. The firm was retained to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the business and identify various areas that needed attention, including the need for new leadership.
After a careful evaluation, it was recommended that Stormtec should hire a new President and CEO to replace Cote. Following this recommendation, the company appointed Leonard Firkus as the new President and CEO in 2015.
“Leonard brought with him a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to the business. He quickly implemented new strategies to revamp the company’s operations,” said Cote. “Under his leadership, the company has experienced substantial growth and success. This is thanks to his innovative approach to problem-solving and his ability to motivate the team. The company has been thriving ever since the change in leadership, and it continues to grow and expand its operations.”
This is not an easy feat in the water management sector.
“The water management industry is very competitive,” explained Jakul. “There’s a high volume of players and I think being around for 20 years proves that we’ve earned it. You’re not given much and we’ve separated ourselves. It proves the quality of our work.”
Stormtec’s team isn’t ready to slow down. They opened new location on Vancouver Island last year and plant to expand their footprint in the region
“We want to have an Island-based provider giving the same level and quality of service as you get in the larger centers,” said Jakul. “That is really important for us.”
In the coming years, the company’s goal is to triple in size (again), and grow to have permanent operations in more areas.
Being grateful
Reflecting on 20 years, Stormtec’s team plans to use the anniversary as an opportunity to thank its customers and its employees. During the past two decades, some of its biggest customers have been a group that they refer to as the “super generals”. They include PCL, Kiewit, Graham, EllisDon, and Ledcor. Stormtec also noted developers like Centreville, Axiom, Bosa Properties and Embassy also have continued to use their services.
Despite many years spent working alongside these clients, Stormtec never wants to feel entitled.
“We will never stop continuing to earn their trust,” said Jakul. “We don’t believe for a second that all of their work is going to come to us because we deserve it. We work on all of their projects as hard as we can to ensure that they want to use us on the next project. we want them to choose us, not to be forced to use us.”
Jakul also thanked Stormtec’s dozens of employees for working long hours and tackling challenging jobs.
“We ask a lot of our teams during the busiest times of year,” said Jakul. “That’s just part of a cyclical business. That is Construction. During those times they give us everything so it’s not even just thanking them. It’s thanking their families as well for allowing them to put in the hours that are needed.”
The Calgary community of Practice provides a space for local professionals working in the building, construction and renovation industry to share information about emissions-neutral construction.
The effort is a partnership between the Calgary Construction Association, the City of Calgary and Alberta Ecotrust.
The first Communities of Practice event took place Feb. 28.
The Whole Story:
Professionals in Calgary’s building, construction and renovation industries celebrated the launch of a Calgary Community of Practice that enables information sharing on reducing emissions from buildings.
The Calgary Community of Practice, part of Emissions-Neutral Buildings Information Exchange (ENBIX), provides a space for local professionals working in the building, construction and renovation industry to share information about emissions-neutral construction. The effort is a partnership between the Calgary Construction Association (CCA), the City of Calgary and Alberta Ecotrust, who all want to accelerate the transition to an emissions-neutral built environment for new and existing buildings across Alberta.
“The launch of the ENBIX Calgary Community of Practice marks a pivotal moment in our industry’s commitment to high performance buildings, especially in terms of long-term energy consumption and carbon footprint,” said Bill Black, president and CEO, CCA. “By focusing on realistic solutions, and through collaboration and knowledge sharing, the leaders in our construction industry are taking proactive steps to mitigate our carbon footprint and contribute to a greener, cleaner future for Calgary.”
Officials explained that commercial and residential buildings are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions across Canada. In Calgary, buildings account for about two-thirds of the city’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
“Our greatest opportunity to see greenhouse gas reductions is through our buildings,” said Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek. “ENBIX is an investment in Calgary-made solutions, building capacity and momentum for emissions-neutral construction that will grow over the next several years and beyond.”
Over the next four years, ENBIX will continue to expand the ways in which it shares market research, industry experience and training, including webinars, site visits, technology demonstrations, training sessions and more.
“Collaboration initiatives like the ENBIX Community of Practice will help us go faster towards net zero, together,” said Claire Beckstead, leader of community energy, City of Calgary. “This initiative will help us develop made-in-Calgary solutions to achieve high performance buildings, and will accelerate progress toward our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”
Calgary professionals interested in joining the ENBIX Calgary Community of Practice can do so by visiting enbix.ca/get-involved
The first Community of Practice event took place Feb. 28.
Key Takeaways:
France-based Technip Energies’ solution will be Powered by the Shell CANSOLV CO2 capture system.
The plant will eventually capture and store an estimated 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year.
Heidelberg Materials anticipates carbon capture will begin in late 2026.
The Whole Story:
France-based Technip Energies has been awarded a front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract for the carbon capture technology for Heidelberg Materials’ Edmonton carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) project.
The project is expected to be the first full-scale application of CCUS in the cement sector.
Powered by the Shell CANSOLV CO2 capture system, the Technip Energies solution which will be the basis of the FEED study, is based on regenerable amine technology.
“We are excited to take this latest step in our journey to produce the world’s first net-zero cement,” said Joerg Nixdorf, vice president cement operations, Northwest Region for Heidelberg Materials North America. “With each milestone we come closer to realizing our vision of leading the decarbonization of the cement industry.”
Heidelberg Materials North America says it will be commissioning the world’s first net-zero cement plant at its Edmonton location by adding CCUS technology to the facility. The plant will eventually capture and store an estimated 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, which is the equivalent of taking 300,000 cars off the road annually. Subject to finalization of federal and provincial funding agreements, the company anticipates carbon capture to begin in late 2026.
“We are pleased to have been selected by Heidelberg Materials North America to provide the FEED of this groundbreaking project in Canada,” said Christophe Malaurie, SVP decarbonization solutions for Technip Energies. “Leveraging our carbon capture solution powered by the Shell CANSOLV CO2 capture system, we are committed to supporting the decarbonization of the cement industry and Heidelberg towards the production of net-zero cement.”
Key Takeaways:
Lafarge Canada’s St-Constant Cement Plant in Quebec now only produces greener cement with fewer CO2 emissions.
The company projects a reduction of about 60,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2024.
This equates to CO2 emissions from 16,267 passenger vehicles or 877,972 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.
The whole Story:
Lafarge Canada’s St-Constant Cement Plant in Quebec has fully transitioned production from traditional general-use cement to OneCem, a greener product that lowers CO2 emissions.
“We are excited to take another crucial step in our sustainability journey,” said David Redfern, president & CEO of Lafarge Canada (East). “The transition to OneCem production at our St-Constant plant indicates Lafarge Canada’s nonstop commitment to driving positive change within our construction industry. Our teams have been engaged in reducing our products’ environmental impact by embracing greener practices and materials.”
OneCem is a limestone blended cement manufactured using less clinker than traditional Portland cement. By converting the St-Constant Plant’s production to OneCem, Lafarge Canada projects a reduction of about 60,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2024. This equates to CO2 emissions from 16,267 passenger vehicles or 877,972 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.
“Our team at St-Constant is proud to be taking actions towards sustainability. With this transition, we are not only reducing our carbon footprint but also aligning with our organization’s drive to be a leader for sustainable construction throughout Eastern Canada,” said Andrew Stewart, vice president of cement, Lafarge Canada (East). “This is a significant development, and we are eager to contribute to the realization of a net-zero future.”
Key Takeaways:
The decision comes after direction from Ontario’s minister of energy to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), outlining next steps related to the project including a cost recovery agreement.
Using water and gravity, pumped storage acts like a giant battery. It stores excess electricity when demand is low and makes it available when it is high.
If built, the facility would provide 1,000 MW of flexible energy to Ontario’s electricity system.
It is expected that construction for the project would begin in the latter part of this decade with in-service in the early 2030s.
The Whole Story:
TC Energy Corporation announced this month that it will continue to advance the Ontario Pumped Storage Project with its prospective partner Saugeen Ojibway Nation, and begin work with the Ministry of Energy and the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), to establish a potential long-term revenue framework. Further, TC Energy and Saugeen Ojibway Nation will assist with the ministry’s evaluation of the Project’s broader societal and economic benefits.
The decision comes after direction from Ontario’s minister of energy to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), outlining next steps related to the project including a cost recovery agreement. Subject to an agreement with the IESO, this direction from the minister will facilitate the continued development of the project, that if constructed, will support Ontario’s long-term plans to grow the economy and build a sustainable, reliable and clean electricity system.
TC Energy and Saugeen Ojibway Nation stated that they look forward to continuing work with the Ministry, the IESO and the OEB to advance the project, which they say will play an important role in accelerating the province’s ambitious plans for clean economic growth.
Using water and gravity, pumped storage acts like a giant battery. It stores excess electricity when demand is low and makes it available when it is high.
The Ontario Pumped Storage Project will be designed, engineered, and built by a domestic supply chain. During construction, the project will create 1,000 unionized jobs and over 75% of the total materials and supplies will be provided by Ontario-based companies.
Based on feedback from stakeholders and Indigenous groups, the project team opted to completely re-designed the project to enhance protections for Georgian Bay & near-shore environments.
The project remains subject to the approval of TC Energy’s board of directors and Saugeen Ojibway Nation. It is expected that construction for the project would begin in the latter part of this decade with in-service in the early 2030s, subject to receipt of regulatory and corporate approvals. Further, any future capital allocation decisions will align with TC Energy’s net capital expenditure limit of $6-7 billion post-2024.
The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) estimates that Ontario needs 5,000 to 15,000 megawatts (MW) of new electricity production by 2035. When operational, the OPSP will provide 1,000 MW of flexible, clean energy to Ontario’s electricity system — enough to power a million homes for up to 11 hours.
Key Takeaways:
The City of Calgary, City of Edmonton and Alberta Ecotrust have partnered to create the Emissions-Neutral Buildings Information Exchange (ENBIX).
Over the next four years ENBIX will be developing a variety of platforms to enable the local building industry to share knowledge and build capacity for low-carbon building and renovation practices across Alberta.
Research shows buildings responsible for 39% of global energy related carbon emissions.
The Whole Story:
The City of Calgary, City of Edmonton and Alberta Ecotrust are joining forces to reduce building emissions in the province.
Professionals in the building, construction and renovation industries now have a resource with the Emissions-Neutral Buildings Information Exchange (ENBIX) to support collaboration in the industry.
“We are creating momentum for action with ENBIX that will build over the next several years and beyond,” says Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek. “Building capacity for emissions neutral construction across the whole development ecosystem – from construction to manufacturing, supply, training, operating and more – is critical in getting us to net-zero buildings by 2050.”
Over the next four years ENBIX will be developing a variety of platforms to enable the local building industry to share knowledge and build capacity for low-carbon building and renovation practices across Alberta.
In early 2024, the Calgary Community of Practice will launch, providing a forum for Calgary-specific collaboration, while still learning from experiences across Alberta. With funding now committed to the program, ENBIX plans to continue expanding the ways in which it shares market research, industry experience and training, including webinars, site visits, communities of practice, technology demonstrations, training sessions and more.
“Collaboration initiatives like ENBIX will help us go faster towards net zero, together,” said Claire Beckstead, Leader of Community Energy at the City of Calgary. “With building code standards moving rapidly toward net-zero standards, the industry needs support to get ahead of new regulations. And in Calgary, reducing the GHG emissions from buildings means we are making progress toward our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”
The City of Edmonton and The City of Calgary are the main funders of ENBIX, with a contribution of $1.7 million and $1.4 million respectively. Alberta Ecotrust is providing a $600,000 contribution from the organizations’ Climate Innovation Fund.
Data shows commercial and residential buildings are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions across Canada. In Calgary, buildings account for about two-thirds of its total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. City officials stated that the greatest opportunity to see immediate greenhouse gas reductions is in retrofitting existing buildings, and developing new buildings to net-zero standards.
“We have heard from industry leaders the need to build better for commercial and environmental reasons, and to prepare for the adoption of higher tiers of building code in Alberta,” said Andrea Linsky, director, Emissions-Neutral Buildings, Alberta Ecotrust Foundation. “ENBIX is here to work with industry to advance more affordable emissions-neutral buildings, by sharing information, fostering innovation and strengthening collaboration.”
As founding partners, the Calgary Construction Association and Smart Sustainable Resilient Infrastructure Association (SSRIA) have been significantly involved in developing the Exchange. These founding partners will continue to advise the startup and initial operations as leaders in the industry and will participate in the Exchange’s Executive Advisory Committee.
Does the dreary winter weather have you feeling down? Here’s a sunny mood booster for you. Canada is becoming a major player in the solar sector, particularly in parts of Western Canada.
Last fall we profiled seven solar businesses doing big things in the country, but with so many that had to be cut from the list, we wanted to revisit the topic and bring you seven more.
BlueEarth Renewables
Started in 2010, Calgary-based BlueEarth is an independent, power producer that acquires, develops, builds, owns and operates wind, hydro, solar and storage facilities across North America. Its portfolio includes over 1 GWAC (gross) in operation, under construction and contracted pre-construction, and over 7 GW of development projects that are actively being advanced. Recent years have seen BlueEarth’s solar work go wild in Alberta. In 2022 it announced that in less than 12 months it had completed construction and commissioned five solar facilities, totalling over 100 MWAC, in southern Alberta. This includes its Hays and Jenner Solar Facilities. In total, BluEarth has 233 MW of solar projects currently in operation.
Capstone Infrastructure
Capstone Infrastructure is a Toronto-based developer, owner, and operator of clean and renewable energy projects across North America. Its portfolio includes approximately 824 MW gross installed capacity across 31 facilities, including wind, solar, hydro, biomass, and natural gas power plants. Capstone Infrastructure has four projects in operation in Alberta and Ontario, including one of the country’s largest — Claresholm Solar, a 182 MW project completed in 2021. Earlier this year, Capstone announced the successful commissioning of the Michichi and Kneehill Solar Projects in Alberta, totaling 50 MWac.
Solar Krafte
Vauxhall provides renewable energy to wood products producer West Fraser. – West Fraser
With offices in Vancouver, Calgary and California, Krafte is making its mark on North America and is helping build some of Canada’s largest solar projects. They are currently proposing a 450MW project near Brooks, Alta. that is expected to cost $700 million. Other notable projects include Brooks solar farm, Clydesdale solar farm and Vauxhall solar farm.
Northland Power
From its headquarters in Toronto, Northland Power has grown into an international power producer since its founding in 1987. Its involved in developing, building, owning and operating green power infrastructure assets in Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America. Its facilities produce electricity from natural gas, wind and solar. Northland owns or has an economic interest in 3 GW (net 2.6 GW) of operating generating capacity. Their team is currently involved in building Jurassic Solar+, a 220 MWac , 80MW/160MWh advanced stage co-located solar and energy storage project located on approximately 1,170 acres of land in Cypress County, Alberta.
ALPIN Sun
ALPIN has big things planned for Edmonton International Airport. – YEG
This have really taken off in Canada for German developer ALPIN Sun — literally. They investing $169-million in a solar project at the Edmonton International Airport. At 120 MW, it would be the largest solar project on airport land in the world. After seeing success in Europe, the company says it is currently focused on developments in North America. So far it has over 2.6 GWp developed successfully in the last three years in the U.S. alone.
Elemental Energy
Elemental Energy and Cold Lake First Nations, partnered to deliver the Chappice Lake Solar and Storage Project. – Elemental
Elemental says it’s on a mission to transform the vision of a renewable future into a renewable present. Their team develops, owns and operates wind and solar projects throughout North America. Currently they are developing Foothills Solar (150 MW) and High River Solar (19 MW) in Alberta. In Saskatchewan they are developing Bemersyde Solar (100 MW). They recently wrapped up work on $45-million Chappice Lake Solar-Storage (14 MW), the first utility scale solar + storage project in Alberta to use a flow battery. This technology enables solar energy to be stored and delivered to electricity customers after the sun goes down.
Mytilineos
Global industrial and energy company Mytilineos is making a major play in Canada. Earlier this year the Greece-based team spent $1.7 billion to acquire five solar energy projects from Westbridge Renewable Energy. Once completed, the projects will add 1.4 GW of solar capacity to Alberta. It is the company’s first transaction in all of North America. Two projects are expected to be shovel-ready by the end of the year while the others could be ready to go ahead in mid-2024.
Transitioning away from fossil fuels to electricity is one of the great projects of our time and Canada wants to be a major player.
The federal government and provincial leaders are aggressively seeking investment for facilities that support electrification and the strategy seems to be working. In the past few years, billions and billions of dollars have been invested in developing massive facilities to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles and other devices.
Here’s some of the largest projects underway that are supporting electrification in Canada and around the globe.
E-One-Moli – Maple Ridge, B.C.
The project is being designed to operate using green energy. – E-One Moli
The ink is still wet on this deal. Just this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the federal government and the province of B.C. would be supporting a $1.05-billion lithium-ion battery cell production facility in Maple Ridge, B.C. The facility, which is being developed by Taiwan-based E-One Moli, is expected to produce 135 million batteries annually. The company says the “gigafactory” will be the world’s first ultra-high power battery plant powered 100% green energy.
Umicore – Loyalist, Ont.
Could this be the missing link in North America’s EV battery value chain? Umicore thinks so. Last month, the global tech company announced that it is proceeding with the first phase of a $2.7 billion project will be executed in multiple stages. The facility will manufacture cathode active materials (CAM) and precursor cathode active materials (pCAM), critical components for producing electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Together, the federal government and Ontario are contributing $975 million for the project. Commissioning is expected to occur in 2025.
Ford – Bécancour, Que.
Ford says the plant will help it build a vertically integrated, closed-loop battery manufacturing supply chain in North America. – EcoPro
Ford is betting big on Quebec. Construction has begun on a $1.2 billion cathode manufacturing facility in Bécancour. The plant is part of Ford’s strategy to localize key battery raw material processing in regions where it produces EVs. SNC-Lavalin has been awarded an initial works contract for the facility worth $141 million. Once production begins in the first half of 2026, the site will have the capacity to produce up to 45,000 tonnes of cathode active material (CAM) per year.
General Motors – Ingersoll, Ont.
Prime Minister Trudeau gets behind the wheel of a BrightDrop Zevo 600. – Ryan Bolton and Brody White
General Motors of Canada has undergone a major transformation. Last winter, the company announced the opening of its first full-scale electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant in Ingersoll, Ont. With support from the province, GM Canada spent more than $2 billion transforming its CAMI manufacturing plant into an all-EV manufacturing facility, the first of its kind in the country. Officials say the project could help secure Ontario’s position as a global automotive hub. One of the vehicles the plant is producing is the BrightDrop Zevo 600, a light commercial vehicle that runs on a lithium-ion battery.
Stellantis – Windsor, Ont.
Crews work on Stellantis’ massive EV battery facility in Windsor, Ont. – Stellantis
Despite a seven-week strike to sort out project funding, work is underway to build a $5-billion electric vehicle EV battery plant in Windsor. They aren’t just making batteries. They are making Ontario history. The plant marks the largest private in the history of the province and it’s the largest investment in the history of the Canadian auto industry. The facility, a joint venture of Stellantis and LG Energy Solution, will stretch roughly 4.5 million square feet and employ 2,500 people. The plant is expected to begin production next year.
Northvolt – Montreal, Que.
Swedish company Northvolt is in the early stages of setting up operations in Quebec. Just weeks ago they purchased 18.5 million sq. ft. of land in McMasterville and Saint-Basile-le-Grand for an undisclosed sum. The land used to be an explosives factory but has sat dormant for 25 years. The company says it plans to build Northvolt Six, a fully integrated lithium-ion battery gigafactory, just outside of Montreal. Construction of the first 30 GWh phase of the project is due to commence before the end of 2023 and the first operations are set to begin in 2026. Northvolt anticipates the first phase will require $7 billion of investment, the largest private investment in Quebec history.
Volkswagen – St. Thomas, Ont.
Something big is powering up in Ontario. Volkswagen’s St. Thomas Gigafactory will have six production blocks with a potential production volume of up to 90 gigawatt hours – enough for about 1 million EVs a year. This is going to be critical for Volkswagen as it has plans to introduce more than 25 new EV models by 2030.
Key Takeaways:
New solar projects secured by PCL this year exceed $1 billion in value.
Due to high demand for solar projects, PCL plans to expand its Solar Division team by 25% this year.
2023 also saw PCL hit a new record of surpassing 4 gigawatts contracted.
The Whole Story:
PCL Construction has secured more than $1 billion in new solar projects for 2023.
The general contractor announced its new solar division, PCL Solar, late last year. Its base is in Toronto with satellite offices in strategic centres across the U.S. and Australia.
“This year, we officially surpassed 4 gigawatts contracted – marking a new record for the company,” said Andrew Moles, general manager of PCL’s Solar Division. “It’s an exciting time for PCL Solar. This growth reflects the increased demand for renewable energy projects across the world.”
To date, the company has completed nearly 60 solar projects, supplying enough clean energy to power more than half a million average homes and businesses across North America and Australia.
The projects include Travers Solar, which not only represents the largest solar project in Canada to date but also the first of PCL Solar’s projects to surpass 1 million megawatt hours of production. In 16 months, the project has also offset more than 472,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
Crews work on Peacock Solar in San Patricio County, Texas. – BP
PCL Solar stated that it believes the following recent project wins along with other promising projects on the horizon will help the company more than double its impact of powering homes and businesses across three countries in the coming years:
Peacock: 150-megawatt photovoltaic power station located in Taft, San Patricio County, Texas.
Azalea Springs: 180-megawatt photovoltaic solar energy installation in Angelina County, Texas.
Clearview: 145-megawatt solar project in Adams Township in Champaign County, Ohio.
Goose Prairie: 80-megawatt solar photovoltaic project located in Yakima County, Wash.
Spring Coulee: 30-megawatt solar facility located in Cardston County, Alta.
Homestead: 400-megawatt photovoltaic solar energy installation in Claresholm, Alta.
Stubbo Solar: 400-megawatt solar energy facility located in Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia.
Gunsynd: 94-megawatt solar farm located in Southwest Queensland, Australia.
PCL Solar also has its sights set on growing Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) opportunities. From increasing global renewable energy demands due to the United States Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Canada’s Clean Energy Investment Tax Credit, BESS is also on the rise. PCL noted that BESS provides critical infrastructure support by storing energy that can then be deployed at peak times when the grid is experiencing high demand.
With PCL Solar’s growing portfolio comes the additional need for employees.
“We plan to expand our team by 25% this year to support our projects and increase our capacity for future years,” said Rodolfo Bitar, manager of strategic initiatives for PCL Solar.
Key Takeaways:
The case was referred to the RCMP by the Ontario Provincial Police.
The investigation comes after several resignations in the Ontario government and a reshuffling of the cabinet.
Premier Doug Ford apologized for opening up the Greenbelt to development and is in the process of reversing the land swap decision.
The Whole Story:
The RCMP is officially investigating controversial deals to develop parts of Ontario’s Greenbelt.
“Following a referral from the Ontario Provincial Police, the RCMP O Division’s Sensitive and International Investigations (SII) unit has now launched an investigation into allegations associated to the decision from the Province of Ontario to open parts of the Greenbelt for development,” said officials in a statement. “While we recognize that this investigation is of significant interest to Canadians, the RCMP has a duty to protect the integrity of the investigations that it carries out, in order to ensure that the process leads to a fair and proper outcome. Therefore, no further updates will be provided at this time,”
According to the RCMP, Sensitive and International Investigations (SII) investigate “sensitive, high risk matters that cause significant threats to Canada’s political, economic and social integrity of its institutions across Canada and internationally”. Jurisdiction over offences investigated is not limited by a territory/region but by the nature of the offence.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces plans to reverse the Greenbelt development deal. – Province of Ontario
The investigation comes after months of political turmoil for the province’s leadership. In August Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk released a blistering report that found the Greenbelt deal heavily favoured a small group of developers and did not consider environmental impacts. The report came with a list of recommendations that include revisiting the deal in a way that follows proper procedures.
Weeks later, Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake released his report on the Greenbelt deal, recommending that Housing Minister Steve Clark receive a reprimand for his role in the land swap. Last month, Clark resigned, stating that it was his responsibility to adhere to the principles of ministerial accountability.
MPP and Kaleed Rasheed resigned from Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet after reports emerged of him spending time with developers while on a trip to Las Vegas. Ford also apologized for opening up the Greenbelt to development and announced that he would be reversing the deal. The plan would have taken 3,000 hectares out of the 800,000-hecatare Greenbelt that surrounds the Greater Toronto Area to build housing.
