Speaker: Bill Bangsund

Organization: Barr

Topic: Wind Energy & the Environment: A Geologist's Role

Invited Luncheon Speaker - March 1, 2011 - Bill Bangsund - Barr

Wind Energy & the Environment: A Geologist's Role

Abstract 
As with the construction of any major structure, there is a critical component of geologic understanding that makes for a successful wind-turbine project. This is most properly termed “engineering geology.”  Important factors start with understanding site conditions so that the investigation process can be properly planned to (1) collect the engineering design data and (2) address geologic hazards, such as shallow groundwater, slope instability, collapsible soil, mining, and karst. For sites with shallow rock, a typical investigation will rely on rock coring coupled with laboratory testing and surface geophysics for geotechnical characterization, while sites underlain by more than ~25 feet of soil are best investigated by in situ means such as cone penetration testing. 
 
A major geologic issue is unrelated to turbine sites themselves; it is the availability of rare earth elements used in a turbine’s magnets and other electrical parts.  Most of these elements come from China. Domestic exploration and production of rare earth elements is in the process or ramping up to limit our reliance on other countries for these resources. While unrelated to wind turbines, the increase in natural gas development and the resulting low price of natural gas has a direct impact on the economic viability of wind power developments.  Natural gas lowers the cost of electrical production from gas turbines which then competes against wind generation in the power market.
 
Nongeologic issues have their effect as well and include limitations of the existing grid and a lack of national standards.  Lastly, short-term incentive programs have lead to the use of wind-power development as a political bargaining chip.
 
Bio
Bill Bangsund has worked in engineering and environmental geology since the early 1980s. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Minnesota Duluth and his master’s degree at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. After more than three years working on environmental issues at US Army and Department of Defense installations, he joined Barr Engineering Co. in 1989. At Barr, Bill has worked on landfills, superfund sites, highway construction projects, and more than 100 proposed and built wind-power projects. Note that about 40 percent of US wind turbines sit on foundations designed by Barr.
 

Bill Bangsund, PG
Senior Hydrogeologist
Minneapolis office: 952.832.2738
cell: 763.350.2762
[email protected]
www.barr.com