Leslie Glustrom, Clean Energy Action
Zane Selvans, PhD

6:00 pm Event Begins

5:45 pm Light Refreshments

Boulder Main Public Library
Boulder Creek Room – Main Floor

This talk will provide an update on the US coal industry, discuss the geology of coal and the factors that have led to the rash of recent coal company bankruptcies and begin to explore the possible implications of these bankruptcies for the stability of the electrical grid in Colorado and around the country.

Leslie Glustrom has spoken around the country on coal cost and supply issues and authored several reports on these issues. Zane Selvans has been involved in coal issues for several years and most recently has played a leadership role in an effort to examine the financial options for coal plants that become stranded assets.

As background for the talk, you might like to review M. King Hubbert’s seminal paper on the rate at which fossil fuels can be extracted over time. This paper led to the idea of “peak oil” or – in this case – “peak coal.”

Also check out the infographic below to see how much Xcel ratepayers are spending on coal each year and how much Xcel’s coal plants contribute to carbon emissions: