Engineering News | Columnist | Kelvin Kemm

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Kelvin Kemm

Dr Kemm is a nuclear physicist and is the CEO of Nuclear Africa (Pty) Ltd.

Kemm is the chairperson of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation. He sits on the Board of Advisers of the Committee for A Constructive Tomorrow, based in Washington DC.

He is also a Board Member of GoNuclear Inc, and EFN: USA both based in Colorado, USA.

Exec@nuclearafrica.co.za

It takes more than just a good coach for a team to excel

By: Kelvin Kemm 29th April 2016 I have been watching the performance of various national sports teams and it is an interesting exercise to contemplate what makes a winning team. I am of the opinion that it is virtually entirely psychology. →

Striking workers holding society to ransom

By: Kelvin Kemm 22nd April 2016 The Pikitup refuse workers in Johannesburg were on strike for about month. While they were on strike, refuse piled up in the city centre. This was not only unsightly, but also a potential health hazard. →

Pool weir a classic example of bad engineering design

By: Kelvin Kemm 15th April 2016 Recently, I had to have my home swimming pool recoated in new fibreglass and I took the opportunity to make a few changes. One thing I did was to put in a new weir. My old weir had been hand-made out of cement, with pipes placed in the cement. It had worked perfectly for decades. One thing I... →

T-20 cricket highlights need to go back to first principles

By: Kelvin Kemm 8th April 2016 I have been watching the T-20 cricket World Cup. It has been most exciting. The T-20 is a completely different game to the conventional test cricket. Very different. But what strikes me is that the authorities have used the test cricket style and conventions and adapted them to T-20. →

Different state of mind needed to get our heads around scientific discoveries

By: Kelvin Kemm 1st April 2016 We think that we live in an advanced world – and, of course, we do, as looked at from our existing platform. But people in 1850 also thought that they lived in an advanced world, as did those who lived in 1750. In 2100, people will look back in history to the first decades after the year 2000 and... →

Scientists must always think of the flip side of their work

By: Kelvin Kemm 25th March 2016 In this modern world, the rate of technology advance is truly amazing. One can only imagine that it will accelerate even further in the future. However, I think I can safely say that every technology advance produces a social impact. Some are very direct, like cellphones, and others may not be... →

Ivory bonfire not a solution to elephant poaching

By: Kelvin Kemm 18th March 2016 The illegal trade in ivory continues. This is bad. The world cannot afford to keep losing elephants. However, there is now news that Kenya plans to burn its stockpile of ivory. This is a whopping 120 t. The Kenyans want to do this very publicly – in front of an audience including Hollywood... →

Nuclear build programme won’t be a ‘purchase’

By: Kelvin Kemm 11th March 2016 I have stressed time and again that the new nuclear programme is not a ‘purchase’. People in the media love to say how much the nuclear power plants will ‘cost,’ as if someone is going to take a truckload of cash and just pay it over to a foreigner and then return home with nuclear power plants,... →

All set for Nuclear Africa 2016

By: Kelvin Kemm 4th March 2016 Much more nuclear power is essential for South Africa, which is aiming for a massive increase in electricity consumption – at least 100%. In contrast, some European countries are aiming to reduce electricity consumption over the longer term. In Africa, we have to aim for massive infrastructure... →

I’m all for a new oil refinery in South Africa

By: Kelvin Kemm 26th February 2016 A while ago, I was tasked to carry out an investigation linked to the movement of oil and processed fuel into the country. It was not new to me; I had been involved in that sphere before, but it has been rolling around in my head. →

Antinuclear stance illogical and irrational

By: Kelvin Kemm 19th February 2016 As the nuclear debate continues, it really is an interesting exercise to examine the way in which the antinuclear lobby attacks nuclear power. Much of the time, there is virtually zero logic or rationality involved. There is just an emotional gut response. It is a most interesting phenomenon,... →

It’s time to find a real solution to water shortage

By: Kelvin Kemm 12th February 2016 The South African government received quite a pleasant surprise when it deposited some cash for drought relief in areas badly struck by the drought, and invited the public to contribute. The public poured millions into the fund, which it goes to show how much we all care for one another when any... →

It’s now time to go back to the moon, and on to Mars

By: Kelvin Kemm 5th February 2016 The Falcon 9 space rocket of Us company SpaceX has just completed another launch. The launch was totally successful, but the planned controlled landing back on earth not quite so successful, but to my mind very good. The rocket lifted its payload into orbit, which is what it had been contracted... →

SA’s nuclear programme making progress

By: Kelvin Kemm 29th January 2016 The exciting South African nuclear power development programme has taken a few major strides over the past few months. The environmental-impact assessment team have submitted their report concerning nuclear power sites. They have recommended that the best site to start with is the Thyspunt site,... →

Looking back on astounding innovations

By: Kelvin Kemm 22nd January 2016 While clearing out some old books, I happened to come across one that quoted some old science and technology comments. Some were interesting and some a bit amusing. One, dated 1957, said that radio, telephone and TV systems were becoming so good that they would soon be conveying information to... →

Global warming nothing but ghosts in the garden

By: Kelvin Kemm 15th January 2016 Last month, while the twenty-first Conference of the Parties (COP 21) turmoil was well on the go, I turned on the TV to watch more discussion on potential outcomes of the conference. What I saw were many sad faces predicting doom and making more and more ridiculous claims. Everyone seems to be a... →

Africans don’t need outsiders to show them the way, energy-wise

By: Kelvin Kemm 11th December 2015 I was invited to be a speaker at an antinuclear, progreen conference. The organiser told me that it was funded by European antinuclear groups and that about 15 countries were represented by the 70-odd delegates. I met representatives from African countries, such as Senegal, Tanzania and Mali, and... →

No search for the truth on global warming at COP 21

By: Kelvin Kemm 4th December 2015 The extreme green movement was celebrating in the US when President Barack Obama gave in to its demands and refused to allow the construction of the Keystone oil pipeline. Dressed in rabbit and polar bear outfits, the greens danced and sang in front of the White House. They said what a victory... →

Failure to strike a deal at COP 21 will be the best outcome for humanity

By: Kelvin Kemm 27th November 2015 The Paris twenty-first Conference of the Parties, or COP 2, is getting nearer. More and more people are hoping for ‘success’ at the conference. By this they mean that an international agreement will be signed, limiting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Such an agreement is supposed to ‘save the... →

Post Office on verge of collapse, courtesy of union leaders

By: Kelvin Kemm 20th November 2015 I read an article about the Communications Workers Union (CWU) threatening to strike yet again. A court subsequently issued an interdict against any wild-cat strike action. The CWU Gauteng chairperson, Velaphi Zulu, then stated that the union had no intention of obeying the court interdict. That... →

The case for nuclear

By: Kelvin Kemm 13th November 2015 I am writing this column sitting in the airport just outside Hanoi, in Vietnam. I was invited by the Vietnamese nuclear authority to attend a seminar and give a presentation on the development of a Vietnamese nuclear power infrastructure. There were two foreign guests in the nuclear project... →

Physics a game of measurement and numbers

By: Kelvin Kemm 6th November 2015 Physics as a science is a game of measurement and of numbers. Yes, there are philosophies and principles, but all has to eventually be reduced to an ability to actually measure and to assign numbers. Having said that, it is important to point out that one can get very different answers, depending... →

Reflections on taxis and traffic police

By: Kelvin Kemm 30th October 2015 I heard on the radio that October is national Transport Month. I do not quite know what one is supposed to do during Transport Month. Some people seem to think that you must use transport during Transport Month, and others that you must not use it. In Sandton, Gauteng, they closed a whole lot... →

We don’t need to inherit Germany’s nuclear mistakes

By: Kelvin Kemm 23rd October 2015 It is quite amazing to witness the degree of antinuclear paranoia among many segments of the pro-wind and pro-solar energy fraternities. I am in favour of nuclear power; it is the correct and wise solution for South Africa. I am not anti-wind or anti-solar, where these are applied correctly. I... →

Ex-Volkswagen CEO was a climate change fallacy victim

By: Kelvin Kemm 16th October 2015 German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) has been in the news for the wrong reasons. The company was accused of cheating on claims concerning the gaseous emissions of its cars. The emissions measurements are necessary in Europe and the US to show that the cars conform to legislated air-quality standards. →

We don’t need any climate deal in Paris to save mankind

By: Kelvin Kemm 9th October 2015 One regularly sees in the press various comment about the world environment conference to be held in Paris in December. It is known as COP 21, which stands for ‘the Twenty-First Conference of the Parties’. COP 17 was held in Durban, and I was a delegate there, so I know how these things... →

Exciting developments on the space front

By: Kelvin Kemm 2nd October 2015 Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka has just returned to earth from the International Space Station (ISS). He returned with two other crew members of the ISS. By the way, Russian space travellers are called cosmonauts, but Americans and other Westerners are called astronauts. What made Padalka’s... →

Nuclear professionals must communicate with the public

By: Kelvin Kemm 25th September 2015 I was invited to present an informal seminar to the Humansdorp Business Forum. It was most successful and I was really impressed to find a turnout of 120 people. It was an evening function in the Grill and Co restaurant, in the town of Humansdorp. There was a terrific spirit and the gathering... →

A lot of explanation needed on how nuclear benefits society

By: Kelvin Kemm 18th September 2015 Something that I find to be quite an amazing sociological phenomenon is the amount of real nonsense that floats about in public concerning nuclear power. At least there is a bit of comfort in the fact that it is not only our people who react so strangely. The same is true of folks in the US and... →

Where is our faith in South African engineers?

By: Kelvin Kemm 11th September 2015 I read a newspaper article by the communications officer of the Free State Department of Water and Sanitation. It was with mixed emotion that I read it. He appealed to people to ‘save’ water. That is okay. He then stated: “What if this was the last drop.” That is not okay. When will Water... →

Evidence of link between CO2 and global warming flimsy

By: Kelvin Kemm 4th September 2015 The COP 21 world climate conference is scheduled to take place in Paris this December. There is much comment in the media, with a variety of people expressing the hope that the conference will be a success and that a legally binding agreement will come out of the conference. What this will mean... →

Paperless classrooms the wrong way to go

By: Kelvin Kemm 28th August 2015 Recently, with much fanfare, computer tablets were distributed to a number of schools in Gauteng. Also supplied were electronic whiteboards for teachers. Enthusiastic people explained how much this would advance education. I am afraid that I do not agree. I have serious misgivings about this... →

Law-unto-themselves taxi drivers have to change their attitude

By: Kelvin Kemm 21st August 2015 The general irresponsibility of the minibus taxi industry has to be addressed as a matter of urgency. It is getting totally out of hand. Two recent made yet another impact on me. The one was a totally irresponsible action that resulted in the death of two people. The taxi driver responsible... →

Sanral an interesting (un)strategic planning case study

By: Kelvin Kemm 14th August 2015 I carry out strategic planning sessions for companies. I do fault analysis of projects or tactics which went wrong in order to advise on how to fix the snags. I also, from time to time, when invited, give business school courses on strategic and logical thinking and problem solving. In such... →

The power of modern forensics just not being used to fight crime

By: Kelvin Kemm 7th August 2015 I read a newspaper article which stated that the ballistics ‘fingerprinting’ of firearms may not be as foolproof as previously thought. My first reaction to this is to find it hard to believe. I have been in a ballistics laboratory and have looked through the microscope to see how it is done.... →

Nuclear radiation not as dangerous as some claim

By: Kelvin Kemm 31st July 2015 Next month marks seventieth anniversary of the dropping of two nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. What is rather interesting is that, over the years, from time to time, there have been gatherings of people who survived the Hiroshima blast. Most interesting is that, currently, there... →

Locals will benefit immensely from nuclear build programme

By: Kelvin Kemm 24th July 2015 Imagine that you run a canned-food factory and you decide to extend the plant by 25%. You will have to find a design team and building contractors. Or imagine that you are tasked with extending the Richards Bay harbour substantially and the estimate is that this will be a job valued at about... →

Technology is not all about complex machinery

By: Kelvin Kemm 17th July 2015 If you do not know where you are going, then any road will take you there. Technology is a scary word to most people because it immediately conjures up images of highly complex machinery with silicon chips and flashing lights. That certainly is technology, but so is the piece of rope in the bank... →

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