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Letters

SOLAR IS THE ANSWER

8th February 2008 The Eskom debacle proves that one cannot rely on 'the markets' to provide solutions to supply-side constraints. →

Feed-in tariff for renewable energy

8th February 2008 Sir – The current 'national electricity emergency' provides a perfect opportunity for the South African government to institute a guaranteed feed-in tariff for electricity from renewable energy sources. There are a number of private investors who are ready to built power plants using renewable... →

WHAT HAPPENED TO INGA?

1st February 2008 I have been quite intrigued by the last brief from Eskom, which suggests that the utility will no longer be considering new projects that draw more than 1 000 MW until after 2012. →

WHAT ABOUT WIND?

1st February 2008 I understand that Germany instituted a government-driven initiative, whereby a wind-energy business plan was drawn up by industry and government stakeholders. An above average real return was calculated and the private sector was asked to invest in wind turbines to generate electricity for local... →

VIRTUAL POWER PLANT ‘UTOPIAN"

25th January 2008 As former South African living in Germany, I visit SA frequently and I work with several companies, notably Eskom. →

BIOFUELS IS AN ENERGY DEBATE

25th January 2008 With regards to the discussions and issues around biofuels from maize, as reported on Engineering News Online in an article on January 8, there is one aspect that seemed not be taken into account in all of the discussions, namely the energy issue. →

POWER FROM THE SUN

18th January 2008 Editor – If Eskom is short of electricity-supply capacity for the next 8 years or more, there is a simple solution sitting right on its doorstep. A solar power station in the middle of the Northern Cape semidesert areas, consisting of a large area of solar-powered electricity-generating cells,... →

engineering group questions ‘refErences’

14th December 2007 We refer to the article that you published recently, entitled ‘Hitachi Power Africa says relationship with ANC linked company is above board’. →

SCRAP EXPORTS UNDER FIRE

16th November 2007 Editor →

GAUTRAIN BLUNDER

16th November 2007 The three additional stations now proposed for Gautrain (Engineering News, October 23, 2007) again bring into question the Bombela consortium’s choice of the European gauge, dubiously justified on the grounds of speed. This has, from the very beginning, been nonsensical for a number of more... →

Benefits of global-warning mitigation

21st September 2007 Your Hot Spot column by Dr Harald Winkler, titled ‘How might we move into the future?’ published on August 16, 2007, has a further radically beneficial consequence in mitigating global warming. As soon as cars are connected to the grid (plugged in), another potential comes to mind �... →

CLIMATE CHANGE: ANOTHER VIEW

21st September 2007 I understand Terry MacKenzie-Hoy’s and Kelvin Kemm’s need to ‘get things right’ and I am with them regarding the media hysteria of climate change, but they must think of it the other way. All this encourages the war on carbon dioxide and, considering the polluted... →

Cover photo depicts unsafe practice

31st August 2007 Editor � Thank you for such an informative magazine � we really look forward to receiving the latest issue. However, we did note a few problems with the cover of your Volume 27, No 29 issue, namely the safety aspects of the photograph used. As South Africans, one thing we are proud of is the... →

DME did not explain nuclear downside

31st August 2007 I notice that Department of Minerals and Energy’s chief director did not explain that there might be a downside to his nuclear industry plan, such as possible health and environmental hazards that these 10 000 additional workers, as well as the unsuspecting public, might be exposed to. →

SMOKESTACKS COULD BOOST EFFICIENCY OF POWER STATIONS

6th July 2007 It is obvious that South Africa is facing an electricity crisis of onumental proportions. The UK magazine, The New Scientist, published an article on electricity generation using smokestacks to convert heat into electricity. It is a system designed to capture waste heat from industrial... →

ARTICLE IS ALMOST SLANDEROUS

By: Creamer Media Reporter 29th June 2007 Editor – I regret to inform you that the factual information in the article published in the June 8–14, 2007, issue of Engineering News is incorrect and borders on being slanderous. →

ONE ASPECT OF ROOIVALK STORY INCREDIBLE

By: Creamer Media Reporter 29th June 2007 Editor � I refer to the article titled ‘Grounded? What went wrong with the Rooivalk?’ (Engineering News, June 8�14, 2007). I find one aspect of the article doubtful � that the avionics were based on obsolete onboard computers �20 years out of date�. If 30-year-old aircraft are being... →

‘Green’ debate step in right direction

By: Creamer Media Reporter 22nd June 2007 I am a subscriber to both Engineering News and Mining Weekly and, athough I am not a technical professional, I do enjoy most of the content of both publications, including the insight and opinion. I particularly enjoy the articles penned by Terry Mackenzie-Hoy. I am reminded of the old days... →

Is Kemm being deliberately obtuse?

By: Creamer Media Reporter 22nd June 2007 It’s a sad for me to see that your commentators, Kelvin Kemm and Terry Mackenzie-Hoy, seem to be on the war path against efforts to avert anthropogenic climate change. →

Criticism of Kelvin Kemm an attack on the man

By: Creamer Media Reporter 1st June 2007 Guy Midgeley, a scientist at the National Biodiversity Institute, has seen it fit to attack your columnist, Kelvin Kemm, in terms that demand a response (Engineering News May 18�24, 2007). Kemm is a serious scientist, too. His ideas might be a little controversial, but he never, ever,... →

Name changing is frustrating

By: Creamer Media Reporter 25th May 2007 Editor – I would like to thank Kelvin Kemm for his recent contribution in the April 20–26, 2007, edition of Engineering News regarding name changes. →

Kelvin Kemm’s global warming misinformation

By: Creamer Media Reporter 18th May 2007 The column on global warming by, Kelvin Kemm, (Engineering News, April 13�19, 2007) is an alarming parody of the issue and an insult to your readers� intelligence. It is very clear that there remain several uncertainties in the developing science of global warming and climate change, but this... →

Name changing must go ahead

By: Creamer Media Reporter 11th May 2007 Kelvin Kemm’s extremely disturbing article, ‘Name changing the stupidest thing govt has done since 1994’ cannot be left unchallenged. In fact, his article is the stupidest piece of work I have ever read in Engineering News. →

Will technology solve SA’s traffic problems?

By: Martin Zhuwakinyu 20th April 2007 I read your article in volume the edition of Engineering News of April 6, 2007, about using technology to solve South Africa’s traffic problems. It is interesting, but it makes me wonder if this really will help, given that I do not think we use current technology cleverly. For example,... →

There’s no need for more nuclear power in SA

By: Martin Zhuwakinyu 30th March 2007 I am writing with regard to your report about Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin announcing that a decision on the preferred bidder for South Africa’s second nuclear power station will be taken during the first quarter of 2007, which was published in February. →

Mackenzie-Hoy’s article on Eskom a masterpiece

By: Martin Zhuwakinyu 30th March 2007 The article titled ‘Eskom one mo’ time’ (Engineering News, February 23 →

Algae bioreactors are viable

By: Martin Zhuwakinyu 2nd March 2007 Editor –?Comments such as those expressed in the letter titled ‘Algae bioreactor logic flawed’ (Engineering News, January 26, 2007) are always welcome, as they afford us the opportunity to address some common misconceptions. →

Algae bioreactor logic is flawed

By: System Author 26th January 2007 I read your article written by Helene Le Roux, entitled ‘First algae being grown in Mookgopong bioreactor’ (which appeared in the December 15, 2006 edition of Engineering News) with interest, as I have been aware of GreenFuel and De Beer’s Fuel and their activities. →

Solar, not nuclear power

By: System Author 26th January 2007 Editor –?Regarding the Bloomberg story entitled ‘Namibia plans nuclear power station – report’, which appeared on Engineering News Online on January 11, it is very surprising that anyone should be thinking of new nuclear power stations in Namibia, since there is a simple... →

I’m not a ‘roads evangelist’

By: Martin Zhuwakinyu 27th October 2006 Editor – ?Having just returned from a holiday in the UK, I have only just seen Matthew Hill’s article in the Engineering News of September 13, 2006, reporting my views on the relative merits of road and rail for moving freight. →

SA requires experienced engineers

By: System Author 27th October 2006 ?Editor –?With regard to the cover story entitled ‘Brain Gain’ (Engineering News September 15–21, 2006), I am surprised that no mention was made of keeping highly skilled engineers in the country once you train them. →

Kelvin Kemm is right on global warming

By: System Author 13th October 2006 Editor –?Mark Dittke’s attack on Kelvin Kemm’s views on global warming is misplaced and ill-informed (letters, Engineering News, September 8–14, 2006). →

Kudos for weather-modification article

By: System Author 13th October 2006 Congratulations on your article (in the edition of September 29–October 5, 2006) on weather modification as an effective weapon against water scarcity, as admitted by the chairperson of the World Meteorological Organisation expert team on weather modification, who said weather modification... →

EADS advert not on

By: System Author 29th September 2006 Editor –?I am a faithful Engineering News reader and regard it as a magazine of significant value and high integrity. →

Article on power generation ‘rather strange’

By: System Author 22nd September 2006 Editor –?Your article on Eskom wanting to encourage ‘others’ to generate electricity and sell it back to Eskom is rather strange. →

Kemm’s views on global warming are wrong

By: System Author 8th September 2006 As an environmenal attorney, I wish to respond to Dr Kelvin Kemm’s column in the Engineering News edition of July 14, 2006. →

Are biofuels projects viable?

By: System Author 25th August 2006 Editor –?I refer to your article on biofuels (August 11, 2006), which is very interesting and informative. →

Well done, Kelvin Kemm

By: System Author 25th August 2006 Editor –?Once again, Dr Kelvin Kemm has hit the nail on the head (in simple language!) in his column regarding ‘Earthlife’s claim’ (Engineering News, July 21–27, 2006). →

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