Quotes
and Compliments
Breathing
Out
Robert A. Jones, Column in the Los
Angeles Times, Wednesday, February 5, 1997
Sometimes it’s the little stories that are most fun. They can tell us more about ourselves,
and how we operate as a culture, than the big stories. This little story begins down in
Vernon, the belly of the industrial beast in L.A. If it’s big and ugly, it probably gets made in Vernon. As the saying goes, Vernon may not be
hell; it just smells like it.
Smack in the middle of Vernon sits a little company known as
Sunlaw Energy Corp. In 1995,
Sunlaw did a remarkable thing. It
built a new generating plant for electricity at the corner of Downey and
Fruitland.
Nothing
so remarkable about that except this plant probably spews fewer pollutants than
any other fossil-fuel plant in the world.
In fact, “spews” is the wrong word to use with the Sunlaw plant. On a moderately smoggy day in L.A., the
emissions coming out of its stack are cleaner than the air surrounding it.
Or
to put it another way, the plant is five times cleaner than required by the
South Coast Air Quality Management District. It’s more than twice as clean as its nearest rival and many
times cleaner than most plants.
Sunlaw was created by a man named Robert Danziger. As an industrialist, he is hard to
classify. He’s had previous lives
as a jazz musician and scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is a large man, very large, and when
standard golf clubs didn’t fit him he designed his own. The living room of his house has been
converted to a sound studio.
After World War II, this city was full of entrepreneurs like
Danziger, men who habitually poked into the margins of things, making and
sometimes losing several fortunes in their lives. Now, most of them are gone.
But Danziger remains.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Ronald Reagan himself could not have dreamed up a better
example of capitalism at work. No
public monies had been spent. The
air gets cleaner, toxics get reduced and jobs get created.
—Robert
A. Jones, Los
Angeles Times
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“Bob
Danziger is a visionary. His
willingness to take financial, personal and political risks to develop cleaner
better energy technologies resulted in redefining ‘best’ in best available technology. Without Bob’s commitment to our
ecological future we would clearly have a less healthy environment.”
—Hon. Leon G. Billings, MD
House of Delegates, Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Ed Muskie and
principal author of the Clean Air Act
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“Bob was a one-man think tank for GE in
the 1980s.”
—Lorraine Bolsinger, General Electric Vice
President for Ecomagination
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“Seeing
you at the Air Resources Board the other day and hearing your perspective on your
upcoming retirement, I felt compelled to drop you a few lines to acknowledge
your contribution to cleaning up the air.
From
the days of working with you while I was at the South Coast Air Quality
Management District, it has been a great pleasure to see the tremendous
progress that you had orchestrated through Sunlaw and the research and
development being performed with the creation of Goal Line. You were always committed to reducing
emissions from stationary sources to the maximum extent possible. The demonstration you have carried out
at your powerplant has surprised many people and delighted many others, myself
included. The continuing advances
in this technology for stationary source applications and the extension to
mobile source applications provides us with great encouragement for the
future. The outstanding
performance of the technology operating over a long time has made believers out
of skeptics to the point at which it seems that the measurement techniques have
not kept pace with the ability to control the emissions. What a wonderful accomplishment!
Bob,
we are wishing you a long and active retirement. I also want you to know that you have made a major impact in
advancing state-of-the-art emissions controls. Your personal commitment, perseverance, financial support
and dedication to do the right thing will benefit many for years to come. Please accept my humble thanks and
congratulations.
With
very best wishes,”
—Alan
Lloyd,
Chief Scientist, South Coast Air Quality Management District; Chairman,
California Air Resources Board; and Secretary, California Environmental
Protection Agency
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“Bob
Danziger is truly a person whose thinking is outside of the box. I became aware of biology. Subsequent conversations ranged from
the problem of global warming and the generation of alternative forms of
energy. Bob introduced me to
microbial fuel cells, a process by which electricity can be generated by a
variety of different microorganisms.
It was clear that Bob, whose vast experience in energy production was
intrigued by the phenomenon, and he suggested that we put together a small
version of one commonly used type of fuel cell. We did using microorganism found in soil, mulch and
manure. Now, here is one of Bob’s
thinking out of the box ideas, “Why don’t we see if we can generate electricity
from the non-carbon parts of coal?”
I thought this to be a very odd idea, but when I read that certain
species of bacteria live in coal I realized that he might be on to
something. What I don’t know
whether he was aware of the coal-eating bacteria or was it his canny mind that
led him to the idea. In brief, we
were able to generate electricity from coal without combustion and went on to
improve our fuel cell design to produce greater amounts power. I relate this story as only one example
of the strength of Bob’s thinking.
One learns this within one’s contact with this extraordinary person.”
—Paul Levine,
retired professor, Stanford, Harvard, and Washington Universities
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“I
met Bob through a mutual friend, who thought Bob’s and my shared interest in
environmental science might lead to some interesting chemistry. Well it was like alchemy with our
meeting leading to a collaboration, friendship and golden moments and golden
accomplishments. Bob’s knowledge
and grasp of environmental issues led to me to ask him to give a guest lecture
in my class in marine pollution.
And his interest in the class, the students and the subject resulted in
his semester-long participation and an incredible experience for the
undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students taking the course. Indeed, this led to his being recruited
as a co-instructor with me when the course was offered the next year.
What
Bob brings to the table is intensity, commitment and creativity. Intensity and commitment were clear in
his quick mastery of the regulatory issues on the government side, with Bob
easily digesting an immense literature on the legislative, advisory and
political side of marine pollution issues. This combined with his knowledge and experience on the
business side of these issues provided a wealth of experience to the class.
Creativity
is the other important side of interacting with Bob. I recount one example that has been extremely important in
my research and teaching. It was
Bob’s reframing of my research area.
This area is on a cellular mechanism for keeping pollutants out of
cells. My fellow scientists refer
to these as efflux transporters, as molecular motors that act to pump
pollutants out of cells. Bob
reframed the way the entire field now talks about this mechanism. What Bob called them was “bouncers.” And this is now how all my colleagues
refer to them. It is a brilliant
metaphor, easy for the listener to understand that these are indeed bouncers,
but instead of ruffians, the bouncers are keeping toxic things out of the
cells. This renaming, reframing,
recasting is an important aspect of Bob’s creativity. It is his quickness in understanding complex issues and then
creating a simpler way of looking, understanding and solving the problem at
hand.”
—Dave Epel, Jane and Marshall
Steel Professor of Biological and Marine Sciences, Stanford University
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“Bob
is truly the pioneer of our current private electricity infrastructure in the
United States and Australia. He
has pushed for open accounting in the power generation groups and pushed for
environmental awareness and accountability back when the other companies pushed
against it. Bob was instrumental in
making Los Angeles’s air cleaner and made it a much better place to live and
work for hundreds of people. Many
of those were children that needed that helping hand.
Bob
can do anything he puts his mind to but more importantly, he has taken on many
tasks that people say cannot be done, but he gets them done. It has always been a pleasure working
for and with Bob on many projects and task over the last 20 plus years. I would recommend Bob for any project
but highly recommend him for the nearly impossible project!”
—Tim Smith, Vice President,
Wellhead Electric
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“I
first met Bob when a friend who was playing in his band around ten years ago
invited me to a gig. From there I
have used Bob as a percussionist on two albums in the last three years and was
absolutely impressed with his ability to elevate any given theme to a level of
greatness and the never ending supply of unexplored sonic landscapes.”
—Reinhold Mack,
music producer
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“Bob’s
sound sculpture, ‘Nocture 1910,’ has been the audience hit of ‘Made in
Monterey,’ our 50th anniversary exhibition. Danziger’s keen intellect, savvy technical expertise and wit
produce an audio component which made our late 19th and early 20th century
paintings come alive. This fruitful
collaboration has proven to be a model for how we approach all future
exhibition projects.”
—Michael
Whittington, Director,
Monterey Museum of Art
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"Bob Danziger: Thank you for the information on intervals. Anyone lucky enough to know you knows no dissonance."
—Roger Love, author and voice teacher
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“I’ve
recently renewed a working relationship with Bob that began in 1978 when JPL
was helping lead the early U.S. efforts to develop renewable energy and hybrid
vehicles, hoping to solicit his help in defining meaningful roles for JPL in
the alternative energy arena. His
insights, broad background, and real world experience and perspective have
proven even more valuable than I had hoped. And his grasp of both the big and the small—global and
local—perspectives was amply evidenced at the labwide JPL seminar he gave here
recently.”
—Bob Easter, Manager, Program
Development Studies, JPL
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“Bob
Danziger brings tremendous value to the table, including a unique combination
of creativity, deep knowledge and seasoned experience in the alternative energy
and environmental technology industries.
I greatly admire his dedication to developing clean energy solutions, as
well as his integrity and generosity—all of which are borne out in his numerous
successes and recognitions in business and in life. It is no mistake that this Renaissance man has been termed
brilliant. Bob is an antidote to
the business as usual that has helped bring us to this climate change juncture,
and a model for the kind of businessperson we need in this age. I highly recommend this wise man and
exceptional person.”
After
reading the book:
“I’ve
finally been able to read your draft manuscript—I read most of it night before
last and then nibbled at bits and pieces of it on my way to and from work on
the metro until, sadly, it was all gone.
Bob, this is incredibly funny.
You’re a great storyteller.
This is going to be a great book and it will sell.
In
addition to being incredibly laugh-out-loud funny, your stories inspire. They will inspire folks trying to make
their way in the sustainable energy and environment world, but also anyone
who’s trying to follow their heart, be authentic and make a difference. What a gift.
Thank
you for sharing it with me.”
—Montina Cole,
Counsel, Schiff, Hardin LLP
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“Bob
is many things—a true renaissance man.
A former client of mine, I have found Bob to be great to work for, and
work with. He is beyond bright, a
great strategist and an outstanding musician. I can always rely on Bob to want to do the ‘right’ thing. He is truly selfless. In the years that I’ve known him, I’ve
found Bob to be a truly inspirational human being. We’ve continued a friendship, and Bob is one of those very
few people that cause me to say, ‘I’m really glad to know that guy.’”
—Mark Abramowitz,
President, Community Environmental Services
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“It
has been my privilege to know and work for Bob as a legal advisor for over 20
years. Throughout this time, Bob
has impressed me as one of the most innovative, principled and thoughtful
individuals I have ever encountered.
As the CEO of Sunlaw Energy Corporation, he created and managed two
cogeneration plants in Vernon, California, that were among the most efficient,
safe and clean facilities that have ever been operated. In addition, as the co-founder of Goal
Line Environmental Technologies (now known as EmeraChem, LLC) he was the
originator of some of the most environmentally effective technologies that have
been created to reduce the harmful emissions from power plants. Bob to his credit has always put the
environment ahead of his own business and financial interests and his tireless
efforts to improve the air quality in Southern California through the use of
innovative technologies have been well documented.
Rarely
am I impressed by anyone but Bob is unique in marrying ethical business
practices with concerns for the environment with an overall view to
exponentially improving the health of our children and generations to
come. I applaud him for all he is
done and no doubt will accomplish in a career that has no horizons or
boundaries.”
—Nicholson Thomas, Partner,
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
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“My
Dear Bob Danziger, your book is a hoot!
When I read, I keep a notebook by my side but after making a dozen or so
notes, decided to just read. And
let me tell you, it made my day and a half. I’m a fast reader but found myself slowing down, so as not
to miss anything.
There
were lots of sweet moments. I
loved your discussion on music and how it attracted deer and other
animals. It should be a film.
You
are a very, very funny man and adorable, to boot. Thanks for sharing, dear heart. And thanks for being such a wonderful friend and champion of
Los Angeles history.”
—Carolyn Cole,
Founder, Shades of LA
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Bob’s
an imaginative guy with a diverse set of talents including music, law,
business, engineering and science. He blends several decades of
experience in these areas into one package.
—Brent
Constantz, CEO
Calera Corporation
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“Bob
is one of the great business partners imaginable. He brings tremendous intellect, creativity, and energy to
every project. His word is his
bond, and loyalty and trustworthiness are among his strengths. We have been through good times and
turbulent seas together and I look forward to the next opportunity to work
together.”
—Bob Hilton, Vice President,
Business Development, Alstom Environmental Control Systems
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“Bob
is my top Smart Grid advisor, senior management consultant and reference energy
expert, perfectly balancing these roles throughout his engagement with National
Semiconductor. His superlative,
out of the box strategic thinking, the experience of decades in executive roles
in the energy industry, always dreaming of new possibilities and new worlds in
the realms of both technology and business—are only matched by an exceptional
insight into organizational, business and product development, and executive
and board-level stellar influencing skills. Bob is a wonderful person to be around, he is the perfect
mentor—his advice is invaluable to my business, and my personal and
professional development.”
—Lucian
Ion, National Semiconductor, General
Electric
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If you’ve ever wondered when and why the original pronunciation
of the planet Uranus (“Your Anus”) was changed to the arguably more genteel
sounding “Urine Us,” this could be the book for you. If you’re not in the mood for yet another scientific
explanation of anything, better yet.
But if you’d fancy being “a fly on the water cooler” . . . of the “Fly by Uranus” Voyager space
mission that spawned the unceremonius name change as a public relations
afterthought . . . this is
definitely the book for you . . .
scientists without the science and, as you will learn from the chapter
in “Your Anus,” sometimes without even pants.
Bob Danziger remembers the lighter moments that punctuate every
human endeavor, in his case the serendipitous journey from musician – to
college droput (Bob left after three months to join an experimental band) – to
experimental musician – to law school graduate – to space law pioneer – to
energy cogeneration consultant – to clean air industrialist – to large wood
sculptor – to scientific environmental thinker at large – and back. Instead of pursuing music as a full-time
career, Bob brought his unique musical perspective to his many competing
interests – space, energy, community financing of projects never done before,
to name a few. To be sure, Bob
provides an overview of the evolution of the private sector energy business
that was born and has grown up in the last thirty years. His company, Sunlaw, is credited by
many as the pioneering private sector energy company. Fiercely combining work with play, Bob none-the-less learned
his lessons the hard way. Many in
the energy establishment resisted Sunlaw’s catalytic converter technology
(adopted by the EPA under President Clinton as the industry standard), which
put cleaner air out of the stacks than the atmosphere it entered, at a cost of
pennies. Some among those with no
interest in clean air called Bob “the most hated man in the energy
business.” Fortunately for the
reader, Bob chooses to remember only the good times.
If you want to delve into the politics of the energy business
there are other books that go there.
For the meat and potatoes of energy science, you could read one of the
papers Bob continues to present at institutional think tanks such as Stanford
and the Jet Propulsion Lab at CalTech.
But for those who wonder what a person like Bob was thinking at the
start of their unique journey, I offer the inlaid inscription on Bob’s giant
Purple Heart Wood sculpture that graces the entrance of my home. Lifted from Bob’s resignation letter to
the band that swept him out of Antioch College thirty plus years ago, as a kind
of “sneak preview” of what was to follow, the inscription reads:
“Where
complexity melts
to reveal
alternate proposals
irregular in
shape
but remaining as
a window
Through which
you must leap.”
Bill Straw—Blix
Street Records, March 2010
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“As Chairman Emeritus of the South Coast Air Quality Management
District (SCAQMD), I was dismayed to hear that Sunlaw has been forced out of
business; its equipment sold and sites razed. This is a major loss for all air breathers in southern California
and the fight for clean air all over the world for a number of reasons:
Sunlaw was the most co-operative powerplant or industrial
facility in the history of the SCAQMD, its facilities were always open and
friendly to inspections, data requests and even going so far as to volunteer
data, time and personnel.
Sunlaw was by far the most aggressive powerplant or industrial
facility in the history of the SCAQMD in reducing emissions whether required to
or not. I know that you have been
the driving force behind this positive attitude not only in thought but in
deed.
I have found Sunlaw, over its entire 16 years of operation, to
be scrupulously honest and competent with respect to its emission monitoring
equipment, personnel, procedures and use of the highest integrity independent
testing companies.
I also know that the new emission control technology known as
SCONOX would not be here today if it had not been developed by you and your
team who were unwilling to use old ammonia based polluting technology because
of your commitment to clean air.
The SCONOX technology, as first developed by Sunlaw,
demonstrated 2.0 ppm NOX on a 3 hour rolling average basis and was declared to
be Best Available Control Technology (BACT). It was declared so twice by the US EPA as being capable of
achieving the lowest emission rate for all classes of gas fired turbines. Even more remarkable, these new
emission standards were set without the use of ammonia. I am also aware that the SCONOX
technology continues to demonstrate thousands of hours of commercial operation
at 1.0 ppm or less NOX at numerous installations throughout the United States.
As I closely followed Sunlaw over the last 10 years, in
addition to the subsequent maturity of the SCONOX product, I have concluded
that SCONOX has never received credit for the absence of ammonia emissions and
subsequent formation of particulates, from power generating facilities, nor the
fact that the technology virtually eliminates many other hazardous air
pollutants. The reason for such a
lack of recognition is a mystery to me, considering the vast amount of data and
requests given to the SCAQMD and the US EPA.
What saddens me most was the failure of the Nueva Azalea
Project proposed by Sunlaw. This
Project was, by a wide margin, the cleanest powerplant ever proposed in the
history of the SCAQMD, and to the best of my knowledge, the cleanest of its
type ever proposed in the world.
If it had been aggressively supported by both the SCAQMD and
the California Energy Commission, a new standard for clean power generation would
have been set, once again elevating the SCAQMD to the world leader in applying
new technologies for cleaner air.
As Sunlaw closes down their operation, I would like to commend
you for your personal and financial commitment (and mostly for your courage) in
attempting to develop clean and efficient power generation in southern
California and around the world.
The SCAQMD is losing a great ally and friend.
I wish you all the best of luck in the future and consider my
past relationship with you and your people to be one of the bright spots in my
career.
Very
truly yours,
Henry
W. Wedaa
Chairman
Emeritus
South
Coast Air Quality Management District”
—Henry Wedaa,
Clean Air Pioneer
