Milking Algae for Oil; Making Solar Greener; Hospital Strives for 100% Renewable Energy; Kodak Solar Charger; Amtrak carbon tracking

Milking Algae for Oil. OriginOil, based in Los Angeles, just announced new technology that promises a better way to “milk” algae to extract their natural oils. Origin uses electrical pulses to get at the oil inside algae without killing them, leaving them alive to produce more oil.

Making Solar Greener. A solar panel has a four year carbon payback. In this video from Intersolar TV, Linde Electronics says it can cut that way back by getting manufacturers to use fluorine gases in manufacturing.

Hospital Strives for 100% Renewable Energy. With renewables projects involving wind, solar, biogas and hydrokinetic energy, along with a top-to-bottom review of how it uses energy, Gundersen Lutheran hospital in Wisconsin is one of the leading lights in a revolution in how hospitals approach sustainability.

Kodak in the solar charger business. The Kodak Solar Charger KS100-C +2 is a USB charger that you can charge either via the sun or via USB through your computer. Once it’s charged, you can hook your phone, music player or camera up to it and have it work for a whole lot longer.

Amtrak commits to carbon tracking. Great news! Amtrak has pledged to reduce its emissions from diesel locomotives by six percent from 2003 through 2010, as part of its recent decision to join the Carbon Registry. Amtrak is my favorite way to travel, so I am very happy to hear this.

Have a great weekend everyone!