State to Spend $6 Million Researching Batteries, Solar Energy

Gov. Jay Inslee officially opened the Clean Energy Institute -- created last summer by the governor and legislators -- at the University of Washington to study and explore solar and battery sources.

While solar technology is nothing new, the concept has yet to be refined to where it can match traditional sources of energy; the same for batteries. While the technology works, it has yet to match the efficiency, power and performance of fossil fuels.

The institute will try to find ways to make the two technologies more affordable. The project also includes a $1.6-million-state grant to study ocean acidification.