Delara Shakib

Associated Press

This Sept. 9, 2016 photo shows rush hour traffic moving along the Hollywood Freeway in Los Angeles. California's traffic-locked roads are being considered for their potential to serve a new purpose as clear power producers. After several years studying the technology, the California Energy Commission is soliciting companies and universities to create small-scale field tests to investigate whether the waste energy created by vehicles, and passed onto roads when driving, could be captured and turned into electricity.

State Eyes Unusual Power Source

The state is investing $2 million to study whether piezoelectric crystals can be used to produce electricity from the mechanical energy created by vehicles driving on roads.