We'd venture that North Carolina State University might have crossed the divide by creating an energy storage technology that's both practical and genuinely pretty.

ENGADGET: NC State nanoflowers can boost battery and solar cell capacity, make great prom accessories

While a number of Plains States Republicans support the measure, the fight stemmed from a philosophical divide about whether the federal government should provide financial support to assist the country's nascent renewable energy industry.

WSJ: Breaks for Specific Industries Survive in Cliff Deal