Our editorials about energy policy are frequent — but also, we believe, consistent.

Energy is too interconnected with every facet of businesses’ and families’ budget for the issue not to be treated as significant.

We believe the U.S. needs development of domestic energy sources, including oil and natural gas. We believe it is premature to tout the idea that our society can rely on renewable energy before technological advances truly make that option feasible.

Our position only solidified as we learned about the Morning Midas.

The Morning Midas is a cargo ship, abandoned by its crew out of necessity last week as its cargo — 3,000 electric vehicles destined for Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico — burned on.

According to Associated Press reporting, the crew attempted to fight the fire, but had to surrender the boat for their own safety.

The risks of fires involving lithium batteries — a key component of electric vehicles — have been well documented for years. Efforts to improve their safety seem, frankly, inadequate.

The use of electric vehicles — and of solar and wind power — will require better battery technology. As we have editorialized before, the technology needs to be affordable. As we must editorialize today, it needs to be safe.

We believe in the ingenuity of men and women to solve these problems. But we believe it is only realistic to accept that it will take time.

Rushing the move from conventional, proven sources of energy — including domestic oil and natural gas — to renewable sources without regard for the reality that these problems will require time is irresponsible.

We hope the burning Morning Midas, adrift at sea, can dispel any myths otherwise.