Editorial: Arbitrary deadlines don't help transition to clean energy

Last week, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda suggested the industry consider ways to convert vehicles on the road now to electric motors or fuel cells, according to the Associated Press.

Toyota has dominated the industry in producing hybrid vehicles, which have both an electric motor and gasoline engine, switching back and forth to deliver the most efficient ride. Hybrids are one option that have been ignored in the U.S. as a means of reducing or eliminating tailpipe emissions.

Some regions are suitable for all-electric vehicles, and some are better for hybrids. Regions of mountainous terrain and cold weather, which are common in Appalachia, have been late adopters of EVs and will be until battery technology improves. Consumers and businesses will hold on to their internal combustion engines until resistance is futile.

Meanwhile, there’s no statewide edict in West Virginia that public buildings such as schools should add solar panels or wind turbines as soon as possible. In a state that relies heavily on coal and natural gas for much of its economic activity, that’s understandable. However, county school boards have the power to decide whether to invest in solar or other renewables on their own. That’s what Wayne County school administrators are evaluating.

As noted by The Herald-Dispatch reporter Sarah Ingram, Wayne County Schools Superintendent Todd Alexander is looking into potential solar energy projects for some Wayne County schools.

At last week’s meeting of the Wayne County Board of Education, Alexander said he has met with representatives from Solar Holler, a Wayne County-based solar energy company, and a Virginia-based company to discuss installing solar panels on some schools in the district.

While the conversations have only recently begun, Alexander said solar power could be a good opportunity for some schools.

“At this point it does sound really promising and like something we might want at our schools,” he said. “It’ll only work at certain schools depending on their location and how much sunlight comes in, but there are some interesting opportunities.”

Alexander said he can try to arrange for a solar company representative to attend a future board meeting to answer any questions and address concerns.

Converting entire industries from a proven technology to an unproven one takes time and ingenuity. Technological change cannot be dictated from a government office; there are too many variables. Toyota understands that customer needs are important, and Wayne County school officials know that some things sound good in theory but not always in reality. Patience and adaptability are necessary in this transition.