Pope Francis unveils plan for Vatican to go solar
The transition to solar energy as the main power source is the latest initiative of the Vatican to become more “green” and ecologically sustainable.
The late Pope Francis' goal of powering the Vatican by 100% solar energy is happening now as Vatican City becomes the first fully powered solar state. This is pretty interesting as the Vatican joints a growing list of countries using 100% renewable energy. Perhaps even more intriguing is the way the Vatican did it – they used agrivoltaics.
The Vatican's solar shift is a culmination of a political and spiritual mission years in the making. In 2024, the late Pope Francis issued an apostolic letter ordering the construction of an agrivoltaic solar plant to supply the Vatican with energy from Santa Maria di Galeria. On the same site, the new solar infrastructure now stands.
Yes. Vatican City has joined Albania, Bhutan, Nepal, Paraguay, Iceland, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to become one of just eight countries in the world to generate 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. Several church organizations around the world are making the move to solar.
According to the Vatican's press office, the installation will apply the most advanced solutions currently available, balancing clean energy generation with the preservation of agricultural use, the region's hydrogeological stability, and the protection of its cultural and archaeological heritage (ZENIT News / Rome, 08.01.2025).-
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