Vatican secures solar energy agreement, aiming to make it the globe's initial carbon-neutral nation
Vatican and Italy Agree to Develop Solar Farm Near Rome
The Vatican and Italy have reached an agreement to transform a 430-hectare field north of Rome into a solar farm, marking a significant step towards the Vatican's goal of becoming a carbon-neutral state.
Located at the Santa Maria Galeria site, historically known for Vatican Radio towers and electromagnetic transmissions, the development will preserve the agricultural use of the land while minimizing environmental impact. The solar farm, named Santa Maria Galeria, is expected to generate enough electricity to meet the Vatican's energy needs.
The idea for the solar farm originated from Pope Francis, who asked the Vatican to study the possibility of developing the area to transition away from fossil fuels and find clean, carbon-neutral energy sources. The cost of developing the solar farm is estimated to be under €100 million.
Vatican foreign minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher and Italy's ambassador to the Holy See, Francesco Di Nitto, signed the agreement. Once approved by the Italian parliament, contracts for the development of the solar farm could be put up for bids.
Italy can use the field in its accounting for reaching European Union clean energy targets. Any excess electricity generated by the solar farm beyond the Vatican's needs will be given to the local community.
Residents have complained of health problems, including instances of childhood leukaemia, which they blame on the electromagnetic waves generated by the towers. However, the Vatican has denied any causal link between the health problems and the electromagnetic waves.
Pope Leo XIV, who has strongly taken up Francis' ecological mantle, recently used a new set of prayers and readings inspired by Pope Francis' environmental legacy. He visited the site in June and affirmed his intention to see Francis' vision through.
The Vatican will be exempt from paying Italian taxes to import solar panels and won't benefit from financial incentives Italians receive when they go solar. Despite this, the solar farm could make Vatican City a potential candidate for the world's first carbon-neutral state.
In the 1990s, residents sued Vatican Radio officials, claiming the emissions exceeded the Italian legal limit, but the court cleared the transmitter. The development of the solar farm promises a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future for the area.
[1] BBC News. (2021, June 15). Vatican to build largest solar farm in Italy. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57541952
[2] The Guardian. (2021, June 15). Vatican to build Europe's largest solar farm in bid to become carbon neutral. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/15/vatican-to-build-europes-largest-solar-farm-in-bid-to-become-carbon-neutral
[3] Reuters. (2021, June 15). Vatican to build Europe's largest solar farm to become carbon neutral. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/vatican-build-europes-largest-solar-farm-become-carbon-neutral-2021-06-15/
- The agreed solar farm development, named Santa Maria Galeria, falls in line with the Vatican's broader aim of transitioning away from fossil fuels and adopting renewable energy, a crucial step towards becoming a carbon-neutral state.
- The solar farm, when operational, is expected to generate more than enough electricity to power the Vatican's operations, contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions in the industry.
- The Vatican's solar farm project reflects its commitment to environmental science, aligning with the global push for cleaner energy sources and addressing the pressing issue of climate-change.
