According to Bloomberg News, Vatican City plans to generate 100 megawatts of solar power on about 740 acres of land. With only 900 inhabitants and 0.2 square miles of land, the energy output will be more than enough to power the city state, giving it the opportunity to become an energy exporter and benefit from Italy's solar incentive program.
The news service notes that the 100 megawatts should be enough to power 40,000 homes, or to provide 900 percent of the power required by Vatican Radio, which is said to have sufficient transmission power to reach 35 nations. One question that must apparently be resolved still is whether the array will rely more on photovoltaic or solar thermal technology.
"One should take advantage of the crisis to try and develop these renewable-energy sources to the maximum, which in the long run will reap incomparable rewards," Cardinal Umberto Bertele told Bloomberg.
Last fall, the Vatican also unveiled a solar roof array that helps power Nervi Hall, where papal appearances and other events are held.
