<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/vatican-to-install-solar-farm-on-farmland-in-defiance-of-italy-ban/>
"Pope Francis has called for the construction of a solar system on productive
farmland owned by the Vatican that will help power the world’s smallest state
with 100 per cent renewable energy.
In an Apostolic Letter published on 21 June, the Pope directed two Vatican
officials to coordinate the development of a “agrivoltaic” solar farm – solar
that coexists with agricultural farming – of an unspecified size on the land
outside of Rome.
The letter, entitled “Fratello Sole” (“Brother Sun”), was issued Motu Proprio
(on the initiative of the Pope alone) and served to highlight Pope Francis’s
previous commitments to combating climate change – including the 2022 decision
to accede to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
In the letter, the Pope said the agrivoltaic system would be installed on a 424
hectare property in Santa Maria di Galeria, an area northeast of Rome, which
also host to a Vatican radio transmission facility.
The agrivoltaic project will guarantee power supply for the power supply of the
Vatican’s radio station as well as the “complete energy sustenance of the
Vatican City State,” the letter said.
“We need to make a transition towards a sustainable development model that
reduces greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, setting the objective of
climate neutrality,” the Pope wrote.
“Humanity has the technological means necessary to face this environmental
transformation and its pernicious ethical, social, economic and political
consequences and, among these, solar energy plays a fundamental role.”
The timing and specific nature of Pope Francis’ latest climate-focused decree
is particularly interesting in light of the fact that the Italian government
effectively banned the construction of solar power plants on agricultural
ground in May."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
