The Vatican Goes Solar With 300 KW Per Year
The Vatican joined in to do it’s part in saving the environment with the activation of a newly installed solar energy system. The system will provide power to several of the Vatican’s buildings and they have pledged to be using renewable energy to supply at least 20% of their electricity by 2020.
The roof of Nervi Hall once hosted the concerts and audiences for the pope, is now covered with 2,400 photovoltaic panels. The solar system will be providing 300 kilowatt hours of clean, renewable energy each year to the hall as well as several of the nearby buildings.
SolarWorld, a German company installed the solar system that will allow the Vatican to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 225 tons each year. The reduction amounts to about 80 tons of oil that won’t be used each year the system is in operation.
The design of Nervi Hall’s roof made the perfect foundation for the solar system and none of the panels can be seen from the ground. The Vatican has expressed their concerns for the environment and are urging everyone to do what they can to decrease the use of fossil fuels.