Vatican unveils ambitious solar energy plans
Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:17am EST
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - And then there was light -- and it was
powered by the sun. The Vatican on Wednesday activated a new solar
energy system and announced an ambitious plan that could one day make
it an alternative energy exporter.
The massive roof of the "Nervi Hall" where popes hold general
audiences and concerts are performed, has been covered with 2,400
photovoltaic panels to provide energy for lighting, heat and air
conditioning.
After weeks of tests, the system went on line at full throttle hours
before Pope Benedict held what officials called the "first ecological
general audience in the Vatican."
The new system on the 5,000 square meter roof will produce 300
megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy a year for the audience hall and
surrounding buildings.
The 1.2 million euro ($1.6 million) system, devised and donated by
German companies SolarWorld and SMA Solar Technology, will allow the
108-acre city-state to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by about 225
tons and save the equivalent of 80 tons of oil each year.
"This is a very courageous initiative," said Carlo Rubbia, the Italian
who won the 1984 Nobel Prize in physics and attended the unveiling
ceremony in the Vatican.
"The sun has 100,000 times the energy produced by traditional sources
of energy on earth. This why we need so much science, so much
investment in research for the future," Rubbia said at the unveiling.
FIELDS OF SOLAR PANELS
Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, the governor of Vatican City, said the
Vatican was thinking of a much more ambitious project at a huge tract
of land it owns north of Rome which is used as a transmission center
for Vatican Radio.
"We are thinking of a solar energy system on 300 hectares (740 acres)
at the site," he said.
Pier Carlo Cuscianna, head of technical services for Vatican City,
said such a project could produce six times the amount of energy
needed to power the transmission antennas.
"The rest could be transferred to the (Italian) national grid for
power for surrounding communities," Cuscianna said.
The site, called Santa Maria di Galeria, is owned by the Vatican and
such a project would make it an exporter of alternative energy.
Cuscianna said it was "just an idea" for now but that he expected it
to move on the project stage eventually.
Officials said the Vatican planned to install enough renewable energy
sources to provide 20 percent of its needs by 2020, broadly in line
with a proposal by the European Union.
The Nervi Hall has a sweeping, wavy roof and the solar panels are
virtually invisible from the ground. Church officials have said the
Vatican's famous skyline, particularly St. Peter's Basilica, would
remain untouched.
(Editing by Dominic Evans)
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4AP50M20081127
> Vatican unveils ambitious solar energy plans
> Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:17am EST
> By Philip Pullella
> VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - And then there was light -- and it was
> powered by the sun. The Vatican on Wednesday activated a new solar
> energy system and announced an ambitious plan that could one day make
> it an alternative energy exporter.
> The massive roof of the "Nervi Hall" where popes hold general
> audiences and concerts are performed, has been covered with 2,400
> photovoltaic panels to provide energy for lighting, heat and air
> conditioning.
> After weeks of tests, the system went on line at full throttle hours
> before Pope Benedict held what officials called the "first ecological
> general audience in the Vatican."
> The new system on the 5,000 square meter roof will produce 300
> megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy a year for the audience hall and
> surrounding buildings.
> The 1.2 million euro ($1.6 million) system, devised and donated by
> German companies SolarWorld and SMA Solar Technology, will allow the
> 108-acre city-state to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by about 225
> tons and save the equivalent of 80 tons of oil each year.
> "This is a very courageous initiative," said Carlo Rubbia, the Italian
> who won the 1984 Nobel Prize in physics and attended the unveiling
> ceremony in the Vatican.
> "The sun has 100,000 times the energy produced by traditional sources
> of energy on earth. This why we need so much science, so much
> investment in research for the future," Rubbia said at the unveiling.
> FIELDS OF SOLAR PANELS
> Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, the governor of Vatican City, said the
> Vatican was thinking of a much more ambitious project at a huge tract
> of land it owns north of Rome which is used as a transmission center
> for Vatican Radio.
> "We are thinking of a solar energy system on 300 hectares (740 acres)
> at the site," he said.
> Pier Carlo Cuscianna, head of technical services for Vatican City,
> said such a project could produce six times the amount of energy
> needed to power the transmission antennas.
> "The rest could be transferred to the (Italian) national grid for
> power for surrounding communities," Cuscianna said.
> The site, called Santa Maria di Galeria, is owned by the Vatican and
> such a project would make it an exporter of alternative energy.
> Cuscianna said it was "just an idea" for now but that he expected it
> to move on the project stage eventually.
> Officials said the Vatican planned to install enough renewable energy
> sources to provide 20 percent of its needs by 2020, broadly in line
> with a proposal by the European Union.
> The Nervi Hall has a sweeping, wavy roof and the solar panels are
> virtually invisible from the ground. Church officials have said the
> Vatican's famous skyline, particularly St. Peter's Basilica, would
> remain untouched.
> (Editing by Dominic Evans)
> http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4AP50M20081127
They finally got the 'go for it' from God to make it so and sense God
resides
in our sun he might even give the Vatican more unknown to the present
energy generation with no pollution, great speed, and mre ^ more &
more.
God is becoming very generous wth new energy technologies. REAL SOON
there will be no home electric bill to pay . You just make your own
with solar
concepts.
WOMP WOMP
Tom
XML site map
> Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:17am EST
> By Philip Pullella
> VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - And then there was light -- and it was
> powered by the sun. The Vatican on Wednesday activated a new solar
> energy system and announced an ambitious plan that could one day make
> it an alternative energy exporter.
> The massive roof of the "Nervi Hall" where popes hold general
> audiences and concerts are performed, has been covered with 2,400
> photovoltaic panels to provide energy for lighting, heat and air
> conditioning.
> After weeks of tests, the system went on line at full throttle hours
> before Pope Benedict held what officials called the "first ecological
> general audience in the Vatican."
> The new system on the 5,000 square meter roof will produce 300
> megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy a year for the audience hall and
> surrounding buildings.
> The 1.2 million euro ($1.6 million) system, devised and donated by
> German companies SolarWorld and SMA Solar Technology, will allow the
> 108-acre city-state to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by about 225
> tons and save the equivalent of 80 tons of oil each year.
> "This is a very courageous initiative," said Carlo Rubbia, the Italian
> who won the 1984 Nobel Prize in physics and attended the unveiling
> ceremony in the Vatican.
> "The sun has 100,000 times the energy produced by traditional sources
> of energy on earth. This why we need so much science, so much
> investment in research for the future," Rubbia said at the unveiling.
> FIELDS OF SOLAR PANELS
> Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, the governor of Vatican City, said the
> Vatican was thinking of a much more ambitious project at a huge tract
> of land it owns north of Rome which is used as a transmission center
> for Vatican Radio.
> "We are thinking of a solar energy system on 300 hectares (740 acres)
> at the site," he said.
> Pier Carlo Cuscianna, head of technical services for Vatican City,
> said such a project could produce six times the amount of energy
> needed to power the transmission antennas.
> "The rest could be transferred to the (Italian) national grid for
> power for surrounding communities," Cuscianna said.
> The site, called Santa Maria di Galeria, is owned by the Vatican and
> such a project would make it an exporter of alternative energy.
> Cuscianna said it was "just an idea" for now but that he expected it
> to move on the project stage eventually.
> Officials said the Vatican planned to install enough renewable energy
> sources to provide 20 percent of its needs by 2020, broadly in line
> with a proposal by the European Union.
> The Nervi Hall has a sweeping, wavy roof and the solar panels are
> virtually invisible from the ground. Church officials have said the
> Vatican's famous skyline, particularly St. Peter's Basilica, would
> remain untouched.
> (Editing by Dominic Evans)
> http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4AP50M20081127