Vatican plans €100 million agrivoltaic plant near Rome

The Vatican plans to build an agrivoltaic renewable-energy plant at the Santa Maria di Galeria estate near Rome, costing about €100 million and targeting 80–90 megawatts of capacity to power Vatican Radio and other Church facilities. The project combines solar panels with agriculture, allowing crops to grow beneath elevated panels and reducing evaporation. A joint Italian-Vatican commission launched the effort, with completion expected in 18–24 months, after Italy ratified a bilateral development agreement for the site. The Vatican intends for the plant to help Vatican City achieve energy self-sufficiency, with any surplus energy potentially supplied to Italy and used by Holy See-linked properties such as Bambino Gesù hospital. The initiative, endorsed by Pope Francis, will not benefit from Italian incentives available to ordinary taxpayers, underscoring its distinctive public-energy aims. Additional details and timelines have varied slightly across reports, but the core plan remains consistent across sources."