Mobile energy storage in the Vatican

Yes. Vatican City has joined Albania, Bhutan, Nepal, Paraguay, Iceland, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to become one of just eight countries in the world to generate 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. Several church organizations around the world are making the move to solar.

According to the Vatican's press office, the installation will apply the most advanced solutions currently available, balancing clean energy generation with the preservation of agricultural use, the region's hydrogeological stability, and the protection of its cultural and archaeological heritage (ZENIT News / Rome, 08.01.2025).-

The future installation would be projected to “ensure, not only the power supply of the radio station existing there, but also the complete energy support of Vatican City State,” he wrote. Fast forward to 2025, and the project is completed.

Citing Pope Francis's «Laudato Si'», Gallagher reminded listeners that access to clean, renewable energy remains elusive for many across the globe, and that while progress has been made, systemic change is still slow. The agrivoltaic project is one of those “good practices” Pope Francis called for in his encyclical a decade ago.

On July 31, at the historic Palazzo Borromeo, the Holy See and the Italian Republic signed a landmark agreement to build an agrivoltaic system in Santa Maria di Galeria. More than a technical feat, the initiative is a spiritual and diplomatic gesture—anchored in the conviction that caring for creation is a moral imperative.

“Fratello sole” or “Brother Sun” was Pope Francis' Apostolic Letter that detailed how solar power is an invitation for people around the world to make lifestyle changes to counter global warming and the “pervasive” use of fossil fuels.