ROME (AP) — Italy agreed Thursday to a Vatican plan to turn a 430-hectare (1,000-acre) field north of Rome, once the source of controversy between the two, into a vast solar farm that the Holy See hopes will generate enough electricity to meet its needs and turn Vatican City into. ROME (AP) — Italy agreed Thursday to a Vatican plan to turn a 430-hectare (1,000-acre) field north of Rome, once the source of controversy between the two, into a vast solar farm that the Holy See hopes will generate enough electricity to meet its needs and turn Vatican City into. 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. In an apostolic letter, the pontiff said the project will be constructed on Vatican-owned property outside of. The Vatican intends to achieve energy independence with solar power and is turning to a combination of agriculture and photovoltaics, according to Pope Francis. The world's smallest state launched the endeavor at a property outside Rome. He did so with the apostolic letter in the form of Motu proprio Fratello Sole, published in Italian on May 26, 2024. He presents his decision as an example in the fight against global. The installation of solar panels on Vatican-owned land to the north of the capital follows the photovoltaic glazing of the Cortile delle Corazze and the Vignaccia warehouse of the Vatican Museums (350 kilowatts peak for a total production of 500 megawatt hours) and the 5,000 square metre roof of.