Solar panels on Vatican hall first of several projects, says engineer

By John Thavis
Catholic News Service
Aug-29-2008

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican will begin installing some 2,400 solar panels in late September, the first of several projects aimed at exploiting renewable energy resources in the tiny city-state.

The solar modules, which are being donated by a German company, will be fitted atop the roof of the Paul VI audience hall and will produce some 300,000 kilowatt-hours of power each year, said Mauro Villarini, the Vatican engineer coordinating the project.

Construction of the solar-energy system will continue through October, while Pope Benedict XVI and some 250 bishops meet inside the audience hall for a synod on the Bible.

In an interview Aug. 28 with the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, Villarini said another solar-panel system would be installed this fall above the Vatican's employee cafeteria, providing 60 percent to 70 percent of the power needed to heat and cool the building.

Both solar-energy systems are expected to be operating by the end of the year, Villarini said.In addition, he said, Vatican experts were studying other "green" projects that may be particularly suited to Vatican City and its properties outside Rome, including the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo.

They include the possibility of small windmills, as well as treatment plants that would break down biodegradable material to produce methane and biogas, he said.

Villarini said the solar panels atop the audience hall would furnish enough power to meet the annual energy needs of about 100 families.

Even so, he said, the system will not come close to meeting the energy demands of the huge building, which uses some 2 million kilowatt-hours of power every year.

The important thing, he said, is that it is a first, major step toward energy self-sufficiency.The European Union has set a target of meeting 20 percent of its energy needs with renewable resources by the year 2020.

"Our challenge is to make sure Vatican City State is the first to meet these European objectives," Villarini said.

He said the Vatican's ecological initiatives were born out of a series of talks given by Pope Benedict, who said at the beginning of 2007 that humanity cannot continue its present patterns of exploiting natural resources.

END
Source: CNS http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0804426.htm

Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC) Website

For those interested, here is the web address for the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARCCC), which aims to provide a space for people of faith to address climate change (stopping its causes and dealing with the impacts it has already unleashed) and to engage in efforts at multiple levels, from the local right up to the global:
http://www.arrcc.org.au/

The question is solar or green energy?

We opened with prayer and then agreed to two tasks this evening.

First: Mike and Michelle would share their data on the affordability of solar energy.
Mike began by sharing the information on costs based on a system that was $12,000 per KW. Based on 3.8 kw / day being produced it didn’t turn out to be cost effective over the life of the system.

However, Michelle shared information about new panels that produce 5kw hours per day. She is going to try to get information that verifies those numbers for the next meeting as it improves the numbers by 25%.

So we are still unsure whether the best way forward is through solar panels or purchasing green energy.

Certainly for churches like Blackwood who have very high usage and electricity demand solar panels make no sense but for a church like Belair that has very little daily use the panels may pay for themselves in as little as seven years. We will continue to wrestle with these ideas and numbers to see where the tipping point is.

Two concerns about solar systems are the costs associated with inverter replacement every 8-10 years and diminishing panel productivity after 30 years.

Second task that we looked at was clarity of purpose for this group.
Peter led us in trying to understand where we have evolved to.

**50 churches to reduce carbon footprint (by using solar panels) we have now realized that solar panels may not be the best way to reduce the carbon footprint.
Increase/improve congregations’ understanding and awareness of the link between energy and carbon footprint
Giving people feasible pathways toward reducing their energy costs and carbon footprint
To build a crtical mass of moral influence, to cause gov’t to adopt more climate friendly policies
Enable disadvantaged people to afford reducing their carbon footprint

** this is what we want to achieve. The other pieces flow out of it.

Peter F, Ian and anyone else who is interested will be meeting on Monday November 3 from 2:30 – 5:30pm to further this plan.

So next all group meeting Is Monday November 17 at 7:30pm

Why focus on Solar?

Global warming is a genuine environmental crisis confronting our planet home. It poses serious moral issues that the churches can no longer ignore. Our man-made crisis is causing serious extinctions in species and exponential increases in pollution and poverty. Our children face a grim future in many areas unless we are ready to act now. This crisis is now documented by major international research and reports. It is time for churches to take the lead and model responsibility for healing the planet.

Aims
It was proposed that we form a coalition of Adelaide churches to:

1. Install solar power green energy on a minimum of 50 Adelaide church roofs.
2. Pursue a sector agreement with the government to promote solar energy options in our churches and communities.
3. Raise awareness and hope within church congregations and neighbourhoods about taking action on climate change.
4. Reinforce SA government initiatives to make Adelaide a ‘solar city’ and campaign for investment in large passive solar power stations that will complement the current green energy for SA and provide energy beyond state borders.

WHY focus on solar?
Solar is clean: no pollution, emissions or waste!
Solar is accessible: there is plenty of sunshine in Australia!
Solar is viable: the technology already exists!
Solar is affordable: new models pay their way and more!

It is this last point on which the group is currently engaged. It would appear that "affordable" may not be so. There are a variety of ways of looking at this. At our next face to face meeting we hope to explore the issue of affordability further. Meanwhile comment is invited.

Thank you

Thank you to those who have established this blog. Looking forward to developing the discussion and further insights.

What we are About

The Solar Churches SA group has commenced thinking about how to persuade local churches to adopt "green" solutions to their energy needs and at the same time make a statement regarding care for God's world.