Solar Panels Worthy of the Vatican
I was in Rome last week and visited the Vatican museums, building after building and room after room of art masterpieces that overwhelm one’s ability to comprehend it all. And at one point as I ascended a staircase I peered out the window and saw this…
My first reaction was surprise. In gas-reliant Italy there are few signs of renewable energy or electric-powered anything. But Pope Francis in 2014 established a goal of climate neutrality: “Mankind has the technological means to deal with this environmental transformation and its pernicious ethical, social, economic and political consequences, and, among these, solar energy plays a key role.” There are now plans to install enough solar to power the entire Vatican city state.
My second reaction was, damn that’s a gorgeous installation. This is mainly due to the use of photovoltaic glass panels which sandwich the solar cells in between two layers of glass, held together with invisible adhesive. Rather than install conventional solar panels on top of a roofing structure, the Vatican used these glass panels as the structural roofing material. They filter out much of the sun’s heat while letting sunlight through, reducing the need for daytime lighting. So they generate electricity while reducing the need for cooling and lighting. The esthetic impact inside is wonderfully bright and refreshingly modern:
Why can’t all solar roofs look as good? As you might expect, photovoltaic glass panels have a greater upfront cost than conventional solar. And not everyone has the design resources of the Vatican, or indeed the design needs of the Vatican, who must achieve a high level of esthetics to match a museum full of thousands of masterpieces. So while the glass panels offer several advantages and better return on investment than even clear glass, it will be some time before we see residential homes with photovoltaic roofs.
🇮🇹 18% of Italy’s energy use comes from renewables, ranking 17th in Europe. #1 is Iceland at 82% and #42 is Israel at 4%.
🏛️ Here’s 10 more buildings designed with integrated PV panels.
📈 Solar is the driving force behind nearly 4.6 terawatts of renewable energy forecast to come online between 2025-2030.
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