Yesterday the Catholic News Services reported that a new high-tech solar panel array system is going to be built for the Vatican’s Paul VI Center as part of a very large green makeover project. The Italian engineer and head of the Vatican's department of technical services, Pier Carlo Cuscianna, said appeals by Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II to respect nature inspired him to help power the Vatican's energy needs with renewable resources. In a 23 May article in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Cuscianna wrote that safeguarding the environment was "one of the most important challenges of our century."

The project will start sometime in 2008. A large array of solar panels will be built on the building’s rooftop that will power all of the heating, cooling and lighting needs year-round. When the project is finished, more than 1,000 solar panels will cover the football field-sized roof. While not revealing how much the solar project will cost, Cuscianna said "it will pay for itself in a few years" from the savings on energy bills. Whatever solar power the hall is not using will be funnelled into the Vatican's energy grid and benefit other energy needs, he said.....