A Solar Farm Project Will Make This Tiny Country Energy-Independent

Vatican City is the world's smallest country, but despite covering just 0.17 square miles, it is fully recognized as a sovereign nation. However, despite its independence, Vatican City has previously relied on electricity imported from Italy. As of May 28, 2026, however, a new agreement between the Vatican's Holy See and the Italian government has entered into force (via Vatican News). A solar farm project in the Vatican's territory of Santa Maria di Galeria will produce renewable energy for the tiny principality and, at last, make it energy-independent.

This solar farm will reportedly have a capacity of up to 90 megawatts, making it one of the largest agrivoltaic plants throughout Italy. That would power more than 15,500 homes in the United States. By comparison, the largest solar farm in America has almost two million panels and boasts a capacity of 1.3 gigawatts.

Considering that Vatican City has a population of fewer than 1,000, it's easy to imagine how this project can sustain the city-state with ease. The solar panels will not interfere with agriculture on the Santa Maria di Galeria property, and any surplus electricity generated at the plant will be made available to Italy. It's a true win-win for everyone involved.

As a small country, Vatican City requires relatively little electricity to power its grid. However, it also faces the unique challenge of having so little space to build a fully operational solar farm. The Vatican overcame this obstacle by collaborating with Italy, which should serve as inspiration for other nations on the road to achieving sustainability.

That's not to say that other nations aren't trying. Solar power has officially overtaken coal in the U.S. for the first time in 2026. And as of 2025, the European Union generates 30% of its electricity from wind and solar (via Ember). This is positive progress, though it's not without its caveats. Europe's solar farms face an unexpected threat from the Sahara when dust storms blow through. Countries and communities will have to devise ways to circumvent inclement weather as they continue to rely more and more on solar power.

While Vatican City might become the first solar-powered nation, it won't be the first fully solar city. Several cities already have that honor, such as Babcock Ranch, Florida, which was dubbed the "world's most sustainable city" as far back as 2016. Babcock Ranch's solar-powered operations were actually able to continue unimpeded when Hurricane Ian passed right over the town in 2022. Some states now generate more electricity from solar than from coal or natural gas, so we'll likely see more sustainable cities across the country and the world very soon.