What? The Earth revolves around the sun? Preposterous. By the way, I want you to give up all technology for Lent. Oh, and pay no attention to the workers installing our $660 million solar plant.

Indeed, the nation so slow to embrace change has jumped on the green bandwagon in a big way. Apparently, their $1.5 million solar array idea has expanded into what will become Europe's largest solar plant. Plans call for the new plant to be built on 740 acres near the medieval village of Santa Maria di Galeria. When all is said and done, it should produce around 100 megawatts of power—more than enough to handle the entire Vatican city-state and subsidize the energy needs of nearly 40,000 Italian homes.

Solarworld, the same company behind the earlier array also offered to give the pope a special electric-powered Popemobile should they be selected to handle this new installation. Although the devil may tempt them to trick an out-of-touch old man by simply tossing some bulletproof glass and a spray paint stencil that says "Pope" on a golf cart. [Bloomberg via Inhabitat]