Royal Philips Electronics has announced that it is participating in the 1,000-Village Solar LED program, an initiative launched by The Climate Group and the One Foundation.

The program was kicked off at a Climate Group event at Xiao Xi Chong, one of 13 villages in the region around Guiyang City where the project is working. The event was attended by Tony Blair, the former British Prime Minister and a leading associate of The Climate Group.

The company states on its website that the program was launched to provide rural communities in China with energy-efficient solar-powered LED lighting.

Initiated in August 2009 in Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province, the 1,000-Village Program aims to explore the large-scale application and promotion of clean technology in rural areas, covering operational aspects, environmental policy and technology solutions.

It's five-year objective is to promote clean technology projects in 1,000 villages in China and other countries, with a short-term target of LED lighting solutions in over 40 administrative villages in rural areas of China within its first year.