Cambridge UK solar technology pioneer, Eight19, has muscled in on an initiative chaired by Hollywood star and former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Its Indigo pay-as-you-go solar technology has been honoured as a top sustainable solution at Rio+20 in Brazil; Eight19 enters a pantheon created by Arnie’s new Sustania100 venture, listing the best CleanTech solutions on the planet.

Sustainability legend Gro Harlem Brundtland, media guru and philanthropist Ted Turner, EU Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard, and 150 VIP guests celebrated the first concrete outcome at Rio+20 – Sustania’s launch.

By combining mobile and solar technology, the Indigo solution provides the benefits of solar with the affordability of pay-as-you-go phones delivering energy, health and economic benefits for rural communities in developing countries.

Gathered from 56 countries spread over six continents, Sustainia100 is a complete guide to innovative and scalable solutions instrumental in creating sustainable societies.

Building on ready and available solutions only, Sustainia100 is as a tangible tool for sustainability professionals – from politicians to CEOs- dedicated to create desirable and sustainable societies.

Individually, the solutions represent sustainable innovation in areas such as city planning, energy, fashion, water and waste management, high-tech and transportation. Collectively, they provide a guide of the building blocks available for transforming our societies.

Sustainia100 is a cornerstone in Sustainia. A construction site for the desirable society we could live in if we implemented ready and available solutions. Developed by world-leading companies, organizations and experts in close collaboration with UN Global Compact and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s initiative Regions20, Sustainia is the first holistic introduction to the attractive sustainable future.

Sustainia100 solutions are nominees for the Sustainia Award, which honors outstanding performance within sustainability. The winner will be announced at a ceremony later this year in Copenhagen.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, honorary chair of Sustainia said: “I am very excited and inspired by this as it makes it absolutely clear that our mission is possible. That we do have the ammunition we need to tackle this challenge. That we have what it takes to create fun and attractive societies without destroying our planet.”

Eight19’s CEO Simon Bransfield-Garth said: “Eight19 is delighted to be included in the first Sustania100 list of innovative and scalable solutions for building sustainable societies.

“The Indigo pay-as-you-go solar solution is providing affordable power in Africa, where still 4 out of 5 people lack access to mains electricity, instead relying on expensive and potentially dangerous candles or kerosene for light. Indigo is currently available in Kenya, Zambia, Malawi and South Sudan and will extend to other countries in Africa later in 2012.”

Also this week, Eight19 was awarded a highly coveted World Business Development Award at Rio+20. The double honour follows just three months after Business Weekly named Eight19 its CleanTech company of the Year.