In a symbolic gesture to persuade world leaders to go green and demonstrate their commitment to renewable energy, Maldives president Mohammad Nasheed will adopt a solar energy model at his residence shunning non-renewable energy.

Nasheed, a climate activist and a supporter of ambitious carbon mitigation targets, has teamed up with 350.Org and Sungevity, a California-based solar firm, an official said.

This is part of a campaign by the two solar firms to persuade heads of state to demonstrate their commitment to renewable energy by installing solar arrays on their residences and offices.

President Nasheed is participating in the campaign to re-affirm his commitment to renewable energy and pressure other world leaders to follow suit, the official said.

Nasheed, last year, had led his cabinet into an under-water meeting to highlight the dangers of global warming and the risk the rise in water levels posed to low-lying islands like his country.

Maldives lies just 1.5 metres above the Indian Ocean, making it one of the world's most climate vulnerable nations.

Earlier this month, noted environmentalist Bill McKibben urged the White House to re-install the Carter-era solar panels.

"The President's solar installation is, of course, a symbolic act," the official said.

Nevertheless, it fits into the Maldives' wider strategy of becoming a carbon neutral country by 2020, the strongest mitigation pledge of any country under the Copenhagen Accord, he said.

"We do not have the luxury of time to sit and wait for other countries to act on climate change.

"For these reasons, the Maldives is taking radical steps to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, in the hope of cajoling larger countries into action," official said.

He said the solar panels are to be installed as part of 350.org's 'Global Work Party' on October 10.

The same firm had helped organised the unique under water cabinet meeting in the Archipelago.