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The European Commission is targeting seven countries in the south of Africa for an eighteen month renewable energy export drive. To this end it has launched the South African Renewable Energy Information Network (SAREIN), which is being run by the UK's Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU) in collaboration with Germany's Energi-Anlagen-Berlin. "This project aims to accelerate the uptake of RE in southern Africa by transferring relevant experience from the European Union countries," says SAREIN. The growing demand for electrification of rural areas in the targeted countries, coupled with the worldwide emphasis on development of sustainable sources of power, have led to the formation of SAREIN, which is funded through the EU's Joule-Thermie energy program with co-financing from African partners. The seven involved countries are South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe with a local SAREIN partner located in each country.