Energy supply is a key factor in economic and social development, but little attention has been given to the needs of rural households, farmers and small businesses. Rural households in sub-Saharan Africa still derive most of their energy from biomass sources. Lack of modern energy services in rural areas constrains efforts to alleviate poverty and improve living standards. The five country case studies presented in this volume are all part of a common research theme – Renewables and Energy for Rural Development – and constitute the second part of a two-part study. The first, shortterm study examined public sector rural energy initiatives that were welfare-focused, while this medium-term study examines the impact of modern energy on income-generating activities. The countries represented are Botswana, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The amount of experience with renewables in the countries represented in the theme group varies widely. This is why the country studies focus on different aspects of the theme topic. The Ethiopian and Eritrean studies dwell on seeking to introduce wider utilization of renewables in view of their more limited dissemination in those countries. Zimbabwe has had over 20 years’ experience with the dissemination of renewable energy technologies (RETs), and the promise that was seen in renewables has not been realized. The focus of the Zimbabwe study, therefore, is on the lessons learnt and a possible way forward. The Zambia and Botswana country studies fall between these two extremes. The major objective of these studies was to identify the options for the provision of modern energy services to low-income rural areas, with special emphasis on the productive uses of energy. The study focuses on whether the decentralized approach to energy delivery is better than centralized delivery; on the role of income-generating activities in attracting modern energy to rural areas; and on the barriers to and opportunities for the promotion of renewable energy technologies in rural areas.