Crowd-sourced knowledge and data

The REN21 community is at the heart of REN21's data and reporting culture. Collectively, hundreds of experts make REN21 reports among the world's most comprehensive crowd-sourced and peer-reviewed publications on renewables. This unique reporting and verification process makes REN21 a globally recognised data and knowledge broker.

REN21 reports that carry the *REN21 Crowd-Sourced Knowledge and Data* stamp verify that the following collaborative process was applied:

• Developing data collection methods that build on a global multi-stakeholdercommunity of experts from diverse sectors, enabling access to dispersed data andinformation that frequently are not consolidated and are difficult to collect.
• Consolidating formal (official) and informal (unofficial/unconventional) data gatheredfrom a wide range of sources in a collaborative and transparent way, for example, by using extensive referencing.
• Complementing and validating data and information in an open peer-review process.
• Obtaining expert input on renewable energy trends through interviews and personal communication between the REN21 team and authors.
• Using validated data and information to provide fact-based evidence and to develop a supportive narrative to shape the sectoral, regional or global debate on the energy transition, monitor advancements and inform decision processes.
• Making data and information openly available and clearly documenting our sources so they can be used by people in their work to advocate for renewable energy.
• Using crowd-sourced data to develop a shared language and create an understanding as the foundation for collaboration.

For more information, see the Methodological Notes section on data collection and validation.