27 February 2012: The Renewable Energy Global Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) has published its first newsletter of 2012, with information on global renewable energy trends, new REN21 partnerships and publications.

The newsletter begins with a letter from REN21 Executive Secretary Christine Lins, in which she highlights that global renewable energy uptake continues to grow despite hard economic times, with 21% more wind energy generated in 2011 than in 2010. The newsletter continues by highlighting REN21’s new partnership with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) on building a framework for a qualitative and quantitative renewable energy database, and with the Linked Open Data movement to improve renewable energy data management.

The newsletter also reviews progress made on the REN21 Renewables Global Futures Report, and the REN21 Renewables Interactive Map, which now has a widget that can be added to any website to facilitate searches on renewable energy. It announces an open call for contributions on rural renewable energy for the upcoming publication of REN21’s annual flagship report, the REN21 Renewables Global Status Report (GSR). The newsletter also lists recent publications by members of the REN21 network. [Publication: REN21 Newsletter]