The renewable energy sector is rapidly growing, offering promising opportunities for employment and innovation. However, despite its progressive nature, the sector still reflects the broader issue of gender inequality prevalent in many industries. Women’s involvement in renewable energy remains limited, with significant disparities in leadership roles, technical positions, and overall workforce representation. This article explores the current state of women’s participation in renewable energy across different countries, highlighting both the challenges and the progress being made.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the optimistic recent scenario for women’s involvement in renewable energy is 32%. This figure highlights the potential for greater female involvement but also underscores the existing gender gap. For instance, in Germany, where the wind sector employed five times more people than the coal industry in 2016, the renewable energy sector reflects the underrepresentation of women within the broader energy sector, where only 12% of women are in executive positions.
In Australia, the situation is similar. Women occupy less than one-fifth of roles responsible for planning, directing, and controlling business across the electricity supply industry. The Federal Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency reported that in 2017, only 10.3% of company directors in the energy industry were women. This underrepresentation is mirrored globally, with women often excluded from decision-making positions.
However, there are pockets of progress. In South Africa, independent power producers (IPPs) have reported that women make up between 40% and 50% of their workforce. Despite this, women in senior positions often find themselves reporting to male-dominated boards. Similarly, in Kenya, the Ministry of Energy’s gender policy has positioned the country as the first in Africa to integrate a gender framework into all aspects of the industry, setting a precedent for the continent.
The disparity is further highlighted in Mexico, where only 12% of female graduates study engineering, compared to 35% of men. This imbalance extends to senior positions across all sectors, where very few women hold leadership roles. In North America, women held between 20% and 25% of jobs in the electricity generation sector in Canada in 2017. In the USA women made up 32.6% of the solar energy workforce and 32.1% of the wind energy workforce, showcasing a slightly better, yet still limited, representation.
The lack of diversity in the renewable energy sector is often attributed to deeply rooted cultural traditions in the workplace. While the sector appeals to women and younger generations due to its alignment with moral values, the pathways to entering the industry are often informal. Women tend to lack the networks needed to navigate these channels, further limiting their participation. An IRENA online wind survey in 2019 revealed that women held only 8% of senior management roles, 13% of management positions, and 14% of STEM-related jobs within the wind energy sector. The survey identified barriers such as gender role perceptions, cultural norms, lack of gender targets, and discouraging workplace policies as significant obstacles to women’s participation.
Increasing gender diversity in the renewable energy sector is not just a matter of equity; it also offers tangible benefits. Studies have shown that diversity leads to increased company profits, greater concern for the environment, and a reduction in risk and overconfidence. Furthermore, governments with higher shares of women are more likely to ratify environmental protection treaties, and climate investment initiatives with a gender-responsive design have a higher success rate. Gender equality is also recognized as having a “multiplier effect” across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), driving innovation and commercial growth.
One initiative aimed at addressing the gender gap is the Women in Wind Global Leadership Programme, launched in 2019. This mentorship program supports women in the wind energy sector, helping them advance into leadership roles and creating a global network of mentorship and knowledge-sharing. As the program highlights, “Gender diversity drives innovation, opens new pathways for technology deployment, brings valuable perspectives to social and economic development, and provides a richer pool of talent for key and emerging industries.”
In conclusion, while the renewable energy sector presents significant opportunities, it still faces challenges in achieving gender equality. Addressing these challenges will require concerted efforts from governments, industry leaders, and educational institutions.
Sources
Women for Sustainable Energy: Strategies to Foster Women’s Talent for Transformational Change – GWNET 2019 https://www.globalwomennet.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Gwnet-study.pdf
GWEC Webcast Why Gender Diversity is Important for the Wind Industry – WIW 2019
Women in Wind, Global Leadership Programme https://gwec.net/women-in-wind/about-the-program/