Rubi Alvarado

Opinion For a renewed energy sector in 2022 women inclusion is a must

By Rubi Alvarado General Manager, Energy Capital Magazine

Only a small portion of women participate in the energy industry, this must change in other to truly change it, facing energy transition.

Women's inclusion in the energy sector is not just a matter of political correctness, nor a trend or a vogue, but a vital factor to be considered for the complete transformation of the industry. The energy transition, in this regard, is much more than just decarbonization. In fact, the energy transition must MANY “GENDER-NEUTRAL” PROGRAMS IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY ARE NOT GENDER NEUTRAL AT ALL.

come along with significant changes to close the gender gap as women have been, are, and will be key drivers of innovative solutions for the future.

Indeed, a clean and true energy transition will change paradigms and business models and implement changes for women's greater participation. If successfully implemented, these changes will be valid drivers for economic growth.

According to the International Energy Agency, female investors rise rapidly across different technological sectors, with the highest rates reported in the health and chemistry industries. Nevertheless, women are listed below the 11% in patent applications in the energy industry related to combustion apparatus, engines, pumps, and power.

On the climate change mitigation technologies, which is comparable to all technologies, including information and communication technologies, women appear in around 15%. On the other hand, worldwide, women make up about 48% of the labor force. Nevertheless, women workers account for only 22% of the energy industry.

As a result, women face very similar barriers in the energy sector to those in other sectors of the economy. However, the energy sector's challenges

are more pressing since the industry is going through a transformation process; clean energy transitions will require innovative solutions and business models to be adopted and greater participation from a diverse talent pool.

Useful tools to retain and empower women and other minorities in the industry

Moreover, according to a recent IRENA study, women hold just 32% of jobs in renewables and only 22% jobs in the oil and gas sectors, and 45% of those jobs are administrative. Therefore, only a tiny portion of women participate in the energy sector, leaving a wide gap of unharnessed opportunities.

The IRENA study also points out that women leave their jobs in the energy industry primarily due to gender biases, lack of adequate training and opportunities, inadequate policies to attract or retain women, workplace inflexibility, and unequal pay, among other reasons.

Furthermore, according to experts from the Department of Energy, many "gender-neutral" policies and workshops pushed and endorsed by the industry are, in fact, not at all gender-neutral but instead, reinforce gender biases and leave women behind. Indeed, a diverse workplace not only means women inclusivity; specific policies and practices are needed to ensure that women and other underrepresented groups participate in the energy industry and remain in it, engaged and empowered.

Finally, some practical tools that will pave the way for more women and other minority groups to truly participate, invest, develop, and lead in the energy industry are: strong skills development and training; mentoring; showcasing and studying role models; providing of network opportunities; improving recruitment and retention policies; ensuring access to finance and capital for entrepreneurs, and strong engagement with students and young women so they can enter the industry without experiencing gender biases.

LESS THAN 11% OF WOMEN PARTICIPATE IN ENERGY AS INVESTORS