Once Michelle Obama said, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”
The fight for a sustainable planet needs all hands on deck, cutting across all societal spectrums and concocted notions. But why are women missing from the cleaner energy revolution?
From time to time, issues have been raised, rallies have been organized, conferences have been held, laws and regulations have been passed, to make sure that women are equitably represented in each and every sphere, in the most dignified manner. But even after all these revolutionary steps and multi-billion dollar projects launched by various governments, we fail to see them creating a meaningful impact in the field of environmental governance and the cleaner energy sector.
Gender Stereotypes: A Hard Nut to Crack
Women in the renewable energy field frequently confront established gender stereotypes and bias, which can impede their advancement. Overcoming this requires a cultural shift, starting with education and training programs that encourage diversity and inclusion, and implementing strict anti-discrimination policies in workplaces. To make matters worse, there are so many other hindrances to a woman working in the ESG sector like discriminatory hiring practices, lack of role models to look up to, late-night shifts which pose safety challenges and mean lack of attention to children at home, society and cultural norms and lack of policy support from the government side.
When it comes to the designing and pre-construction stages of the deployment of renewable energy, women are slightly more represented than in the construction and operations phases. In industries like distributed renewable energy (DRE), which is typically installed inside or adjacent to homes and has enormous job-creation and entrepreneurship possibilities depending on its use, women have also been somewhat overrepresented.
Official Statistics: Painting the Grim Side
According to a report by ORF, the rooftop solar sector is entrusted with only 11% of the workforce in India, quite less than the global average of 32%. Furthermore, women are overrepresented in ‘feminised’ activities such as administrative and support services, whilst males continue to dominate technical jobs. Despite India’s high graduation rates, a number of institutional impediments prevent women from pursuing employment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
To go by the book, women need some role models and societal figures who can motivate them to break the glass ceilings in this overwhelmingly male-dominated sector. However, according to the International Energy Agency(IEA), women make up less than 14% of senior management level positions in the energy sector. The only possible way to get more women involved is having more women in this specific sector, which unfortunately doesn’t seem possible without gender-inclusive HR practices and concerted efforts at the highest management level to get everyone on board.
Policy Interventions:
To lay the groundwork for more women to work in the ESG and greener energy sectors, the Indian government has sponsored many initiatives, including the Women Empowerment Scheme. This plan intends to provide skill development and training programmes to help women thrive in the renewable energy sector. In addition, the government has implemented a number of laws and incentives to encourage women’s participation in the energy industry. One example is the offer of subsidies for women who install solar home systems.
Another example is Solar Energy International’s “Women in Solar Power” initiative, which trains women for jobs in the solar industry. Success stories include the United Nations Environment scheme’s scheme, which, in partnership with ReNew and the Self-Employed Women’s Association, trained 1,000 women, predominantly salt farmers in Gujarat, as solar panel and solar pump technicians. The “Solar Mamas” programme at Barefoot College in Rajasthan exemplifies how renewable energy can benefit women at the grassroots level. This six-month project teaches rural women how to construct, install, operate, and maintain solar-powered devices, giving them an additional source of income.
Aside from standard policy formulation and execution chores, the government is working on a statewide study, the first of its type, to examine female participation in the industry, followed by a plan to train women. This main survey is being conducted by the MNRE in collaboration with CEEW and NRDC.
According to a research conducted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BSPL), a power organisation, has employed all-women teams in certain locations where significant power was being lost owing to illicit theft, consequently boosting customer relations on the ground.
Conclusion:
Several investigations including a research conducted by the European Union (EU) have determined that incorporating women from start to end in the creation of clean energy solutions has benefits since they have firsthand knowledge of home and community energy demands. There is also evidence that involving women in the renewable energy value chain can assist increase sales, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas. For example, due to social norms, women may feel more at ease and secure conversing with female sales agents who are more familiar with their energy requirements and usage. The same is true for the distribution, installation, and repair of sustainable energy solutions, which may require sales personnel to enter homes during hours when men are not there.
The energy transition may be accelerated even further if the industry could recruit everyone to join the workforce, as there is ample evidence to support the notion that full participation of women in the energy sector could contribute to a faster transition to more sustainable futures. Positive change is already seen in India’s developing renewable energy sector, with increased female engagement, and there is enormous potential for even more.
The author, Ayan Namtirtha, is currently pursuing a B.A. in Economics at Delhi University.