Closing the renewable energy gender gap in the United States and Canada: The role of women’s professional networking

Abstract

The renewable energy sector is already more gender diverse than the fossil fuel industry, and promises to provide an increasing number of jobs for women as well as men, particularly in high growth solar and wind industries. Yet while more women are currently employed in the renewables sector than in the carbon-based energy sector, their presence in renewable energy industries falls short of that in other areas of the economy that require commensurate levels of training and experience. This observation is particularly true for the world’s wealthiest nations. Where are the women in the U.S. and Canadian renewables sectors? How did they get there? Did concern for the natural environment or worries about climate change play any role in their education, training, and career choices? How did gender affect their education or training and career trajectories? In what ways have women’s networking organizations contributed to their success and advancement in the workplace? In response to these questions, we review the relationship between gender and the natural environment, especially energy conservation, discuss the role of women’s professional development via networking organizations, and present the results of interviews with women working in U.S. and Canadian renewable energy companies. We find that such women tend to be passionate about the environment and; well educated; employed in a range of occupations throughout the renewables sector; and intimately aware of gendered structures of power in her industry and workplace that might be remedied via connections with women, especially those who have achieved leadership roles.