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Women’s Leadership: The Multiplier Effect in the Energy Transition

The intersection of energy access and livelihood is where women often carry a disproportionate burden, but it is also where change can begin
By  Valentina Guido,  Amber Zirnhelt,  Daniel Elkin

Additional contributors: Eleanor Adams, John Matson, and Colm Quinn

“Everything starts from energy, yet everyday energy drudgery of women in rural and urban settings is something that often goes unnoticed. The whole day is around the energy compass: A woman’s entire day is governed by energy, and without access to energy, then really nothing is going right for that woman or her household, from her own health and well-being to the opportunities that she could offer to her children, to the ability to earn a better income.”

This is how clean cooking leader Nitisha Agrawal opened RMI’s roundtable on women leaders in the energy transition during COP29’s Gender Day on November 21, 2024.

Gender Day at COP29 recognized the disproportionate impact of climate change on women. It also marked the importance of increasing the representation of women-led climate solutions at COP and globally, as well as the need to elevate women’s leadership in the energy transition.

The expert panel, hosted by Amber Zirnhelt and Valentina Guido of RMI’s Energy Transition Academy (ETA), featured:

At the heart of the roundtable were the notions that energy is the common thread linking livelihoods and development solutions and that women’s leadership is a catalyst for the energy transition. From the importance of mentorship to networking, to the value add of empathy, to calculated risks to advance careers and projects, the panelists highlighted the unique perspectives and solutions that women bring to the table and the gaps that still need to be addressed.

Energy and Development: Interconnected Issues, Integrated Solutions

Energy and clean energy solutions do not exist in isolation — they are intertwined with other development considerations, such as food systems, health outcomes, access to education, and economic opportunities. The intersection of energy access and livelihood is where women often carry a disproportionate burden, but it is also where change can begin and start a domino effect.

As emphasized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), women are disproportionately affected by energy poverty, as well as the health impacts and social exclusion that often result from it. Mitigating gender inequalities in energy access will be crucial to realizing a fair and inclusive energy and sustainable development transition. By adopting an integrated development lens, the energy transition can play an instrumental role in addressing a myriad of development solutions, ranging from improved water and air quality to better health outcomes, as well as women’s economic empowerment.

Transitioning to clean energy reduces exposure to indoor air pollution from traditional fossil fuels, thereby lowering health risks such as respiratory illnesses, which disproportionately affect women and children. Additionally, access to clean energy reduces household chores and improves lighting, enabling girls to study in the evenings, and increases educational and small business opportunities stemming from productive uses of energy such as agriculture enterprises, health facilities, and market activities.

Why Women’s Leadership Matters

The opportunities that clean energy creates for women and girls are part of a virtuous cycle that can elevate more women into leadership positions. Female leadership is linked to decisions that support climate-friendly solutions and lower emissions. Nations with a higher percentage of women in parliament have been shown to have stronger environmental policies. Research shows that women representation on boards leads to increased renewable energy adoption and profitability. A 2021 Bank of America study of S&P 500 companies found that companies with more gender-diverse boards saw 15 percent% higher returns. Women leaders also bolster organizational productivity, enhance collaboration, inspire organizational dedication, and improve fairness, research has shown.

Thomas of the Turks and Caicos Island Government framed women’s leadership as the “multiplier effect” in the energy transition. Beyond technical skills, she said, women bring empathy and vision, plus a natural ability to network, which are essential for creating holistic solutions that address a range of development goals.

Where the Gap Remains

More data is needed to assess linkages between gender diversity in organizational leadership and the rate of progress for renewable energy technologies. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), women represent only 32 percent of the renewable energy workforce. The industry’s gender gap is more than twice as large as in non-energy fields, and it comes with a significant gap in wages as well. Women are also underrepresented in leadership positions and boardrooms: according to International Energy Agency data from 155 countries, just 20 percent of senior management roles in the energy sector are held by women, and fewer women are hired into senior roles in energy than in most other industries.

Many of the burdens women face in energy-related decisions often go unnoticed. This lack of awareness, paired with limited opportunities, creates a cycle that must be broken. As Agrawal pointed out, “there is a lack of mentorship opportunities, especially in rural areas, when it comes to providing a safe space for women where they can freely talk and discuss ideas to advance renewable energy and energy access.” Mentorship programs and grassroots efforts are critical. Integrating these practices within energy programs and making them widely accessible enables women to develop skills and harness support to become decision makers and community energy leaders from the household to the community to the boardroom.

Empowering Women through Global Networks

Locally based networks with global reach provide powerful spaces for women to learn and support each other. During the roundtable, Bobboi highlighted the deep value of networks and identified the barriers that often hold women back and limit access to structured mentorship and professional development. Bobboi also called for more comprehensive and long-term mentorship opportunities, urging participants to find mentors, even in unexpected situations, and turn challenges into opportunities for growth.

“Mentorship helps you learn all the skills you don’t necessarily learn in the classroom,” Bobboi said. “Having an experienced person to guide you can help you not make the same mistakes they’ve made before and to learn how to navigate the energy space.”

Programs designed with an integrated development lens in mind demonstrate how holistic approaches to energy solutions can improve not just energy access but entire livelihoods. Two examples are the UNDP’s Africa Minigrids Program and the Women in Clean Cooking Mentorship Programme, hosted by Sustainable Energy for All, the Clean Cooking Alliance, and the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition. Women’s leadership ensures that solutions are inclusive, addressing technical and social needs simultaneously. Networks like those convened by RMI and its partners, including the Africa Minigrids Program, Clean Cooking Alliance, the Women in Renewable Energy Network, and the Climate Finance Access Network, create ecosystems of collaboration and offer spaces for women to connect, learn, and lead.

Achieving Gender Equality Requires Early Action, Pre-Competitiveness, and Male Allyship

Where visibility and access remain as barriers, mentorship and networking need to be embedded early, across the board.

“If we can create models that are able to identify the early potential of girls and women, and start early through schools to identify who the leaders could be in each of the communities, this will help build their capacity from the start,” Prescod said. Such initiatives could help with “connecting the dots and helping those leaders find the way in such a manner that the capacities are built for them to become independent decision makers for their own lives.”

Embedding mentorship and networking opportunities early, starting at the grassroots level, fosters a strong foundation for the next generation. Building this foundation is critical to developing opportunities for women’s leadership in advancing clean energy.

“It’s up to us as stewards to usher in the next generation and provide our support,” said Prescod. “We need to help create space and change perceptions, where often young women don’t believe they are technically capable or competent enough to take leadership roles in renewable energy.”

Prescod shared her experience that decisions are often made through informal social networking on the golf course or in a bar, and if women aren’t present, they can be left out of these decisions. That’s where women-led networking opportunities and women’s networks become a powerful tool.

“As women, we must take calculated risks, we must step out of the well-trodden path and create spaces for ourselves and the next generation to lead,” Prescod added.

Male role models and allies play a critical role in helping catalyze opportunities for women energy leaders. Men can forge pivotal opportunities for women to grow their leadership through sharing opportunities, mentoring, advocating for equity, inviting women to the table, and helping dismantle structural barriers.

Looking Ahead

By embedding an integrated lens in energy solutions, and bringing empathy, resilience, and allyship aimed at inclusivity, women not only contribute to the energy transition but are redefining what it means to be a leader there.

Beyond individual impact, making progress toward gender equality in the energy transition requires early and concerted efforts across multiple entities and stages, from renewable energy project design and planning, to hiring, workforce training, and leadership opportunities, as well as policy development and adoption. Centralized efforts will be essential to increase the representation and leadership of women in the planning and convening of future COPs and other climate conferences.

The Energy Transition Academy (ETA) — RMI’s global platform for leadership development and capacity building — is committed to empowering women leaders in the clean energy space. Through targeted capacity building programs, the ETA and our partners will continue to amplify the voices and leadership of women energy practitioners across the Global South and beyond, while partnering locally and globally to design training and mentorship opportunities. To follow this work and get in touch about regional programs, we invite you to reach out to us at eta@rmi.org.

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