Why Getting More Women Into Renewable Energy Could Speed Up Climate Action
For International Women's Day (IWD), March 8, 2023, RE Royalties is celebrating and promoting the achievements of pioneering women in renewable energy in North America. We are also exploring how greater female inclusion could lead to better change and transformation in climate conservation.
We believe that diversity is essential to progress, long-lasting change, and is key to helping the industry reach its greatest potential.
Our Vice President of Communications and Sustainability, Talia Beckett, believes that recognizing the contributions of women in renewable energy, and the part that RE Royalties plays, is an important day on the calendar.
Why We Need Women in Renewable Energy
Gender inequality and climate change are two of the greatest crises the world faces today. UN Women addressed the link between these issues in an in-depth article outlining just how deeply climate change affects women around the world.
What many do not often realize is that our planet has a direct impact on our quality of life beyond pollution. In many developing countries, women face greater health risks as they are often tasked with sourcing food, drinking water, and housekeeping responsibilities.
At RE Royalties we are supporting UN Women, International Finance Corporation, Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, UN Global Compact, and the World Federation of Exchanges, to demonstrate our support for women’s rights and gender equality around International Women’s Day through the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs).
Women in Renewable Energy History
Women have contributed to renewable energy for over a decade, and the USA Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy highlights some of the most influential figures that are paving the way for the future of women in the field.
1. Eunice Foote — In the 1850s, Eunice demonstrated how carbon dioxide and water vapor can absorb and retain heat. Her evidence laid the foundational knowledge for what would be later known as the greenhouse effect.
2. Mária Telkes — Known as the “Sun Queen,” she began studying solar power energy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1935; in World War II, she was responsible for designing a solar-powered desalination kit for soldiers. She went on to design more solar-powered technology, including an oven and heating system.
3. Denise Gray — Denise earned the nickname “battery czar” thanks to her incredible work as an electrical engineer. It’s her genius that led to the development of the hybrid plug-in Chevrolet Volt. In 2017, she was dubbed Technologist of the Year by Women of Color magazine.
4. Njema Frazier — Njema is the first woman to ever receive a PhD in theoretical nuclear physics from Michigan State University. Today, she works for the United States Department of Energy as the assistant deputy administrator for strategic partnership programs. She is the co-founder of Professional Opportunities for Women in Energy Realized (POWER), a Department of Energy employee resource group.
How to Make a Change
A gender gap has persisted throughout the years at all levels of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across the globe. Women have made progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, but they are still under-represented in these fields.
To help more women enter the renewable energy industry, at RE Royalties we believe it’s crucial to introduce more female students to STEM as a potential career. In fact, it’s through the youngest generation that we stand to gain the greatest change. They will inherit the world we’re creating now, and we want to make sure they are fully capable of taking care of it.
That’s why our company supports the next generation of renewable energy professionals through our long-term internship program, in conjunction with the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Simon Fraser University (SFU), in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
Individually, we can all seek to support women-oriented climate organizations, like Tides, Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE), and the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network.
We hope that this article has helped you develop a greater perspective of women’s needs and their potential in renewable energy. As we move forward, our goal at RE Royalties is to continually support all women in climate action and create as many opportunities as we can through our networks.
We also support UN Women, who are calling on governments, activists, and the private sector alike to power on in their efforts to make the digital world safer, more inclusive, and more equitable. Facing a multiplicity of global crises, we have a chance to create a better future—not just for women, but for all humanity and all life on Earth.
Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #EmbraceEquity
Comments