RenewableUK policy analyst Alicia Green has been appointed UK Global Ambassador for Women in Wind as part of a new initiative announced by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) on International Women’s Day.
The Global Ambassadors are part of the Women in Wind Global Leadership Program, organised by GWEC and the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET), to support greater diversity in wind energy.
Green is one of the first wave of eight Global Ambassadors, with more to be appointed in the coming months, said R-UK.
“They will engage with politicians, the media and a wide range of organisations on the importance of gender equality and addressing barriers faced by women in the clean energy sector,” the trade body said.
Green helped set up the Switch List, a crowd-sourced database of women working in the energy sector to speak at events and conferences on their field of expertise that has seen 430 people sign up so far, it added.
Green said: “Becoming the UK’s Global Ambassador for Women in Wind is an exciting opportunity to work with colleagues around the world, sharing ideas on how to attract more women into the rapidly-expanding wind energy sector, and to ensure that decision-makers understand the importance of gender equality and take actions to support it.
“Although this sector is making good progress, more needs to be done to ensure that women are fully represented at Board Room level.
“We also need to provide opportunities for women in middle management positions so that they can grow their careers, and ensure that women entering the industry are able to identify role models and mentors.
“The renewable energy industry is attracting women at all levels from new apprentices to skilled workers transferring from other sectors because they want to work in an industry which is making a real difference – one that is playing a central role in tackling the climate emergency.
“It’s right that this modern industry in particular should reflect the diversity of talent we have and take steps to attract the widest range of gifted women in the future.”
Other Global Ambassadors for Women in Wind are ABEEolica chief executive Elbia Gannoum from Brazil, NorWEP director of academia and R&D Anne Grete Ellingsen in Norway, WindDenmark deputy CEO Camilla Holbech, G7 Renewable Energies project manager Veronique Fyfe from South Africa, Invenergy Wind Development Japan officer manager Michiyo Uehara, Tureb general coordinator Zeynep Aslıhan Yurtsever from Turkey, and MonWEA capacity development manager Bayarmaa Lkhagvadorj from Mongolia.
GWEC policy and operations director Joyce Lee said: “International Women’s Day is a yearly reminder of the work ahead when it comes to gender equality.
The wind sector is not exempt from this. With women making up only 21% of the global wind industry workforce and only 8% of senior-level positions, we must take action as an industry to make gender diversity a priority, or we risk losing out on the talent needed to drive innovation and growth in our sector.
“With 16 new participants and eight Global Ambassadors, we are looking forward to taking Women in Wind even further this year to promote greater diversity at the individual, corporate, national and global levels.”
GWNET executive director Christine Lins said: “Programmes like Women in Wind and are not only important to bring visibility to the challenge of gender equality in the industry, but also to invest human resources and knowledge in the wind energy leaders of tomorrow.
“This is essential in order to drive the global energy transition and reach our climate goals.
“We are thrilled with the level of talent we have selected to participate in this year’s programme, and are looking forward to working with all the mentees and mentors throughout their journey this year.”