There is a significant body of research from great organizations like Catalyst, McKinsey, MIT, Credit Suisse and others that show us that diverse teams are better for decision-making and better for business, so really the success of the renewable energy future is hanging on our ability to bring in the diverse mix of talent, perspectives and backgrounds that we really need. The same is true of the manufacturing floor, technician positions, installers – all positions that need more women. And it is important to break it down a little further – looking at CEOs of renewable energy companies, there is a significant lack of women in those positions. We’ve made some great progress in the last few years, but we still have a long way to go. Graf: Currently, women represent about 25 to 30% of the workforce in solar and wind, and only a small percentage of them are women of color, so no, women are not yet adequately represented in the renewable energy sector. Pmu: How important a role do women currently play in the renewable energy space? Are women represented adequately in the industry? There are a lot of great women across renewables we believe will find even greater value in our work now. Just looking at the scale of the solar job market – it’s one of the largest and fastest growing in all of energy. While our paid membership is a fraction of that, I believe this transition will translate into significant growth in participation as well as membership. Graf: We currently have more than 3,500 people participating in our programs. Pmu: How many members do you currently have, and what do you think the expansion of your mandate will do for your membership? This was also reflected in the needs of many of our stakeholders, who wanted to see us use the organization’s successful 10-year history of programming, chapters, network and sphere of influence to support women across the renewable energy spectrum.
Kristen Graf (Graf): Through ongoing conversations with many of our supporters, we recognized the call to broaden our scope. Pv magazine USA (pmu): What led the Women of Wind Energy to become WRISE? This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. William Shakespeare’s Juliet once pondered (and we paraphrase): “What’s the big deal about a name?” In the case of the reconstituted Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE), the answer is “plenty.”įormerly the “Women of Wind Energy,” the new group will focus on making sure women are fully represented in the renewable energy sectors, including the fastest growing segment of solar. Executive Director Kristen Graf sat down with pv magazine USA to explain what the name change means.
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