Women in Solar

While solar installation and technician jobs may have been dominated by male workers in the past, women are now entering the field at a growing rate. Overall, women make up about one-third of all solar jobs, but when we look at the installer side of the workforce, women still only comprise about 5.5%. Similarly, women make up only about 4% of electrician jobs. There may be a number of reasons for the lower number of women in these hands-on roles. Our education system still doesn't do a great job of encouraging girls to pursue careers in the trades, and the physical and outdoor aspects of installation jobs may not appeal to as many women as men. The male oriented job site culture may also discourage some women from pursuing these jobs.

Given their significant need for qualified workers, solar companies are quite interested in hiring women for a variety of roles. The non-profit GRID Alternatives offers a great series of training courses and installation experiences that can provide a great start for a new career as a solar technician.

To succeed in bringing more women into the solar workforce the industry will need to provide significant training and mentoring opportunities while working to make the job site culture more accepting of everyone, regardless of their background.

Here are some resources for further exploration:

Solar for Women: Installers & Technicians (Facebook Group)

Why Your Install Crews Don’t Have (M)any Women - HeatSpring Magazine

It’s no secret that women are very underrepresented in the solar industry. According to the National Solar Job Census, women made up just under 30% of solar employees in 2021, which is well below the 47% of women that make... Continue reading “Why Your Install Crews Don’t Have (M)any Women”

HeatSpring MagazineBrit Heller

Energy Policy: Women in Solar

Leading women in clean energy policy will discuss career paths, projects they’re currently working on and the role of women in their fields.

What We're Reading

Our new deal to remove CO2 from the atmosphere by crushing rocks

We’re purchasing 200,000 tons of carbon removal credits from enhanced rock weathering (ERW) startup Terradot to be delivered by the early 2030s.

GoogleRandy Spock

Five-year US load growth forecast surges 456%, to 128 GW: Grid Strategies

U.S. electricity demand is forecast to increase 15.8% by 2029, according to a new report from Grid Strategies, which called the findings “shocking.” Six regions of the country are driving the growth.

Utility DiveRobert Walton

Google, Intersect Power to develop co-located energy parks with $20B of renewables, storage

Energy parks can provide grid services, but they face regulatory challenges, including uncertainty around the rules for co-located load, according to Energy Innovation.

Utility DiveEthan Howland

Staff Picks!

Solar Helper

Brief Description of SunnovaSunnova (NYSE: NOVA) is an industry-leading adaptive energy services company focused on making clean energy more accessible,

Zero Hero.net

Maintenance Technician for Solar Monitoring System in Adrian, MI - Training Provided (2-4 hours a week)

Company Description For nearly 30 years, UL Solutions’ passion for innovation and commitment to providing the highest levels of integrity to our clients and

Zero Hero.net

Field Manager, Illinois

Company Description Apex Clean Energy was founded with a singular focus: to accelerate the shift to clean energy. Through origination, construction, and

Zero Hero.net

Industrial Automation Engineer

Our CompanyWelcome to Energy Vault® (NYSE:NRGV), where our purpose is to enable a sustainably energized world. Our mission is to provide energy solutions that

Zero Hero.net

Internships

Intern - Mechanical Engineering Analysis

TITLE: Mechanical Engineering Analysis Intern LOCATION: Bellevue, WA, USA TerraPower is a nuclear technology company based in Bellevue,

Zero Hero.net

Graduate PhD (Summer) Intern – Battery Health/Life Estimation Algorithms

Posting TitleGraduate PhD (Summer) Intern – Battery Health/Life Estimation Algorithms.LocationCO - Golden.Position TypeIntern (Fixed Term).Hours Per

Zero Hero.net

Undergraduate/Graduate (Summer) Intern - Transportation Software Development

Posting TitleUndergraduate/Graduate (Summer) Intern - Transportation Software Development.LocationCO - Golden.Position TypeIntern (Fixed Term).Hours Per

Zero Hero.net

I continue to research, curate, and expand the number of companies on the list. These established companies and startups are doing truly amazing things related to solar, wind, hydrogen, energy storage, geothermal, carbon capture, low carbon materials, transportation and many others. Let me know if you have companies you would like to see added!