Female Leaders in Clean Energy

The energy industry still has a large gender gap, with only 26% of the workforce being women. Despite this lack of representation, women continue to break the glass ceiling, particularly in the renewable energy field. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) conducted a 2025 study regarding women in renewable energy and found that:

• Women represent 32% of the renewable energy workforce (full-time employees).
• The female share of full-time employment in the renewable energy sector is predominantly in administrative roles (45%).
• Women hold 19% of senior management and 26% of middle management roles.
• Women occupy 39% of part-time positions.

While these numbers are far from equal, female leaders in renewable energy are pushing the needle toward better representation and a cleaner energy future.

Renewable energy continues to grow as more nations fight climate change and push legislation to produce cleaner energy. However, many challenges still lie ahead for the industry. The main hurdles include building the infrastructure to harness renewable energy and integrate it into our power grid. This includes building more renewable power plants, storage options, and transmission lines.

Despite the field’s gender gap, women remain integral to tackling these obstacles and shaping a cleaner energy future. Explore some of the impressive work by women today in the renewable energy industry. While this list is not comprehensive of all the women pioneering our future, it showcases some of today’s female leaders.

Jennifer Layke, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Jennifer Layke was the Global Director of Energy at the World Resources Institute (WRI). In this role, she works at the intersection of renewable energy and energy access. One of her main projects is the Building Efficiency Accelerator, an initiative that brings together private and public collaborators to implement efficiency policies across over 50 cities. Jennifer was recently appointed the executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The ACEEE is a national organization that develops energy efficiency for buildings, transportation, and industries.

Beth Soholt, Clean Grid Alliance

Beth Soholt is the executive director of Clean Grid Alliance, an organization striving to improve renewable energy in the Midwest. It focuses on advancing renewable policies and building infrastructure to expand renewable energy, including transmission lines and battery storage. Soholt oversees transmission planning and state regulatory proceedings, both of which are key challenges in making renewable energy more accessible to all communities.

Dr. Vanessa Z Chan, University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering

Dr. Chan was the chief commercialization officer and Director of the Office of Technology Transitions at the Department of Energy (DOE) from 2021 to 2025. In this role, she was responsible for advancing clean energy technologies and programs. Dr. Chan helped create the Pathways to Commercial Liftoff, a series of reports from the DOE on how to decarbonize both the private and public sectors.

Dr. Chan is currently the Inaugural Vice-Dean of Innovations & Entrepreneurship at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. As a professor, she infuses her curriculum with her deep technical knowledge and real-world skills to prepare her students for the workforce. In addition to these achievements, she was listed as one of the most influential people in the Time100’s 2024 global climate list.

If the work of these women inspires you, you may be wondering how to get your foot in the door. Job opportunities in the clean energy sector are rapidly expanding and offer an excellent avenue to increase equality in the industry. The U.S. Energy & Employment Report 2025 by the Department of Energy (DOE) offers some key insights into the labor market.

• The energy sector employed 8.5 million workers in 2024, with the most jobs in Texas, California, and Michigan.
• The energy efficiency sector employed over 2 million people.
• Wind Turbine Service Technicians and Solar Photovoltaic Installers were included in the top 15 primary energy occupations.
• Women make up 29% of both the solar and wind electric power generation industries.

This data portrays an inspiring momentum for clean energy employment, especially for women. The fastest-growing occupations within the entire U.S. workforce are wind turbine technicians and solar panel installers. These jobs are projected to grow by 50% and 42%, respectively, by 2034. As the industry continues to grow, so does the possibility of closing the gender gap.

To make greater strides toward equality, the International Energy Agency (EIA) established the Gender Advisory Council, which analyzes gender disparities in the sector. The council develops actionable policies for inclusion within the energy industry and for consumers. One such policy is the Equal by 30 campaign, a public promise to work toward equal pay, better opportunities, and more leadership for women by 2030.

The wealth of opportunities in the clean energy industry offers a promising path toward equality in the greater energy sector. A more diverse future in the energy industry is well within reach, driven by significant employment growth and policy reform. Much of this progress is thanks to the numerous contributions from women who paved the way and continue to create more opportunities for future generations.