Why are there still a shortage of women in the energy and renewable energy sector? It's not just a matter of educational choices. Although women are increasingly pursuing higher education and emerging among STEM students, their participation in these fields remains relatively small; in many countries, women earn only about a third of STEM degrees, and in some countries this percentage drops to around 20%. Although the topic of the presence of women in the exact and technical sciences is broad enough that it deserves a separate discussion, it is worth paying attention at this stage to educational and professional paths, which means that some areas of the labor market are still avoiding them. As a result, industries such as renewable energy are losing access to a significant pool of competence and talent. Data from the study published in early December World Energy Employment (WEE) show that although women make up about 40% of the world's workforce, in the energy sector their share is only around 20%. This level has remained relatively constant for years, which may be surprising given the dynamic development of the renewable energy sector. One of the factors pointed out in the report is the established segmentation of the labor market. The fastest growth in employment in the RES sector concerns skilled physical professions (the so-called. Skilled trades), such as electricians, fitters or welders, in which women traditionally make up a small percentage of workers. At the same time, a significantly higher representation of women is evident in areas related to research and development (45%) and production of electrical equipment (27%). This may be partly due to the fact that women are more likely than men to have a higher education; in the European Union, in the 25-34 age group, 49% of women have a degree compared to 38% of men (Eurostat), and a similar female advantage is evident in most OECD countries. This phenomenon is part of broader educational and cultural patterns that lead women more often to professions requiring academic qualifications and less often to technical physical professions. Energy Transformation? Yes, but fair
If the development of renewable energy is to be based on values such as the good of the environment and people, it is difficult to imagine not including women in the whole project. This is also emphasized by the members International Energy Agency (IEA), an intergovernmental organisation set up in 1974 and operating under the OECD, which analyses energy markets, advises governments on energy policy and publishes reports on, inter alia, renewable energy, energy security and energy transition. Poland, along with 31 member states such as Germany, France, the USA and Japan, also influences the IEA's research directions. One of the areas chosen for analysis are issues related to Gender in Energy, including improving the collection of data on women and men and expanding gender analysis in energy policy. Parallel research International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) - a specialized intergovernmental organization dedicated to the analysis of the global energy transition and the development of RES - show that women represent only 32% of full-time jobs in the renewable energy sector. It follows that women remain significantly underrepresented in the sector, and there is a large, untapped potential for talent and prospects that could contribute to a more equitable and inclusive energy transition. In addition to the untapped competence potential, women's entrepreneurship remains an important opportunity for the RES sector, which can support both improved energy access and sustainable economic development. Although this potential is still underexploited in the renewable energy sector as a whole, IRENA reports indicate that, for example, photovoltaics offers special opportunities in this regard. This is particularly the case for decentralised energy systems (DRE), which foster local initiatives, micro-enterprises and new business models in which the participation of women can be relatively easier. All this clearly shows that not only society needs renewable energy sources, but green technologies themselves benefit from the presence of women in leadership positions. Research from the University of Berkeley shows that companies with gender-diverse boards are more likely to invest in renewables and take environmental risks into account in their operations. Meanwhile, women still represent less than 15% of executives in the energy sector as a whole (IEA, IRENA), and in RES their share rises to 32%, with administrative roles still dominating. This represents a significant, untapped potential that could significantly support the development of the sector. Initiatives involving women in RES One of the programs supporting women in the renewable energy sector is Women's Energy in Transition — Polish Edition, organized by Dalkia Polska under the honorary patronage of the French Embassy in Poland. The aim of the programme is to support female students and graduates in energy and related fields by rewarding the best thesis on energy transformation, as well as creating career opportunities such as paid internships and increasing visibility in the industry. In the 4th edition of the project, which started in autumn 2025, participants can submit engineering and master's theses defended in recent years, and the winners receive financial prizes, internships in Dalkia Group companies and expert support. The program engages in partnership 11 Polish technical universities and aims to increase the participation of women in technical and decision-making roles in the energy sector and to break down gender barriers in the industry. This is an extremely important initiative, especially in the context of the growing number of women studying in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics); research shows that many of them often give up their professional work, among others due to the lack of systemic support for further career development. It is also worth remembering that in 2020 the European Commission adopted the “EU Strategy for Gender Equality 2020-2025”, which highlighted discriminatory social norms and stereotypes about the skills of women and men and the underestimation of women's work in certain sectors.
3. https://www.iea.org/topics/energy-and-gender
4. https://krytykapolityczna.pl/swiat/kobiety-w-oze-agata-skrzypczyk/ 5. https://dalkiapolska.com/pl/ruszyla-iv-edycja-women-s-energy-in-transition-polish-edition 6.https://education.ec.europa.eu/pl/focus-topics/digital-education/action-plan/Women-participation-in-STEM
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