“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”— Jane Goodall
With the recent celebration of earth day, the Ambassadors Program would like to take a moment to thank our gender equality champions that recognize the integral role of women and girls in protecting the Earth’s natural resources for future generations as we power forward clean energy transitions.
The Equality in Energy Transitions Initiative aims to accelerate gender equality and diversity in clean energy transitions and close the gender gap by 2030. The Ambassadors program looks to recognize women in leadership roles and showcase role models in the clean energy sector. We have a lot of great opportunities for you to get engaged like attending events and advancing your understanding of gender equality in clean energy transitions. Check out the Equality Initiative website to learn more.
Forward this newsletter to a friend to let them know about the Equality Initiative. Join by emailing EqualityInitiative@hq.doe.gov .
CHILE – Country Spotlight
We love to spotlight the amazing work our Ambassadors that uplift women in their clean energy careers and raise awareness on the importance of gender equality in the energy sector. Check out some of the amazing activities our Chilean Ambassadors are taking below.
Jocelyn Ann Black, Ambassador and Corporate Affairs ESG and Customer Manager at IMELSA ENERGÍA &
Paulina Musalem, Ambassador and Head of Sustainability Planning and Stakeholder Engagement, Enel Chile
Jocelyn Ann Black and Paulina Musalem have been taking concrete steps fulfilling her role as a champion of gender equality in the energy sector. Joceyln is serving as an advisor at Solar Week Chile, promoting women for panels in the event. Jocelyn also participated in a workshop for the Asociación Chilena de Comercializadores de Energía (ACEN) where she gave an inspiring talk on “Leading Diverse and Inclusive Energy Transitions” and shared the recently released Equal by 30 self-assessment tool. She also participated in the kickoff of the “Energizing Futures: by Women driving changes” initiative for the regional diversity and inclusion committee of Siemens Energy. The initiative seeks to recruit mentors, leaders and motivated women, to carry out workshops in schools, encouraging girls to gain confidence in the world of science and engineering (STEM careers).
Paulina recently participated in Enel Chile’s Women Innovation Lab communities Networking Workshop on “Strategic Connections; Women Forging Powerful Networks”. Paulina also participated in the Association of Women in Energy Women’s Day.
Ministry of Energy Women’s Month Video, April 2024
AUSTRALIA – Country Spotlight
Update from Australia – A message from Anna Collyer, Ambassador and Chair of the AEMC
Australia is taking steps to cultivate a brighter future for young women in STEM and clean energy sectors. Through the establishment of an Ambassador Working Group with all three Ambassadors, we are harnessing the power of collaboration and innovation to ignite the passion for science and technology among the next generation of female leaders. Meeting regularly, both in-person and virtually, this dedicated group of professionals from government and non-government sectors across the East Coast is committed to providing vital support and resources to empower female students, parents, and career advisors with the knowledge and insights needed to navigate the exciting pathways in clean energy careers.
The AEMC has set up an internal community engagement initiative called Sparking Interest. This program partners with institutions such as the Australian Academy of Technology, Science and Engineering and the University of New South Wales Digital Grid Futures Institute. Through Sparking Interest, AEMC staff actively participate in programs designed to inspire young women, offering mentorship, sharing experiences, and paving the way for high school students to embark on fulfilling journeys in STEM and the clean energy sector.
Note to Self – Expand your Knowledge
Rapid Q&A Session with Equality Initiative Ambassador Eva Dvorak,
Eva Dvorak, Head of the Austrian Coordination Office for Energy Communities at the Climate- and Energy Fund and Ambassador for the Equality Initiative, is convinced: “Women are very well educated and we certainly cannot afford to do without 50 per cent of the top performers.
Unveiling the Gender Gap in the Energy Sector: New Insights (blog post)
A landmark study commissioned by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) in collaboration with empirica, Portia, Frauenhofer-IAO CeRRI, DIW-Econ, GDCC and ÖGUT sheds light on gender balance in R&I to improve the role of women in the energy transition.
Event: User-Centred Energy Systems Academy: Can we achieve a just transition when so many energy users remain hidden? (online)
May 22, 2024 (3:00-4:00 PM)
The Users TCP Hard-to-Reach Energy Users (HTR) Task has recently started Phase 2, which focuses on energy users that are not just hard-to-reach, but who remain hidden from the attentions of policy makers, programme managers and researchers.
This webinar will present the Users TCP field research to date and hopes to invite questions and commentary from parties interested in, and focusing on, hidden energy users around the world.
Energizing Change: Women Shaping the Future of Latin American and Caribbean Energy
May 20-21, 2024, Bogota, Columbia
This in person workshop builds on an event held in April 2022 in Merida, Mexico. There will be opportunities for speaker roles as well as sponsorship opportunities.
Through several presentations, panels, and a tech fair, a variety of strategies and experiences will be shared and discussed to equip women with the tools and strategies to minimize obstacles they might face in the energy industry.
Adapting Agrivoltaics for Solar Mini-Grids In Haiti (report)
By the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the US Agency for International Development
Did you know that less than 2% of the rural population in Haiti has access to electricity and almost half the population facing acute hunger? One solution to help address energy poverty in Haiti has been the development of distributed solar, particularly solar mini-grids.
But what does that have to do with gender? According to this report “Agrivoltaics offers several key entry points for gender mainstreaming, including project design, partnerships, agricultural production/processing, markets/distribution, training, workforce development, community engagement, and financial/digital inclusion.”
A Quick Update from the Ambassadors Program
This May members of the Equality in Energy Transitions Initiative are traveling to Indonesia to participate in preparatory meetings for the 15th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM15) happening in Foz do Iguaçu this fall. The Equality Initiative aims to use this opportunity to advance gender considerations in the Clean Energy Ministerial workstreams and enhance our relationships with partners.
As we look to continually raise our ambitions – we are excited to work with the CEM15 Brazilian Presidency to showcase the importance of just energy transitions.
