This week, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives voice to Ines Monroy, founder of Spain-based Licenciasocial.energy. She says the global renewable energy industry should be prepared to adress the so-called authority gap. “When I’ve adopted a neutral, professional tone to convey directives or focus on problem-solving, I’ve been met with comments suggesting that my approach was ‘bossy’ or ‘too harsh.’ My impression is that this reaction stems from ingrained stereotypes that expect women to be overly accommodating, even in roles where decisiveness and objectivity are critical,” she states.
January 3, 2025
Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu)
The renewable energy industry has made significant progress toward gender equality, as reflected in the latest available statistics. In 2023, women accounted for 38% of the workforce in the sector, a significant improvement compared to the 22% representation in the conventional energy industry. However, substantial barriers persist, particularly in leadership, where women hold only 13% of senior roles.
One of the most prevalent challenges has always been the visibility and recognition. I have often found that women needed to work harder to gain the same level of acknowledgement for their contributions compared to male colleagues. This isn’t necessarily due to overt discrimination but rather unconscious biases in how leadership potential is perceived, particularly in technical and managerial domains.
Leadership in this field can sometimes be associated with traits or styles that not necessarily are diverse, creating additional hurdles for women to break through. This, together with the perception that leadership roles are held by men may subtly affect decision-making during promotions or role assignments.
Then there is a broader issue that I have experienced, which is the “authority gap”. For instance, when I’ve adopted a neutral, professional tone to convey directives or focus on problem-solving, I’ve been met with comments suggesting that my approach was “bossy” or “too harsh.” My impression is that this reaction stems from ingrained stereotypes that expect women to be overly accommodating, even in roles where decisiveness and objectivity are critical.
Male colleagues in similar situations, on the other hand, are often seen as assertive or strong leaders, which are attitudes that are clearly rewarded in business contexts. This dynamic can create additional pressure for women, as we are sometimes expected to temper our authority to make it more palatable to others. This not only distracts from the work itself but also puts women at a disadvantage by framing professionalism as a flaw rather than a strength.
That said, throughout most of my career, I have been fortunate to earn the trust of my superiors, largely due to my work managing international business lines. The renewable energy sector offers immense opportunities for expanding into foreign markets and executing projects abroad, which allowed me to thrive in roles requiring global perspective and initiative. Opening and developing new markets and designing strategies tailored to their specific needs gave me the independence and authority to make decisions. This was critical for delivering strong results and allowed me from the very beginning to hold positions that involved leadership and managerial capabilities.