This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Floriane de Brabandère. Founding President of the French National Solar Energy Federation (FNES). She says Inclusion is also about providing people with the practical means to succeed. “You cannot retain talent that is poorly equipped,” she states.
Solar is one of the rare industries that brings together fieldwork, engineering, finance and administration: as many playing fields as possible for all genders and all abilities. As a young industry, born without specific degree requirements, it escaped the traditional glass ceiling of engineering. Solar is the most gender-balanced renewable energy sector in the world, with 40% of jobs held by women according to IRENA, far ahead of construction or fossil fuels. Women access real pivotal positions, as project leads rather than just assistants. Finally, it is a work of conviction: we carry values of sustainability shared by all genders.
This diversity is one of the reasons our industry is so resilient. Solar speaks to everyone and can therefore be built by everyone. An industry that reflects its customers understands their needs better and inspires trust. Through the regulatory cycles our sector has faced in France, I have seen that diverse teams bring different perspectives, detect risks earlier and imagine a wider range of solutions. Diversity also fuels innovation. Solar also creates local jobs that cannot be relocated. These jobs must be accessible to every profile in the region, and that is precisely what makes it such an attractive and innovative industry.
