Majority of Women in the Energy Sector Advocate for Policies Addressing Gender Issues to Achieve Clean Energy Targets: Study
The IESA Women in Energy Forum Report, launched at the India Energy Storage Week 2025, emphasises the critical role of women in shaping India's clean energy transition. The comprehensive study, conducted across 26 states in India, reveals that women are making significant contributions across the energy value chain but remain underrepresented in leadership roles.
According to the report, women hold less than 1 percent of leadership roles in India's energy sector and account for only 11 percent of the energy distribution workforce. This underrepresentation is far below the global average of 32 percent in energy sector leadership roles.
Debmalya Sen, President of IESA, stated that women are leading the energy transition from the frontlines. The report highlights that 14 percent of the women surveyed believe that women should be positioned not only as beneficiaries but also as decision-makers and leaders in the clean energy transition.
The report focuses on the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles and the energy distribution workforce in India's energy sector. It outlines key challenges for increasing women's participation and leadership, including the lack of gender-responsive policies and regulatory frameworks that address the unique barriers women face in the sector. Sixty percent of women working in India's energy sector urge the introduction of gender-responsive policies to support the country's clean energy roadmap.
The solutions proposed to overcome these challenges focus on implementing gender-responsive policies, strengthening government schemes, and creating enabling environments through initiatives like PM Surya Ghar, PM KUSUM, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission. These initiatives aim to unlock women's full potential in driving the clean energy transition, with women not only participating but also leading efforts in energy storage, green hydrogen adoption, and renewable energy expansion.
The report concludes with the Women in Energy Felicitation Ceremony, celebrating women leaders driving change across policy, business, technology, and community engagement in the sector. A short documentary presented by ReNew depicted the story of women salt farmers using clean energy solutions to improve livelihoods in remote areas.
Representatives from Vedanta Group and the CES CARE team shared how inclusive initiatives are transforming work environments in mining and energy operations. The event underscored the need for inclusive hiring, leadership development programs, and institutional support to create a more enabling environment for women in the energy sector.
The article, published by Staff India, an international franchise of Media, underscores the need for strong regulatory frameworks to increase women's participation in the energy sector. As India aims to reach 500 GW of clean energy by 2030, the report advocates for targeted policy reforms and supportive government programs that can foster greater inclusion and leadership of women in the clean energy sector to meet India’s clean energy goals by 2030.
[1] IESA Women in Energy Forum Report, 2025 [2] India Energy Storage Week 2025
- The IESA Women in Energy Forum Report, launched during India Energy Storage Week 2025, underscores the significant contributions of women across the energy value chain in India, highlighting their underrepresentation in leadership roles.
- According to the report, less than 1 percent of leadership roles in India's energy sector are held by women, with only 11 percent accounted for in the energy distribution workforce.
- Debmalya Sen, President of IESA, asserted that women are spearheading the energy transition from the frontlines, and the report indicates that 14 percent of women surveyed believe women should be decision-makers and leaders in the clean energy transition.
- The report emphasizes the lack of gender-responsive policies and regulatory frameworks as a primary challenge for increasing women's participation and leadership in the energy sector.
- To overcome these challenges, the report suggests implementing gender-responsive policies, strengthening government schemes, and creating favorable environments through initiatives like PM Surya Ghar, PM KUSUM, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
- The report stresses the importance of celebrating women leaders driving change across various sectors, such as policy, business, technology, and community engagement, within the energy sector.
- As India targets 500 GW of clean energy by 2030, the report advocates for strong regulatory frameworks, targeted policy reforms, and supportive government programs to foster greater inclusion and leadership of women in the clean energy sector.
