Women in Renewables

The CEC’s Women in Renewables initiative enables and champions women working in the renewable-energy industry. 

Over the next decade, CEC aims to establish the foundation and momentum for Australia to become a global energy superpower, achieving at least 75 per cent renewable energy by 2030. The council is dedicated to facilitating change in the renewables sector, supporting women in their current roles and building a community of like-minded people. Through empowering women, the renewable energy industry will flourish.

The Women in Renewables initiative has five core aims:

• Showcase the contribution of women in renewables.
• Provide professional-development opportunities and advice for women in renewables.
• Foster a sense of valued community and wider industry pride in Women in Renewables.
• Provide opportunities for informal self-guided development and support for women in renewables.
• Foster positive change in the renewable industry so it can be more inclusive and supportive of women.

The genesis of CEC can be traced back to the Solar Energy Industry Association, which first established renewable-energy industry accreditation in 1993.

In 2002, another industry association merger took place, with the Australian Eco-Generation Association forming the Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE). By this time, industry regulation had been established, with Australian standards for the renewable-energy industry in place and compliance with these standards a requirement for all design and installation work.

In 2007, members of BCSE and a competing association, AusWind, decided to merge, reducing the number of competing voices and presenting a stronger, united voice. The two organisations became CEC. CEC started Women in Renewables in 2015 to improve female representation across the industry in technical and professional roles.

Programmes include:

• Speakers guide: developed to assist event planners and media in diversifying the voices they present in the industry.
• Leaders pledge: enabling industry leaders to step up and pledge that they will be inclusive, promoting women’s achievements, and the panel pledge.
• Women in Renewables scholarship: enabling the professional development of female employees in the clean-energy industry. Multiple scholarships are available throughout the year.
• Women in Renewables mentoring programme: helps women working in the renewable-energy industry form connections and build lasting relationships across the sector.

In 1947, four financial analyst societies – Boston, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia – cooperated for the purpose of promoting the exchange of ideas and supporting the welfare of their profession. In 1962, some of these financial analysts created the CFA designation and established a code of conduct.

In 1963, the profession was formalised when 284 candidates sat the first CFA exam and 268 CFA charters were awarded. In 2004, the Association for Investment Management and Research changed its name to the CFA Institute. There are more than 170,000 CFA charterholders worldwide in 164 markets.

CFA Society Sydney was the first society to form in Australia in 1996, with Melbourne following in 2000 and Perth in 2012. Today, these three societies and a Brisbane chapter make up CFA Societies Australia.

CEC membership is open to companies that work in and support the clean-energy sector. As the peak body for the industry, it is the voice of its members. 

Members are eligible for Women in Renewables scholarships, mentoring programmes, event discounts and sponsorship opportunities.

CEC holds several events throughout the year, including large conferences, networking events, member-only briefings and roundtables, and technical forums.

The council’s jewel in the crown is the Australian Clean Energy Summit – the peak gathering of leaders driving Australia’s energy transformation. The two-day conference brings together heads of industry, government and finance to share the models, trends and technology innovations driving clean-energy adoption.

The All-Energy Australia Conference and Exhibition, which the CEC hosts in partnership with Reed Exhibitions, provides delegates with exclusive access to the latest technology, information and trends relevant to those working or investing in the renewables sector.

Each year, the Women in Renewables initiative hosts various events centred on supporting women in the industry and providing professional-development opportunities. These include the Women in Renewables breakfast at the Australian Clean Energy Summit and the Women in Renewables lunch at All-Energy Australia.