Women at the centre of the energy transition: My story

The impact of climate change is being felt more profoundly with frequent heatwaves in some parts of the world, and wildfires and floods in others. 2024 was the hottest year on record, and the first year that temperatures soared 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Climate-linked disasters killed thousands and displaced millions last year alone. This stark reality is worse still for women, who are left vulnerable to health issues and with limited resources to fend for themselves. 

When I started out in the energy sector, I was conscious of the fact that women bear the greater brunt of climate change. The need for a sustainable lifestyle resonated with me and I wanted to contribute in my own way to bring about a difference. My journey in the energy sector coincided with some landmark developments, namely, the Electricity Act of 2003 and the Paris Agreement in 2015. In the early 2000s, India was facing energy deficits, calling for some bold reforms. My work at Mercados and ICF involved working on power market reforms, signalling the need for greater private sector participation and investment, transmission pricing etc. I did some significant work in terms of advising the government, policymakers, power developers, equity investors, and financial institutions. By 2012, India had overcome its energy deficit – the country had a National Grid and a robust power exchange. However, this growth in capacity was not necessarily sustainable. In 2015, the same year that the Paris Agreement was adopted, I moved to the International Institute for Sustainable Development to work on fossil fuel subsidy reforms and renewable energy investments. The work I did led to positive change, with the share of fossil fuel subsidies declining, while distribution companies remained the largest recipient of subsidies.  

In 2018, I joined the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), where I worked on a techno-economic analysis of the increasing share of clean energy, highlighting the increasing returns to investors. The work we did here was instrumental in helping India achieve more than 200GW of renewable energy, facilitating the decarbonisation of electricity, mobility and other hard to abate sectors. Investments in renewable energy projects went up from Rs10.8billion in 2018 to Rs20.9billion in 2024.

I have also represented the organisation and the country, both, at national and international forums to bring forth the voice of the Global South. At events like the G20 and COP, I have highlighted important issues like the need for carbon financing, the importance of impact investing and crowdsourcing in renewable energy financing, and the value of private sector participation in financing clean energy projects in South Asia. 

After joining IEEFA, I was even more inspired seeing women in leadership roles in different countries. With time, these women also became my allies, and together we worked to foster an environment at IEEFA that accounted for flexibility and transparency for everyone. Having women at the helm ensures that the benefits of women-centric policies actually percolate down to employees across all levels. Armed with several years of work experience before joining IEEFA, we were aware of the biases that women encounter at workplaces despite performance parity with men. We ensured that we had a fair maternity policy for women, allowing them the flexibility they needed to balance work and home, in addition to equal pay and perks for all. 

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Accelerate Action”, is a timely one. It highlights the need for tangible action rather than mere lip service to make women feel supported and on an equal footing with men. It was heartening to see that in this year’s budget, gender-focused allocations increased by 37.25% over last year. Offering incentives for first-time women entrepreneurs and other underrepresented communities through the creation of a new Rs100 billion fund is a good first step to encourage women to spearhead business ventures. 

Similarly, the government can provide financing to women at concessional rates, making it mandatory for banks to finance women-led entrepreneurs, and create job opportunities for them. Collaborations and partnerships between the government and the private sector are essential for bringing about meaningful change in climate leadership. 

The government can also incorporate case studies on women’s leadership in the educational curriculum so that students can draw inspiration from them. Stories of intrepid women who use their passion and skills to navigate personal and professional challenges can help “normalise” gender equality. With women’s participation in the energy sector having improved significantly over the past two decades, the sector is already seeing more women coming into the limelight, bringing about a comprehensive change in the climate space. 

At a recent team strategy session, several of my colleagues described me as a “role model” during an ice-breaker activity. Being recognised in such simple ways comes with unexpected joys. But I also feel a sense of responsibility towards my colleagues – especially the women – to help them earn that same badge someday.