How would you feel if you were not represented in the environment you work in? In this day and age, representation for women matters more than anything, and we can’t take that for granted.
March 8th marks a time to celebrate all women in business who are part of the renewable industry. As crazy as it might sound, IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency, found that women make up 32% of the global workforce in renewable energy and 22% in oil and gas. Clearly, the industry is not close to the 50% goal to represent the diversity that exists in the world.
Today we want to celebrate women in the energy sector by showcasing Angharad Major, one of our delegates on the IOSH Construction and Operations Safety for Solar Power course. You can enjoy her interview below, where she shares some insight into her role at EDF Renewables and the solar power industry.
Q1. Can you please tell us about your role at EDF Renewables UK?
I work as the portfolio manager for solar and battery in the asset operations team within the renewables business.
As the asset owner/manager, I make sure we are maximising revenue generation and asset availability. It is also part of my role to ensure that our contractors and EDF comply with contractual obligations.
Q2. What is unique about the IOSH Construction and Operations Safety for Solar Power course?
The asset lifecycle approach to safety was appealing. I’ve seen operations go wrong so often, especially in solar, given how new this industry is. We tend to focus on hazard management when instead, the asset could have been designed differently to avoid the presence of certain hazards in the first place.
I also like the fact that we were taking off that “safety hat” and saying: “OK, it’s not only about safety at the coal face but about the investment that goes into the asset at the design stage. This prevents accidents from happening and reduces costs at the operations stage.
Q3. How was your overall virtual learning experience?
It was exciting having the discussion with other delegates. It was very multi-cultural, and different roles made the conversations very interesting.
We all added each other on LinkedIn. Staying connected and continuing to have these discussions, and learning from each other is very valuable.
Meeting leaders from other companies was great!
Q4. Would you recommend this programme?
Yes, absolutely, particularly to those in asset development. The course offers insight into the construction and operational aspects that developers should consider at the development stage.
This will allow them to have a long-term view of the asset, avoid risk and save money down the line.
I think contractors could also benefit from the programme. The risk assessment and PET models were fascinating and are not picked up often enough.
Q5. What advice would you give to fellow leaders in the industry?
My advice would be to have an open mind to H&S. The course didn’t feel like a typical H&S course, so that was great.
It’s important to understand that safety doesn’t come solely from the operations stage but rather from the decisions made by the management team at the development stage.
This is why making informed decisions at the development stage can reduce costs later on and improve performance. This course has helped me realise all of this.
Showcasing Angharad’s profile demonstrates the pride we take in celebrating women in our industry, our programmes, our team, and our supply chain. At ARMSA, every day is March 8th! We celebrate our diversity and inclusion with every meeting, every decision, every project, and every thought. There is no inequality because we play to our strengths.
Working with inspiring professionals, like Angharad amongst the 100’s of women in our midst reminds us of Maya Angelou’s famous words: “Nothing can dim the light which shines from within..”
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Women in business: The power of female professionals in the renewable industry © 2022 by Khalida Suleymanova is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
