Note from Cecilia Giralt

Cecilia Giralt worked at the National Undersecretariat of Renewable Energy between 2016 and 2019. She is currently the president of the Association of Women in Sustainable Energy of Argentina (AMES Argentina), as well as a renowned international consultant on this subject.

'We created AMES in February 2019 when renewable energy was booming in Argentina. What motivated us was seeing that, in the discussion panels or exchanges at events, all the speakers were men. That’s when we realized that women working in the sector were not being visible.'

A few years later, they conducted a research study on Gender and Energy in Argentina's electrical sector, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which revealed these findings. (IDB) (https://publications.iadb.org/en/gender-and-energy-in-argentina-womens-participation-in-the-electricity-generation-sector)

- How present are women in the energy sector?

- According to this study, in the subsector of electricity generation, the greatest participation of women is concentrated in renewable energy. In thermal generation, only 10% of the workers are women. This percentage increases to 11.3% in hydroelectric power, 15.4% in biomass, and 16.7% in small hydroelectric plants. Finally, in solar and wind energy, it is 21.6% and 29.3%, respectively.

- What barriers exist in the energy sector that prevent greater female presence?

- We identified several. One is social and cultural. When women choose their university or technical careers, they do not typically select professions related to our sector or what are commonly called STEM careers. This is a cultural bias. There is a belief that engineering or scientific careers are only for men. What the report shows is that 60% of women studying university careers, only 25% choose STEM careers. The report also identified another barrier, which is the recruitment done by companies when filling positions. The job advertisements tend to be male-oriented. Therefore, women do not apply, and these positions end up being filled by men. A third barrier is retention within companies once women are hired. Here, issues with working conditions, lack of flexibility to balance family and work, and situations of violence or harassment are evident. It is very difficult for women to balance family and work. In cases of violence and workplace discrimination, this can manifest in serious issues such as harassment or lack of recognition for the work we do, which in many cases leads to frustration and inequities compared to male colleagues. Finally, it’s important to highlight what the report called 'vertical segregation,' commonly known as the 'glass ceiling,' which refers to the opportunity for women to hold leadership positions. The report showed that one in every ten women holds these positions in large companies, while eight in every ten hold them in SMEs. A very strong statistic for the 21st century.

- How do you analyze the situation of sustainable energy in Argentina?

- Thanks to the Renovar Program launched in 2016, there was a significant increase in renewable energy in Argentina’s national energy matrix, across various technologies. Prior to that date, renewable energy participation was almost nonexistent, under 1%. Today, in 2023, that percentage averages 14% per month, excluding hydroelectric energy. This increase was achieved thanks to public policies promoted by the government, which also opened up a dynamic local production sector due to the incentives for local components in generation equipment. As a result, from 2016 to 2019, much work was done in alliances with foreign technologists, many of whom established themselves in the country and welcomed the local component as it made their products more competitive. For example, in the wind industry, developments were made for the construction of towers with local companies and some parts and components of wind turbines. Unfortunately, the lack of continuity of these policies, along with the country’s severe macroeconomic problems, diminished the installed capacity that had been achieved, and many of those capabilities and investments were lost. In this capital-intensive industry, continuity and clear rules are needed to not only sustain those investments but also generate new ones.

- What future scenario do you envision?

- Green hydrogen is a subsector that should grow a lot in Argentina and opens opportunities for women. Worldwide, there is already significant female participation in this field, and even a global association (Women in Green Hydrogen, WiGH). From AMES, we are in partnership with this association and working hard to open the local sector to women because we believe it will be the energy of the future. We are in an energy transition era from the oil economy to the hydrogen economy, and as more women become aware and involved, there will be more opportunities for us.

- What should the country do to advance with green hydrogen?

- Argentina has already formulated a national strategy on hydrogen. Now, we need to work on certifications and regulations to implement the entire value chain that hydrogen implies, which is extensive. We must also focus efforts on generating a public policy that positions us in the global context. But above all, we need to work hard to create the macroeconomic conditions that facilitate investment and establish legal certainty. The country’s potential is enormous and can generate significant foreign exchange. An important aspect is to create training and educational spaces in human resources, as although this sector is emerging, there aren’t many experts prepared. One of the most suitable regions for locating projects is Patagonia, given its wind generation capacity, which makes the energy cost highly competitive for producing green hydrogen. We also have important solar radiation sectors, where it could be produced, though they are far from the sea. Access to water is a crucial factor for project development, and to avoid competition with freshwater, the water must be desalinated.

- What role can lithium and lithium batteries play in this energy scenario?

- Lithium can play a very important role. Renewable energies are intermittent, so technologies are needed to store energy when turbines and panels are running and cannot inject that energy into the grid. That’s where batteries are vital. Also, in the use of electromobility, and even in fuel cells for hydrogen-powered vehicles. It is an industry with significant potential in Argentina and will play a major role in the energy transition.

- How should Argentina approach the lithium value chain productively?

- We need to ensure that all the lithium extraction ventures we already have, and those that will come, integrate into the national industrial sector so that the country not only exports raw materials but also manufactures the batteries. It’s not necessary for everything to be local. Agreements can be made with foreign capital for the local manufacturing of parts and components for those batteries or subproducts, generating employment and giving us access to the know-how of that technology. The country has a scientific hub already working on these issues, and industries that can be revitalized to enter these new production chains. There are countries in the region that are already better positioned than us, such as Brazil and Chile, so we must not miss the opportunity in hydrogen and adding value to lithium. The world is in need of new technological solutions for energy, and many sectors will electrify, but those that cannot will need hydrogen as fuel. There’s a global trend to decarbonize the economy to protect the planet, and there’s no turning back.

- Beyond the climate urgency due to global warming, do you think the industrial sector will begin to demand clean energy in order to export to countries that require decarbonized matrices?

- Yes, and this is where the government must support the private sector, or we will be left out of the global market. Argentina should think about a strong public policy to have a clean energy and productive matrix. Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil are leading the way in the region. There is a key year ahead, 2030, and it’s coming up quickly. We need to think about the energy sources that will sustain our economy when there are already border barriers for products that don’t have low CO2 emission origin certificates. Hydrogen and lithium are two sectors that can complement each other in energy and production, and I believe that’s where we can make a difference for both our planet and our economy.