Wind Industry Walks the Talk: Two Historic Firsts for Gender Diversity in Renewable Energy
Johannesburg, 2 September 2025:
The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) has closed Women’s Month on a historic note, announcing two pioneering milestones: the launch of South Africa’s first Gender Diversity Study in Renewable Energy and the confirmation that Windaba 2025 will be the world’s first renewable energy conference fully moderated by women.
Last week, the Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, launched South Africa’s first Gender Diversity Study in Renewable Energy, in partnership with SAWEA and the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). On the same day, SAWEA announced that Windaba 2025 will be the first renewable energy conference in South Africa to feature an all-female line-up of moderators; a bold move that places women at the centre of the industry’s most influential platform.
Gender Diversity Study: A Legacy Realised
The Gender Diversity Study was first conceptualised over five years ago by the late former SAWEA CEO, Ms. Ntombifuti Ntuli. On 29 August 2025, this vision was realised with the study being officially launched as a national key report. Ms Ntuli laid the foundation for women to be more fairly represented, heard, and seen across our industry. “Ntombi’s vision continues to inspire SAWEA’s work, reminding us that transformation is not a parallel goal to energy transition but an integral part of it,” shares Niveshen Govender, CEO of SAWEA.
Speaking at the launch under the theme “Unlocking Women’s Participation in the Renewable Energy Sector”, Govender emphasised the sector’s responsibility to dismantle barriers for women.
The study reveals that women account for only 33.2% of the energy workforce. Alarmingly, 42% are confined to temporary roles, 26% occupy top management positions, and just 19% hold seats on boards.
“The Gender Diversity Baseline Study in the Renewable Sector offers an essential industry baseline, enabling those in the sector to track progress and shine a light on where inclusivity is lagging,” adds Govender. “By anchoring transformation in data, this will allow the sector to commit to tangible advancements in leadership, talent development, and overall equity.
The study can be accessed here
Windaba 2025: Women Leading the Conversation
In line with the study’s findings and its commitment to transformation in the industry, SAWEA has set another precedent by ensuring that every moderator at Windaba 2025 will be a woman expert drawn from the renewable energy industry. This marks the first time in both South Africa’s and the global renewable energy industry’s history that a major conference will be fully moderated by women.
This landmark decision signals more than symbolic representation - it is a demonstration of the depth of talent, expertise, and leadership women bring to the renewable energy sector. Windaba 2025 will showcase women not only as participants, but as agenda-setters shaping policy, finance, project design, markets, and enterprise leadership.
“We are shaping a renewable energy ecosystem that truly reflects and unleashes the full breadth of South African talent. The just energy transition is about more than megawatts—it is about people. Representation alone is not enough. Real inclusion means women shaping and leading the sector. With Windaba 2025, we are walking the talk,” Govender concludes.
