‘Women have a natural high competence in managing risk’

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As I observe the solar sector, I see a growing trend of openness and inclusiveness. I firmly believe that women not only have a significant role to play in this industry but their unique skills and perspectives are crucial for its success.

Solar energy, with its accessibility and lower cost of investment, is a beacon of empowerment. Compared to other sources like hydropower, nuclear, and wind, ordinary households can invest in solar production at various scales. This is especially true in a few European countries, like Sweden, which have robust incentive programs. As a result, many women and girls can access the technology from their homes and see how it benefits our daily lives, ultimately making it familiar, inspiring less fear and more courage to explore it as a career path.

Thanks to solar energy's accessibility, innovation and new ideas can be generated with fewer barriers. We become more daring to challenge current business models or requirements, and thus, we have bigger chances of succeeding.

While some aspects of installation work may seem less attractive to women, such as the demand for physical strength or working outdoors in cold climates, we can leverage our unique skills to excel in this sector. As women, we can accept our physical disadvantage while exploiting our strength to select roles and responsibilities. For example, every solar project requires investment analysis and project coordination, where our analytical skills and communication competence can contribute significantly to project success.

The role of the aggregator is to activate various resources, such as solar parks and batteries, to respond to the grid network demand with “front or behind” meters' services. Aggregators are involved in the bidding and trading process, as well as coordinating many players in the market, such as transmission system operators, distribution system operators, electricity retailers, installers, and resource owners.

In the Nordic region, aggregators are the new stars in the solar world because the frequency regulation market has started blooming, and asset owners can get financial benefits from aggregators to optimize their asset usage and shorten investment cycles. However, like many new businesses, it requires the new players to educate the market and train the network to get customers' acceptance in a trustworthy manner. Because it involves investment and trading, risk and expectation management must be implemented during customer relationship building.  Women have a natural high competence in managing risk and coordinating various aspects of a project, which can lead to sustainable relationships in business and the workplace, making us invaluable assets in the solar energy sector.

The frequency regulation industry, while young, is a promising field under the heavily regulated grid infrastructure. It's a dynamic area that offers ample opportunities for growth and learning. With a shortage of experts, there's plenty of room for everyone, regardless of age, gender or race, to develop expertise. A humble and eager-to-learn attitude is not just beneficial, it's essential. It can help newcomers quickly adapt and thrive in this exciting industry, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth.

From Transportation to ICT (Information and Communication Technology), from Fossil fuel to renewable energy, in the past twenty years, I have participated in the transformation of some Fortune 500 companies while taking some up-and-down hill journeys. It was indeed an educational path of my past career. Equipped with multinational corporation global views and start-up’s can-do spirit, I have established my own company, FENEC, focusing on 3 domains: Virtual Power Plant consultancy, Solar Energy Production and EV Charging Operation. FENEC supports clients in investment analysis and M&A. Meanwhile, FENEC invests in renewable energy production and applications. Beyond being an entrepreneur, I am also a national judge in artistic swimming competitions. For me, work and life should be balanced and harmonized. The happiest moments are watching my son and daughter train, play, and study. I believe successful mums can significantly contribute to guiding new generations to think and act more responsibly towards nature and society.

Interested in joining Ying Zhang and other women industry leaders and experts at Women in Solar Europe? Find out more: www.wiseu.network

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.

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