Energy and voice from women
Countries around the globe are moving towards working on strategies engaging all the concerned stakeholders in order to adopt Green Hydrogen Energy. Innovation requires diverse perspectives. Diversity unlocks innovation and drives market growth, and energy sector is in great need of it.
Green hydrogen energy can contribute to a range of sectors, including chemical processes, clean cooking and heating, re-electrification, transportation, and industrial process applications. Projects under this new technology can not only provide solutions to local challenges but also can align with global goals to mitigate climate change. Collaboration between the government, private sector, international partners, and university can accelerate the adoption of green hydrogen energy and create a supportive business ecosystem supported by the voice of women who will be potential users of this technology. Nepal government must take swift action to prepare a legal framework for green hydrogen technology to be at parity with other nations making legitimate advances and benefiting from its use.
Private sector investment is critical for the success of green hydrogen technology in Nepal. While government support is necessary to create an enabling policy and regulatory framework, the private sector can bring in the required financial resources, technical expertise, and market insights to accelerate the deployment of green hydrogen technology. Investment from private companies can also help to create a supportive business ecosystem for green hydrogen in Nepal. This includes the development of supply chains, logistics, and infrastructure to support the production, storage, and distribution of green hydrogen. Private sector investment can also catalyze innovation and entrepreneurship, leading to the creation of new business models, products, and services.
By working together, government, private sector, international partners, and universities can create a supportive business ecosystem for green hydrogen in Nepal, accelerate the growth of green hydrogen industries, and contribute to Nepal's sustainable and resilient development. NGOs and INGOs should play lead role in order to increase the visibility and amplify the voices of women working in green hydrogen energy sector. In this dynamic environment, which has witnessed an enormous increase in pilot projects, stakeholders in industry, transport, and energy are eager to recruit the best talent, and are constantly on the lookout for new ideas and solutions.
There should be network that provides a platform to connect, empower, and change. The goal should be to build a community to foster knowledge exchange, connect women in green hydrogen, and create professional opportunities. There should be aims to increase the visibility of women engagged in the green hydrogen economy; to connect and empower professionals from around the globe; and to enable a more diverse and inclusive sharing of ideas.
There should be expert database, and regular networking events to encourage knowledge exchange through social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter etc), thus fostering professional opportunities. This database should compile talented women in the sector. The community should aim to showcase female expertise, to connect technical experts with decision-makers, and to offer events. The database should also contain profiles of women entrepreneurs, academics, engineers, policymakers, lawyers, consultants, and many more. Bringing diversity to the stage should always be encouraged.
STEM representation
For years, women have been underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) university courses and occupations. In the last decade, the number of women working in engineering roles has increased; however, the overall percentage split is still very. There is still more to be done to reduce the gender gap in STEM fields if the society wants to see more representations in technically dominated women friendly sectors like enery, water, education, health etc.
Government should implement policies to encourage women to both study these subjects, and transition into the workforce. Specifically, computer Science, engineering, and technology fields show the largest gender imbalances according to the data available on volume of current students, graduates and the workforce figures.
Nepal government should allocate special budget for improving STEM education and support girls starting in early education and through K-12. Special program should be launched to attract, recruit and retain women into STEM subjects in colleges and universities.
Let investors operate in energy sectors; however, women should always raise issues on bringing down cost, efficiency etc especially in sensitive areas like energy. This will happen only when we have powerful women leaders with adequate technical knowledge in national policy decision making places.