The modern world is smoothly drifting towards achieving complete decarbonization of the energy sector by the middle of this century. What is the role of renewable energy sources in this process, how is the policy of national governments changing in this regard, what problems do we have to face, what is the role of women in the energy transition? About all this - in an interview with Ms. Christine Lins, Co-Founder, Global Women's Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET). 

 Ms. Christine Lins, how important is energy transition for different nations? What is the role of renewables in the process of decarbonization?

 The Paris Agreement means nothing less than a total decarbonization of the energy sector at least by 2050. Renewables play a major role in that process. According to REN21’s recently launched Renewables 2023 Global Status Report, the ongoing energy crisis, exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has exposed the vulnerability of fossil fuels, bringing more attention to renewable energy as a stable and cheaper energy source.

Although deployment of renewable energy is showing steady growth, they accounted only for 12.6% of total final energy consumption in 2021, while fossil fuels remained at 78.9% and nuclear and traditional biomass at 8.5%. With a record 30% share, renewable electricity is driving the energy transition. Solar photovoltaics (PV) had another record year of growth in 2022, with a 37% increase in additional installed capacity.

National governments are increasingly recognising the economic and social benefits of renewables. By the end of 2022, 128 countries had in place economy-wide targets for renewable energy, although only 31 countries had targets for 100% renewables, most of them for the year 2050. Deployment of renewables contributes to growth in gross domestic product and creates employment opportunities. In 2021, renewable energy employment increased to reach a record high of 12.7 million jobs; women are still underrepresented in the energy sector.

What common challenges for many countries with high dependence on fossil fuels in electricity generation and heating in the process of energy transition?

 It is clear that there will be winners and losers in the energy transition. Research has discussed the expected challenges of fossil fuel producing countries, which risk losing parts of their economies’ production capacities, and thus their wealth. The following challenges will be of particular importance:  

1.    Assessing the macroeconomic implications for fossil fuel reliant countries, taking into account the timeline of the transition

2.    Modelling the various price dynamics that could occur as the demand for fossil fuels declines

3.    Economic diversification of such countries

4.    Identifying scenarios in which the international community compensates states for voluntarily stranding their fossil fuel reserves.

 How the energy crisis in Europe effected the EU policies on energy transition? Can we assume the renewables as a mechanism of the energy sustainability and as we can say – national security?

 The global energy crisis, characterized by supply chain disruptions, price volatility, and geopolitical tensions, has underscored the importance of energy security. European countries aim to enhance their energy security by reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports and diversifying their energy sources through renewable energy developments. This is highlighted by the emergence of energy related policies such as the European Union’s REPowerEU, which aims to bridge the gap between regional energy supply and demand through renewables.

 What are the current trends which will make and influence for the future development of renewables? Do you think that energy storage technologies may help to provide with solution for disbalances in the grid from renewables?

 There is a growing trend towards decentralized energy systems, where small-scale renewable energy installations, combined with energy storage, cater to local communities and enhance grid resilience.

 Furthermore, the rise of electric vehicles presents opportunities for vehicle-to-grid solutions, allowing EV batteries to store and supply electricity back to the grid when needed, thereby contributing to grid stability.

 Finally, sector coupling will play a key role in future energy transition scenarios. To achieve significant decarbonization, all major sectors that contribute to emissions such as electricity generation, transportation as well as heating and cooling need to be addressed. Sector coupling facilitates the integration of renewable energy across these sectors, allowing for more efficient and widespread decarbonization.

 There is a new direction, which seriously affects many energy policies – development of “green” hydrogen. Besides the fact that technologically there a lot of issues, do you think that it may negatively effects on ecological conditions, for example, water resources sustainability?

 Green hydrogen is hydrogen produced through a process called electrolysis, where water is split into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable energy sources like solar, wind, or hydroelectric power. It is considered a clean and sustainable energy carrier since its production does not release carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. However, the production of green hydrogen does have some potential implications for water scarcity.

 The process of electrolysis requires a significant amount of water to produce hydrogen. In regions already facing water scarcity, this could exacerbate the problem. If water is diverted from essential uses like agriculture or drinking water to produce hydrogen, it may worsen water scarcity issues and have negative impacts on local communities.

 To address these challenges and ensure sustainable green hydrogen production, several measures can be taken:

 1.    Water-efficient electrolysis technologies: Carrying out research on improving the efficiency of electrolysis processes to minimize water consumption while maintaining high production rates.

 2.    Water recycling and reuse: Implementing strategies to recycle and reuse water during the hydrogen production process can help reduce overall water demand.

 3.    Site selection: Choosing locations for green hydrogen production where water resources are abundant can mitigate the impact on regions already experiencing water scarcity.

 4.    Integrated water management: Governments and industries should develop integrated water management plans that consider the needs of all stakeholders, including the potential impact of hydrogen production on local water resources.

 It's crucial to strike a balance between the benefits of green hydrogen as a clean energy carrier and the potential impacts on water resources to ensure a sustainable energy future.

 6.    How important is to secure the gender balance in the energy sector? What problems women are facing with in the energy sector and how fostering of participation of women in the development of renewable may help the processes of transition?

 The energy sector workforce is characterised by a gender gap greater than most other sectors. As stated in the report “Renewable Energy: A Gender Perspective” by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the energy industry is far from being gender-balanced with only 22% of women in the oil & gas sector workforce and 32% in the renewable energy workforce. According to Ernst & Young’s Women in Power and Utilities Index, only 5% of board executives and 16% of board members of the top 200 utilities are women.

 In the Global Roadmap for Accelerated SDG 7 Action in Support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, published in early November 2021 and taking into account the UN GA High Level Dialogue on Energy, UN Secretary-General Guterres emphasizes that “gender equality and women’s empowerment must be prioritized, including empowering women in the design, production and distribution of modern energy services, including for productive uses, as well as equal representation of women in decision-making processes in the area of energy”.

Women have a lot to offer for the sustainable energy sector. Scientific research has found that a diversified workforce delivers better results, not only in terms of increased creativity and innovation potential, but also related to better decision-making and greater profits. Initial research findings have also led to conclude that companies with more women on their board of directors are inter alia more likely to invest in renewable power generation, mitigate climate change and proactively address environmental concerns. Still, this potential has not yet translated into a substantially narrower gender gap in the energy sector. Considering that the workforce in the renewable energy sector is predicted to rise from 12,7 million jobs today to about 42 million jobs in 2050, the attraction of female talent will be crucial to ensure a thriving sector.

 Could you tell us about Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET) and how women from Kazakhstan can participate?

 A group of senior energy professionals including myself got together in 2017 to create GWNET, the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition, a global network aimed at empowering women working in sustainable energy in both developed and emerging/developing countries at different career levels from both the public and private sector through interdisciplinary networking, advocacy, training and mentoring.

The network which currently consists of over 3.500 members from 150+ countries is open to individuals and corporations who are committed to gender balance in the energy sector and who wish to connect with their peers to advance the energy transition more rapidly. In 2022, we implemented a women empowerment project for women in energy from Central Asia on behalf of OSCE. In March 2022, 28 women from all five Central-Asian countries were selected for participation in the programme. The participants came from a range of backgrounds and included engineers, researchers, financiers, and entrepreneurs. They worked for NGOs, universities, utilities, energy companies, international organizations, and investment funds, on energy efficiency, hydrogen, hydropower, waste-to-energy, solar PV, community energy and many other issues. The highlight of the programme for many was the study tour to Vienna, which took place in late October/early November 2022. Seventeen participants enjoyed five days of high-level meetings, site visits, a leadership workshop, and the 5th Vienna Energy Security Dialogue, convened by OSCE and the World Energy Council (WEC). Currently, a study on study on women in Central Asia's energy workforce is about to be finalized and will be released soon. Stay tuned!

 Khorlan Ayazbekova, Head of Strategy Office, Department of Strategy and Investment Portfolio Management  NC KazMunayGas JSC

Christine Lins has been promoting the transition to renewable energy sources and energy efficiency for the past twenty years. Her career started in Austria, where she was born and grew up, then spread to the European and global level.

While working in Brussels, she helped create the European Renewable Energy Council. In July 2011, she was appointed as Executive Secretary REN21, a 21st Century Renewable Energy Policy Network headquartered at the United Nations Environment Programme in Paris, France. In May 2017, she co-founded the Global Women’s Network for Energy Transition (GWNET )