ALIVE Releases New Research on Reducing Gender Gaps in Rural Solar Energy
ALIVE is pleased to announce the release of our latest gender research report, “Rural Women and Solar Energy: Barriers, Findings, and Opportunities for Companies in the Sector.”
Developed in collaboration with the Gender Knowledge Lab and Ingeniería Sin Fronteras Argentina, the report examines how solar energy initiatives can help reduce gender inequalities in rural communities. It also identifies opportunities for companies in the sector to integrate a gender perspective into their products, services, operations and business strategies.
The study focuses on Colombia and the Peruvian Amazon, where decentralized solar solutions play an important role in expanding energy access in remote and off-grid communities. The research draws on 14 interviews with company executives, civil society representatives and specialists, as well as a survey of 180 rural women who use solar energy.
One of the main findings of the study is that solar energy can have a significant positive impact on women’s everyday lives. Nearly all the women surveyed use solar energy for lighting, while two out of three use it for refrigeration and food preservation. Access to electricity can also improve connectivity, safety and access to education and health services, while supporting productive activities and creating new opportunities for economic autonomy.
However, access to solar technology alone is not enough. Although nearly all users of their own photovoltaic systems use them daily and would recommend them, 63% report that they cannot operate the systems independently. More than half of the women who own solar panels also say they received no training on how to use them. These findings point to a gap between gaining access to the technology and being able to fully benefit from it.
The research also finds that the integration of a gender perspective among companies in the solar energy sector remains at an early stage. Women continue to be underrepresented in technical and decision-making roles, while few companies have internal policies or clear responsibilities for advancing gender equality. Women’s participation in project implementation is often limited, and commercial communications tend to focus on technologies and equipment rather than the experiences of users and the benefits created in their everyday lives.
The report provides practical recommendations for companies seeking to address these gaps. These include developing a progressive gender roadmap, building the capacity of internal teams, incorporating women’s experiences into product and service design, and creating accessible commercial offerings adapted to the needs and incomes of rural women. Companies are also encouraged to provide practical training and visual guidance, strengthen after-sales support, measure social impact and communicate the changes their solutions generate for women and their communities.
By adopting these practices, companies can improve the relevance, adoption and long-term sustainability of solar energy solutions while expanding their market opportunities. Integrating a gender perspective is therefore not only an opportunity to reduce inequalities, but also a way to strengthen business models and contribute to a more inclusive and just energy transition.
Please find below the links to download the full report.
If you have any questions about the study or would like to explore collaborations for disseminating the results, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
