OCTOber 14th, 2024

If you’ve run a solar or energy efficiency workshop, you’ve probably come across the “old bloke up the back with a million technical questions”.

(Stereotype disclaimer: I’m one of those old blokes….).

As frustrating as some of his questions may be, he’s just acting out a traditional gender role, according to a paper (https://lnkd.in/gKDuEifr) examining the roles of men and women in the adoption and use of rooftop solar in Norwegian and British households.

The research found that men tended to be more involved in decision-making about purchasing and installing solar (including size, type, brand etc.). The burden of adjusting domestic routines to take advantage of solar (such as running washing machines at different times) tends to fall more on women.

It suggests we need to think about these gendered roles in our communications and engagement. This includes addressing those roles (and being patient with those million technical questions) and challenging them, through the images and messaging we use to promote solar to women. Putting women front and centre, in both the images used of installers and users, could open up new audiences.