A new report has discovered a gender “imbalance” exists within the renewable energy sector.

A survey and study by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) found that women only represent 32% of the sector, while holding a significantly low proportion of top jobs.

While the sector is performing better than the energy sector as a whole (oil and gas has a 22% female representation) , only 5% of women hold executive board positions.

The percentage of women undertaking executive roles has also remained stagnant in recent years.

The Renewable Energy: A Gender Perspective report also found that only 19% of women hold non-executive role, with 14% on senior management positions.

Rabia Ferroukhi, acting director of knowledge, policy and finance for Irena, said: “When I first began my career in the energy sector, very few of my fellow researchers or analysts were women. At

the time, this seemed to be the norm in energy-related jobs.

Some two decades later, this pattern has started to change, in part thanks to the emergence of renewables and the more holistic, democratised energy future they represent.

“If the global energy transformation is to drive sustainable growth and development, it needs to be inclusive in every sense. And women have to be part of it.”

Irena estimates that jobs in the sector will increase from 10.3 million currently, to 29 million globally by 2050.

Irena director, Adnan Z. Amin said the sector “needs to engage” to encourage and retain more women.

Adding that female leadership in renewable energy is “crucial” if the sector wants to ensure it addresses the needs of modern societies globally.

Mr Amin said: “As the report illustrates, gender equality, along with a wider sharing of the benefits from the global energy transformation, is not only a question of fundamental fairness.

“It is also essential to shaping positive social and economic development outcomes.

“Women provide valuable perspectives on key decisions, from investment priorities to project design.”