RMI has launched its Global Women in Clean Energy (GWiCE) Fellowship under the Energy Transition Academy (ETA), with cohorts in Africa and Indonesia. The initiative is designed to build technical and leadership capacity among women working in clean energy, including hydropower and other distributed energy systems.
The Africa cohort began in July 2025 and will continue through December. It includes 50 women from Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Zambia representing more than 45 organisations across engineering, project management, business development, government, consulting, and NGOs. The Indonesia cohort will begin in November and run through May 2026.
“The ETA GWiCE Fellowship responds to the gaps identified through our comprehensive needs assessment. It is designed to strengthen women’s technical and leadership capacity, with the goal of catalyzing an inclusive energy transition,” said Valentina Guido, Senior Associate, Energy Transition Academy, RMI. “Through technical training, group mentorship, peer networking, capstone work, and in-person leadership skills training, we aim to empower fellows to lead the deployment of distributed energy resource projects, ensuring that they are not just participants but also leaders in shaping the future of clean energy.”
The fellowship runs for five months and provides training on project implementation and management for distributed energy systems, including minigrids, solar PV, storage systems, and small-scale hydropower. The curriculum is delivered by experts from RMI’s Africa Energy Program and Islands team, as well as local and international partners including the Ethiopian Women in Energy Association (EWiEn), Lagos Energy Academy, the Global Women Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET), and Zambia’s Kafue Gorge Regional Training Center.
“Nigeria’s energy transition targets include achieving net-zero emissions by 2060 and increasing grid-connected power to 30 GW by 2030, with at least 30 percent from renewables,” said Suleiman Babamanu, Nigeria program director, RMI. “Reaching this milestone and the net-zero pathway to 2060 depends not only on policy and investment but also on a skilled workforce ready to design, build, operate, and maintain distributed renewable energy at scale. Without deliberate, rapid upskilling, meeting the 2030 targets will be challenging and may jeopardize our broader climate goals. Our fellowship program is purpose built to ensure that we have the capable talent needed to accelerate deployment and deliver high quality outcomes.”
Adey Getachew, president of EWiEn, said, “EWiEn is proud to collaborate with RMI on the Global Women in Clean Energy Fellowship. This partnership equips Ethiopian women with skills, mentorship, and global networks, enabling them to drive inclusive and sustainable energy solutions.”
Christine Lins, executive director of GWNET, added, “As an organization dedicated to empowering women in the energy transition, GWNET is honoured to partner with RMI on the Global Women in Clean Energy Fellowship. We are delighted to see the positive impact of the program’s inaugural cohort in Africa and look forward to the launch of the Indonesian cohort.”
The program concludes with the GWiCE Leadership Accelerator, a multi-day in-person workshop that follows the online training. The workshop focuses on leadership development, including strategic and systems thinking, communication, and stakeholder engagement.
The Indonesian cohort will follow the same structure, but with a focus on the country’s energy transition priorities. Recruitment begins in September.
“Indonesia’s energy transition is not only about technology and investment, but also about people and leadership,” said Wini Rizkiningayu, RMI Southeast Asia program director. “Through the Global Women in Clean Energy Fellowship, we are committed to unlocking the potential of early-career women professionals across sectors. By strengthening their technical expertise, leadership skills, and cross-sector networks, we aim to ensure that women working on the energy transition are leading the shaping of Indonesia’s clean energy future.”
