WCS Blog

WAITING TO BE READY IS A HINDRANCE Background:  Linda Merritt is the Director of Quality for Signal Energy, a Chattanooga-based renewable energy company responsible for large scale and [...]

A CONVERSATION WITH KELLY RATCHINSKY, CO-LEAD ON THE PITCH COMPETITION COMMITTEE AND SARA FUENTES, VICE CHAIR OF WCS Sara: Let’s hear about your role and the history of the Pitch Competition. [...]

FROM HORSES TO AUTOMOBILES IN 13 YEARS: INFORMING THE TRANSITION TO CLEAN TRANSPORTATION Background:  Dr. Elizabeth A. Kocs Director, Partnerships & Strategy, University of Illinois at [...]

SAN DIEGO (PRWEB) AUGUST 18, 2020 TerraPro Solutions CEO Kimberlee Centera will present a three-part webinar series with Women in Cleantech & Sustainability. The series is designed to empower [...]

Dear WCS Community, WCS condemns injustice against the Black community in recent events and the long-standing, systemic racism throughout American society. As an organization, we have spent the [...]

WCS Member of the Month highlights the amazing stories of female leaders in the industry. This month, we spotlight Sindhu Kotha, Finance and Strategy at Proterra.Is it true that you [...]

WCS Member of the Month highlights the amazing stories of female leaders in the industry. This month, we spotlight Morgan LaManna, Senior Manager, Investor Engagement at Ceres.Please introduce us [...]

WCS Member of the Month highlights the fantastic stories of female leaders in the industry. This month, we spotlight Maria Saltz, Sr. Manager, Marketing and Customer Insights at AdobeWCS: What [...]

Artveoli Wins First Startup Pitch Competition for Women-Led Cleantech and Sustainability Companies in the United StatesArtveoli Inc.'s breathable art takes home the prize at 5th Annual Women in [...]

It’s that time of year again, the time to be inspired by some of the brightest minds in Cleantech at WCS Talks 2018. Women in Cleantech and Sustainability (WCS) has been hosting informative [...]

WCS Member of the Month highlights the amazing stories of female leaders in the industry. This month, we spotlight Ranyee Chiang, Technology Officer for Bay Area Air Quality [...]

WCS Member of the Month highlights the amazing stories of female leaders in the industry. This month, we spotlight Sara Prochasson, Smart Grid Analyst for Enedis. WCS: Please introduce us to [...]

WCS Member of the Month highlights the amazing stories of female leaders in the industry. This month, we spotlight Courtney Condon, Senior Project Manager at Lucid. WCS: Please introduce us to [...]

  Every year in Silicon Valley, WCS Talks brings together bright minds, inspiring stories, and valuable wisdom. This year, more than 250 men and women gathered at Google’s new Sunnyvale [...]

  WCS Member of the Month highlights the amazing stories of female leaders in the industry. This month, we spotlight Stephanie Jumel, Energy Services Program Director at Électricité de France [...]

From left: Leila Salazar, Amazon Watch; Danielle Fugere, As You Sow; Larissa Koehler, Environmental Defense Fund; Mary Solecki, Environmental Entrepreneurs; Dana Zartner, University of San [...]

  ​WCS Talks is back, now in its fourth year! The full-day event is on Saturday November 4, 2017, at Google’s beautiful new Sunnyvale Campus. Come learn and get inspired as sustainability [...]

WCS Member of the Month is our new initiative to highlight the amazing stories of female leaders in the industry. One woman from WCS will be featured every month to share her accomplishments, [...]

WCS Member of the Month is our new initiative to highlight the amazing stories of female leaders in the industry. One woman from WCS will be featured every month to share her accomplishments, [...]

By Ana Galan and Elyse Green Since we were kids, we have been surrounded by mentors, though we usually call them by some other name. They may have been teachers, trainers, managers, or, of [...]

WCS Member of the Month is our new initiative to highlight the amazing stories of female leaders in the industry. One woman from WCS will be featured every month to share her accomplishments, [...]

WCS Member of the Month highlights the amazing work of female leaders jn the cleantech and sustainability sector. This month, Kathryn Verna of GE Renewable Energy is in the spotlight. ​ WCS: What [...]

WCS Member of the Month is our new initiative to highlight the amazing work of female leaders in the cleantech and sustainability realm. One woman from WCS will be featured every month to share [...]

By Lisa Ann Pinkerton Orginally published on The Huffington Post I recently attended a renewable energy conference in San Francisco, where over lunch a woman introduced me to her male colleague [...]

By Lisa Ann Pinkerton Orginally published on The Huffington Post NASA released a report in August that showed the average global temperature in 2015 was the highest it’s ever been since record [...]

By Rosana Francescato The annual flagship event of Women in Cleantech & Sustainability is always informative, enlightening — and fun. The 300 women and men who attended this year were [...]

  by Anjali Manghnani and Poonum Agrawal WCS Talks is an annual TED Talks style event hosted by Women in Cleantech and Sustainability (WCS). This event aims to redefine the female experience [...]

By Rosana FrancescatoOriginally published on PV Solar Report In 2013, the booth babes at Intersolar North America included the now infamous caged dancers at the Recom booth. They certainly drew a [...]

Strategies for Sustainable Finances By Pat Christianson and Rosana Francescato What’s the formula for healthy personal finances? It comes down to 20% knowledge and 80% behavior. That’s according [...]

By Joan MacNaughton, Executive Chair, World Energy Trilemma, World Energy CouncilOriginally published on GreenBiz While climate change has been recognized as an urgent, global issue, the [...]

By Rosana Francescato Special thanks to Amie Lewis and Mariya Kravchenko for organizing this excellent WCS event. We’d all like to go zero-waste. But what does that mean? WCS Chair Lisa Ann [...]

In case you missed our event at Google in November of 2015, here’s the complete list of videos from the event.

By Pam Seidenman ​While technology and capital both drive the clean economy, policy is just as important. Women in Cleantech and Sustainability (WCS) recently held a panel discussion on the role [...]

By Maria Ava In 2015, two brilliant entrepreneurs, Andrea Sreshta and Anna Stork, amazed the world by pitching LuminAID on Shark Tank. The CBS program gives hopeful entrepreneurs the opportunity [...]

Join us for a panel discussion with state and federal experts:  California legislation affecting renewable energy  Key players in California energy politics Successes that have inspired women to [...]

What if you could help Women in Cleantech and Sustainability while helping yourself? And what if doing that would also help the planet?​These aren’t hypothetical questions. Through our [...]

By Maria Ava ​The nightmare of global warming and climate change is usually blamed on pollution from vehicles and manufacturing. However, what many concerned with climate change fail to realize [...]

By Dawn LippertOriginally published on Energy Excelerator Aloha, Dawn here. As 2015 comes to a close, the Energy Excelerator team would like to recognize our fellow innovators paving the way for [...]

Yes, it’s possible to make money and save the world from climate disaster. By Elena Lucas All eyes are on Paris for the 2015 U.N. Climate Change Conference. But what if solving the global climate [...]

By Maria Ava With the holiday shopping season upon us, there’s no better time to consider your fashion choices — and the impact they have on people and planet. Maria Ramos sheds light [...]

By Rosana Francescato If you’ve attended many cleantech events, you’re probably familiar with this scene: a panel of men, with maybe a token woman thrown in — maybe not — addresses an [...]

By Rosana Francescato Where can you learn about, and be inspired by, the many cleantech and sustainability solutions happening all around us — and the women making them happen? At WCS Talks [...]

By Rosana Francescato You can’t go to a major solar conference without hearing about women in solar. It was a recurring theme at Solar Power International this year. So, what’s the buzz? The [...]

By Paricha Duangtaweesub Palo Alto Grand Opening of Apocalypse Project Catherine Sarah Young believes in the power of experiences and the impact of sharing them. “If you experience something, it [...]

When you think of women in cleantech these days, quite a few come to mind. We’d venture to guess that most of them are on Twitter. That makes us especially proud that our Women in Cleantech [...]

By Rachel BarronThis article originally appeared on SolarEnergy.net, and is reprinted with permissionJeanine Cotter, CEO of solar installation company Luminalt, has witnessed profound resiliency. [...]

By Maria Ava Despite all the advances women have made in the world, we’re still underrepresented in tech. Cleantech is no exception. Why is this happening, and what can we do about it? Perhaps it [...]

Posted by Rosana Francescato Have you signed the pledge yet? Don’t know what I’m talking about?What the pledge is all aboutIt’s simple: The #NationWISE Pledge, fromWomen in Solar Energy (WISE), [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoHave you been watching the trend of institutions and cities divesting from coal? Are you wondering how you can get in on the action?As it turns out, it’s not that hard [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorBy Elizabeth GalushaWomen in Solar Energy (WISE) hosted a#NationWISE Multi-City Roundtable in 14 cities on February 24, 2015. The mission of WISE is to advance women in [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorBy Rachel BarronThis article originally appeared onSolarEnergy.net, and is reprinted with permissionFor some of the country’s most financially vulnerable families, a [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorBy Saskia JuretzekSustainable development is becoming more and more an integral part of our daily life, and more companies are willing to incorporate sustainability [...]

Posted by Elena Foukes Lucas One year ago, I was the lowest-level analyst at a Fortune 200 company. Now, I’m a co-founder and CEO. Two catalysts began my year-long path to entrepreneurship: Kate [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorBy Rachel BarronThis article originally appeared on SolarEnergy.net, and is reprinted with permission.It’s no secret that California is king when it comes to the U.S. [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorBy Lindsay Wood“I have to write a blog” to “I get to write a blog” to “this blog is going to write me” – these are the thoughts that come to mind when sitting down at [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorBy Christie McCarthyOriginally published on the Vista Solar blogAdvanced nations are beginning to understand this phenomenon: that healthy economies cannot exist [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoWhat would you do if you found you were living a lifestyle but not a life? If you wereAnne Martin, the Reinvention Mentor, you’d set about creating a life you could [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorWhy aren’t there more women in solar and other industries related to cleantech and sustainability? This kind of question is being asked across many tech fields. When it [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorBy Pamela CargillIf you’ve ever experienced a career setback during your time in the solar industry and had nowhere to turn, bemoaned the lack of visibility of women [...]

Posted by Rosana Francescato“The metamorphosis is now.” That’s what Lisa Ann Pinkerton, founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, affirmed to a packed room at the first annual WCS Talks. [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoAnyone who was lucky enough to attend the recent Women in Cleantech and Sustainability (WCS) happy hour knows that for founder Lisa Ann Pinkerton, the organization is [...]

Posted by Rosana Francescato How can we increase the visibility of women in cleantech? And why is it important that we do so? We know that in tech in general, women are underrepresented. The [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorBy Anne JanzerWhile venture funding for cleantech is crawling back up, funding is still scarce for early-stage companies, where the innovations of the future are [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoThere’s nothing like coming to the solar industry from publishing and high tech to highlight the issue of women in the workplace. I didn’t think about this much when [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoWhat’s that dripping sound? It’s the sound of your time leaking away, drop by drop. And time, unlike some things, is not recyclable. Whether it’s your personal life or [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoHow does a woman in cleantech succeed in a startup world where investors prefer handsome men? Never fear — the dynamic women on a panel at the recent startup [...]

Posted by LisaAnn Article originally published on Technica Communications blog.At the turn of the 20th Century, it took only 13 years to replace the the horse and carriage with automobiles. A [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoThis post was originally published on PV Solar Report.The solar industry has been growing by leaps and bounds, and women are making their presence known in the [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoThere’s no doubt that the smart grid is coming, but it’s not well understood by most people. What will it look like? How will it help us? Should we worry about its [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorAnyone who’s tried to get a ticket to the consistently sold out Women in Solar Breakfast panels during Solar Power International knows the female contingent of this [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorIt is quite possible that the life of Wanda Reder would be very different, if she had not a forward thinking algebra teacher suggest she should be an engineer. Today, [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoWhere can you find a solar community with a shared mission, shared information, and shared resources — without even leaving your home or office? All that and more are [...]

Posted by LisaAnnThis Women in the Spotlight series features Amy Francetic, CEO of the Chicago Clean Energy Trust. She has over 18 years of operational and executive management experience in the [...]

This Women in the Spotlight series features Amy Francetic, CEO of the Chicago Clean Energy Trust. She has over 18 years of operational and executive management experience in the high technology [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoImagine yourself in a high-status, well-paying professional job. You’re successful in your career and identified with your profession. You even enjoy a lot about your [...]

Posted by Guest Contributor Bloom Energy is an outgrowth of a NASA Mars research project to use fuel cells to sustain life on Mars.  The research transferred to a commercial endeavor in 2001 as [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoThis post was originally published on PV Solar Report.Persistence and patience are key when it comes to many undertakings in solar. That was no less true of getting in [...]

Posted by Rosana FrancescatoResearch indicates that out of six top leadership traits, many are shared equally between men and women. That is, except for one — vision. Today the leadership gap [...]

Posted by Rosana Francescato What’s the main qualification for a job in solar? You must enjoy change. That was the consensus at the recent Women in Cleantech and Sustainability meetup “Getting a [...]

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Posted by LisaAnn This Women in the Spotlight video features Joyce Ferris, Founder and Managing Partner,Blue Hill Partners, an investment firm with a focus in green technology. She was recently [...]

This Women in the Spotlight video features Joyce Ferris, Founder and Managing Partner, Blue Hill Partners, an investment firm with a focus in green technology. She was recently featured in [...]

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Posted by LisaAnn Kiki Tidwell, Cleantech Angel InvestorThis Women in the Spotlight episode features Kiki Tidwell a cleantech angel investor. Tidwell talks with WCS Founder Lisa Ann Pinkerton [...]

This Women in the Spotlight episode features Kiki Tidwell a cleantech angel investor. Tidwell talks with WCS Founder Lisa Ann Pinkerton about how women are naturally poised to be successful angel [...]

Posted by Guest ContributorGuest post by Kiki Tidwell, Northwest Energy AngelsAngel investing has been, for the most part, a male dominated arena. It is a highly risky, but potentially lucrative [...]

Lighting represents 19 percent of global electricity. According to McKinsey & Company nearly $25 billion (conservatively) is expected to go LED by 2020. Palatable consumer bulb prices, and [...]

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Posted by LisaAnn In 2011, the National Venture Capital Association and Dow Jones VentureSource released their study of the diversity makeup of the venture capital industry.  Not surprisingly, [...]

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Posted by LisaAnn Erica Mackie, Co-Founder GRID AlternativesErica talks with WCS Founder Lisa Ann Pinkerton about her decision to found the solar non-profit GRID Alternatives, the joys and [...]

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This Women in the Spotlight episode features Erica Mackie, Co-Founder of the solar non-profit Grid Alternatives. Erica talks with WCS Founder Lisa Ann Pinkerton about her decision to found the [...]

Posted by LisaAnnWho doesn’t wish they had invested in Apple when it was $16 a share? Quite often, timing the market is more intuition than science. Those who know analog to digital inflection [...]