Diversity fosters innovation, problem solving and creativity says Charlotte Johnson

In this edition of Power Women, a Q&A series highlighting women across the value chain in the energy sector, Kamogelo Motse talks to Charlotte Johnson.

Charlotte Johnson is the Global Director of Markets at Kraken. Kraken delivers technology to utilities around the world to make the global transition to green energy quicker and more affordable.

What attracted you to work in the energy sector?

I studied climate modelling at University, specifically looking at how quickly the Greenland ice sheet is melting today compared to the last time it melted 400,000 years ago. A warming world is having a snowball effect on sea levels which, in turn, is melting the remaining ice more quickly.

Given that the energy industry is responsible for 60% of global carbon dioxide emissions, I wanted to work in a sector where change could make a big difference. This drive for a greener system has made the energy sector a really exciting place to work. The industry is rapidly evolving as everybody figures things out, which makes it a really collaborative, innovative place to be. 

What do you love about your job?

For one, I love the team I work with. Everyone is so passionate about what they do. The structure is relatively flat in Kraken and this means that people are able to focus on one thing – our mission. The mission itself is really simple, yet another huge source of motivation and inspiration. Everyone you ask at Kraken likes to give the same statement in their own words but it boils down to this: we all want to use technology to accelerate the energy transition.

This common theme unifies our team and ensures that we achieve more together, building out a really innovative product that can unlock meaningful change.

Ultimately, I love that we get to share these solutions with millions of others, supporting so many different partners, from utilities to asset managers, helping them decarbonise, and paving the way for a greener energy system in the process.

Why is diversity important for the energy industry?

Gender inequality exists in every industry – on average 40% of the workforce is female. In energy, however, this number is as low as 16%. One of the biggest issues is the conversion rate for women who graduate and then take a job in fields related to STEM subjects such as science, engineering, and maths.

For women, only 3% of those that study STEM subjects at University actually go on to work in energy, compared to 15% of men. This is partly because people follow their parents, for example, if one of your parents was a doctor you’d be 23 times more likely to follow in their footsteps.

At the same time, only 8% of energy CEOs are women. Having women role models is key to encouraging more women to enter the sector. If you have the same group of people in the room solving the same problems, you tend to get the same outcomes.

Diversity fosters innovation, problem solving and creativity – all things required to revolutionise the energy industry and reach net zero.

What is the biggest challenge and opportunity for the energy transition in the next year?

I grew up in Dubai for about 15 years, and last year I went back for COP28. I could not believe a Dubai winter in 2023 compared to a Dubai winter 20 years ago. It was such a stark reminder of how quickly climate can change and why it is so important that we accelerate the journey to net zero.

Right now the challenge is speed – we’re still not moving fast enough. We need to rapidly deploy more renewables: last year China installed more solar than the rest of the world combined. We need to decarbonise home heating and transport which combined contribute to roughly 35% of global emissions.

The real opportunities are unlocked as you electrify heat and transport. Assets such as electric vehicles have the potential to balance the system, offering grid stability services and helping to manage the relative unpredictability of wind and solar generation.

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What career advice would you give to others starting work?

First, always aim to be doing something that you love. I came from a background in ice sheet modelling and knew nothing about energy, but if you’re curious and find that you’re passionate about a subject then there isn’t anything you can’t learn.

This also speaks to another core bit of advice: it's OK to experiment. The beginning of your career is the best time to explore new skills and discover what you like and don’t like. This work will become more and more valuable later in your career when you decide to specialise or move into a specific area.

Don’t underestimate the value of building knowledge and skills. Finally, don’t fret when things go wrong. Most people forget things within a few days and certainly move on within a month or two, it’s much more important that you learn from your mistakes than it is to be afraid to take risks.

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