GA Solar honors Jonnell Minefee as GA Solar Woman in Solar 2021 Award
This June GA Solar held our sixth annual Women in Solar Energy (WISE) event. As an organization we recognize the need for more women and people of color in our solar community. In 2019 the Solar Foundation researched diversity in our industry and found that women and African Americans are both underrepresented in the solar workforce and identified a wide gender gap in pay, advancement, and job satisfaction.
Our WISE event addresses this challenge head on and shines a light on women making a difference in Georgia’s solar landscape. We’ve also given out NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners) scholarships that pay for the NABCEP PV Installation Professional Certification Exam fees of women interested in breaking into our industry and offer networking and mentorship opportunities to up-and- comers.
This year's WISE event highlighted two policy makers who have proposed legislation that, when passed, will help grow the solar industry in a major way. Senate Minority leader Gloria Butler and Senator Kay Kirkpatrick are co-sponsors of SB 299, The Georgia Solar Freedom Act. The Senators spoke on a panel about their support for solar from job creation to resilience and increased energy choice and diversity.
The panel was hosted by our own Jennette Gayer, co-chair and Director of Environment Georgia and Theresa Garcia Robertson, Executive Director of Conservatives for Clean Energy Georgia Chapter.
To close the program a surprise guest, Abby Ross Hopper, the CEO of the Solar Energy Industry Association joined the webinar to give GA Solar’s 2021 Woman in Solar award to Jonnell Carol Minefee of Solar Tyme USA.
Jonnell is the managing partner with Solar Tyme USA based in Columbus GA and has been on the board of GA Solar since 2016. Since joining the board she has, often single handedly, kept the Women in Solar event going and is a tireless advocate for women and people of color in the solar industry.
For years she has helped to bring solar to underserved communities in West Georgia and East Alabama, communities often overlooked by other industries and solar companies. We are so grateful for Jonnell’s good work, great smiles and tireless support of GA Solar!