Irish Women in Solar - Laura McArdle
If Ireland’s solar targets are ambitious, they will be delivered by leaders willing to grow businesses while protecting standards.
Laura McArdle has been part of Ireland’s renewable energy journey since 2009. Starting in telesales, she worked her way up through sales and senior management roles, always staying hands-on and building her technical understanding alongside commercial growth.
Her entry into solar was not part of a long-term masterplan.
“At the start, it wasn’t a big plan. I came from a sales background, and I remember thinking, how am I going to sell packages worth €9k to €14k over the phone?”
Offered three roles at the same time, she chose renewables. Looking back, she is certain it was the right decision.
“Once I started in renewables, I quickly saw how exciting and fast growing the industry was.”
Over time, she saw first-hand how solar helps customers reduce costs while contributing to Ireland’s climate goals.
“It feels good to be part of Ireland’s mission to deliver 8 GW of solar by 2030.”
Growing at Pace, Protecting Standards
A defining milestone in Laura’s career was stepping into the role of Sales Director in 2019 and helping lead PV Generation through significant expansion.
“Growing a business is one thing. Doing it while protecting quality, safety, and strong values is another.”
Scaling responsibly is something she takes seriously. As the sector accelerates, maintaining standards becomes increasingly important. For Laura, growth must never come at the expense of quality or culture.
Women in Solar
Coming from a family of seven brothers, working in a male-dominated environment was not unfamiliar territory. Where she initially felt challenged was on the technical and installation side of the industry. She addressed that not by stepping back, but by building strong teams around her.
Renewable energy, she believes, is not defined by one type of expertise.
“Renewable energy is not just about being technical, it’s sales, finance, operations, IT, leadership, strategy. There’s space for so many skill sets.”
Her advice to women considering a career in the sector is straightforward.
“Back yourself.”
Representation matters, especially in leadership. Seeing other women succeed helps normalise their presence and encourages the next generation. Laura also emphasises the importance of mentorship and early engagement, particularly reaching into schools to show young girls what is possible in the industry.
Looking Ahead
Laura sees major opportunity in commercial and agricultural solar, particularly as businesses look for greater control over energy costs. She believes the real potential lies in flexibility and connected systems.
“Integration solar, battery storage, EV charging, heat pumps that’s where the real opportunity lies.”
She is particularly excited by the role of smart monitoring and data, enabling customers to track performance and optimise systems in real time. For Laura, innovation only delivers real value when it is matched with high standards and strong execution.
Looking ahead, her approach remains practical and focused.
“I just want to keep pushing the industry forward in a practical way. Build good teams, deliver quality work, and happy customers.”
If standards remain high and businesses continue to focus on doing things properly, the industry will not just grow, it will mature and strengthen.