When people think about the transition to renewable energy, they often picture wind turbines, solar farms, new technology and government targets. What they do not always see are the conversations, relationships and moments of trust that make those developments possible.
In this episode of Conversations with Agents of Change, Izy Boyd speaks with Judith Rance, Head of Communications and Events at RenewableNI and founder of Women in Renewables.
Judith has spent more than 20 years helping organisations communicate complex ideas, strengthen relationships and bring people together around change. Her career shows that communication is not simply about promoting what has already happened. At its best, communication creates the conditions in which progress can happen.
Communication begins with listening
One of the clearest messages from the conversation is that good communication starts with listening.
Judith explains that communication is often misunderstood as talking at people, delivering information or persuading an audience. In reality, effective communication requires people to listen carefully, understand what matters to others and look beneath the surface of what is being said.
This is particularly important in industries undergoing major change.
The renewable energy transition cannot succeed through technology alone. It also depends on whether communities understand new developments, whether politicians can see their wider value and whether industry can respond honestly to concerns.
Judith’s approach is rooted in asking a simple question: why is this relevant to the person receiving the message?
Different audiences may care about different outcomes. One person may be motivated by the environmental benefits of renewable energy, while another may care more about health, jobs, regional investment or long-term energy security.
The message does not need to become dishonest or inconsistent. It simply needs to meet people where they are.
The invisible work behind visible change
Communications professionals are often present at the most important moments in an organisation, but rarely appear in the photographs.
They are planning events, preparing leaders, speaking with journalists, listening to stakeholders and noticing concerns before they become public problems.
Judith describes the communications professional as being almost like a “fly on the wall”. They are present in different rooms, hearing different perspectives and gradually forming a more complete picture of what is happening.
That position allows them to identify stories that might otherwise remain hidden.
The people doing the most remarkable work are not always the loudest. They may not promote themselves or recognise that their work deserves wider attention. A skilled communicator helps bring those people and ideas forward.
This is also where communication becomes an important form of leadership.
By listening across an organisation, a communicator may notice a potential problem long before others see it. They can raise concerns, help leaders prepare and adjust the direction of a project before a crisis develops.
Change is rarely linear. Plans shift, public opinion changes and unexpected barriers emerge. Communication helps organisations respond without losing sight of their destination.
Trust is the foundation of influence
For Judith, trust and honesty are central to everything.
In a world of misinformation and unsupported claims, credibility matters more than ever. Grand statements may attract attention temporarily, but they can quickly damage an organisation if they cannot be supported by evidence.
Judith believes that communicators should be able to show where their information comes from. By providing reliable sources and avoiding exaggerated claims, they build a reputation that journalists, stakeholders and colleagues can trust.
Trust also works in both directions.
When people know that someone will treat their information with care, they are more likely to speak honestly. They may share concerns privately, mention an emerging issue or reveal what is really influencing a decision.
Those conversations allow problems to be addressed early.
Trust is therefore not simply a communications outcome. It is a practical tool that helps organisations understand risk, improve decisions and build stronger relationships.
Finding common ground in the renewable energy transition
Government, industry, regulators and communities are often described as having competing priorities. Judith offers a more optimistic view.
She believes that, in many cases, people want similar things. They want stronger communities, a healthier economy, opportunities for future generations and a better quality of life.
The difference often lies in how they describe those goals and which benefits they prioritise.
Some politicians may support renewable energy because of the economic opportunities it creates. Others may focus on public health, environmental protection or energy independence.
The role of communication is to find the point of connection.
Judith sees Northern Ireland’s size as an advantage. People are often connected through professional, community or family relationships. Those networks can make collaboration easier and help ideas move between sectors.
Change still requires determination and hard work, but it becomes possible when people can see that they are not as far apart as they initially assumed.
What crisis communication teaches us about leadership
Judith openly admits that she enjoys crisis communication.
Her ability to imagine worst-case scenarios allows her to prepare for them. She uses decision trees to consider different outcomes, potential responses and the consequences of each decision.
This planning matters because crises rarely happen at convenient times. They unfold quickly, often outside normal working hours and when key people are unavailable.
Preparation allows an organisation to respond thoughtfully rather than react emotionally.
However, planning is only part of good crisis communication.
Judith believes that organisations must be honest about what has happened, take responsibility when necessary and explain what they will do next.
People are often willing to forgive mistakes when they see genuine accountability. What causes deeper damage is avoidance, defensiveness or making promises that cannot be kept.
Every crisis also involves people.
The first priority should be understanding who has been affected and what can be done to support them. Communication should not become a performance designed only to protect an organisation’s image. It must respond to the real human consequences of what has happened.
How Women in Renewables began
The story of Women in Renewables demonstrates how listening can turn into meaningful action.
Judith noticed that women were participating in renewable energy working groups but were less visible at public events and conferences.
Rather than assuming she understood the problem, she asked women what would make events more accessible.
The responses led to immediate changes.
Traditional business breakfasts often excluded people with caring responsibilities, long journeys or difficult morning schedules. Moving events later in the day made participation easier for many attendees.
Women also said they were nervous about attending alone and uncomfortable with traditional networking.
Judith responded by designing events that made connection easier. Attendees were encouraged to sit with people they did not already know, speak to those around them and introduce another person at their table.
The first Women in Renewables event was expected to attract around 80 women. More than 100 attended.
The atmosphere was not negative or confrontational. It was supportive, practical and focused on how the sector could improve.
The event showed how much demand existed for a space where women could speak honestly, share experiences and build new professional relationships.
From one event to a growing network
Women in Renewables has since developed into an annual conference, a series of smaller events and a mentoring programme.
The initiative has helped women gain qualifications, move into new roles, speak at industry events and increase their visibility within the sector.
One of the major themes to emerge from the network was imposter syndrome.
Many experienced and highly capable women did not feel qualified to mentor others. Even when they had significant professional expertise, they questioned whether they had enough to offer.
The mentoring programme helped address this by combining training with practical experience. Participants completed a qualification while mentoring another person, creating an immediate opportunity to apply what they had learned.
The impact extended beyond the qualification itself.
Women who completed the programme were invited to speak at events, featured as role models and connected with new career opportunities. Their increased confidence helped create further opportunities for others.
Judith describes this as the ripple effect of change.
One person gains confidence, supports someone else and then opens another door. The original action becomes much larger than its starting point.
Resilience, recovery and invisible progress
The conversation also moves into Judith’s personal experience of recovery after being hit by a car.
Her injuries were severe, and her recovery journey was expected to take between 18 months and four years.
At times, progress felt painfully slow.
She completed exercises, attended physiotherapy and continued working towards recovery, even when there was little visible evidence that her efforts were making a difference.
Then, suddenly, a milestone would arrive.
One of the most important was being able to make herself a cup of tea. It was an ordinary action, but after losing so much independence, it represented real progress.
Judith’s experience became a powerful metaphor for change.
Effort is not always immediately visible. People may feel that nothing is improving, even while the foundations of progress are being built.
Then a moment arrives when all that work becomes clear.
Her optimism is not based on pretending that difficult circumstances do not exist. It comes from believing that action matters and that progress remains possible, even when it is slow.
One person can make a difference
Climate change and the renewable energy transition can feel overwhelming.
The scale of the challenge can make individuals feel powerless. Judith rejects the idea that one person cannot create change.
One person may not be able to solve the whole problem, but they can take one meaningful action.
They can recycle, encourage a colleague, share useful information, mentor someone, promote an important piece of research or create a space where another person feels included.
That action may then influence someone else.
Judith’s own career offers many examples. She was not the researcher developing medical treatments at Queen’s University, but she could help communicate that research, attract attention and support future funding.
People do not need to be responsible for every outcome. They need to recognise the contribution they are capable of making.
Renewable energy is about more than the environment
Another important theme in the episode is the misconception that renewable energy is only an environmental issue.
The environmental benefits are important, but Judith argues that renewable energy also offers economic, social and health benefits.
Northern Ireland currently imports fossil fuels. Investing in local renewable energy can reduce that dependence and create greater long-term stability.
Renewable developments also contribute rates to local councils and can support regional investment over many years.
Wind and solar energy require infrastructure and investment, but so does any energy system. The question is whether that investment helps create a cleaner, more resilient and more locally beneficial future.
Judith also acknowledges that not everyone supports renewable developments.
Her response is not to dismiss critics. It is to listen to their concerns, understand their perspective and look for areas of compromise.
Public support grows when people feel heard and when the wider benefits of change are explained clearly.
The legacy of kindness
When asked how she would like to be remembered, Judith does not focus on job titles, awards or major achievements.
She says she would be happy if people remembered that she was nice.
It may sound simple, but it reflects the values running through the entire conversation.
Communication is about people. Leadership is about responsibility. Change is about listening, supporting and helping others move forward.
A good reputation is built gradually through ordinary interactions.
It is built by keeping promises, treating information with care, making people feel welcome and using influence to create opportunities for others.
The invisible force behind change
Judith Rance’s story reminds us that change is not driven by technology or policy alone.
It also depends on the people who translate complex ideas, build trust, identify concerns, create connections and help others believe that progress is possible.
Their work may happen quietly and behind the scenes, but its impact can be seen everywhere.
The renewable energy transition needs engineers, researchers, policymakers and investors. It also needs communicators who can help people understand what is changing, why it matters and how they can participate.
Perhaps the most powerful lesson from Judith’s journey is that nobody needs to change everything.
They simply need to ask:
What is the one thing I can do?
That one action may create a ripple far greater than they ever expected.
Listen to the full episode
Listen to this episode of Conversations with Agents of Change to hear Judith Rance discuss communication, renewable energy, women’s leadership, imposter syndrome, crisis management, resilience and the quiet actions that make meaningful change possible.
Subscribe to the podcast for more conversations with people who are helping shape a better social, environmental and economic future.
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