Never underestimate the power of a strong handshake.

That was one of the suggestions from the panel of the second annual Professional Women in Solar breakfast at this year’s Solar Power International in Dallas, Texas.

“If you have a strong handshake, it shows confidence,” said Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association, the majority of which is staffed by women. “It seems like a strange thing, but I think it makes a big difference with a lot of men in terms of first impressions.”

The panel was led by Dr. Isabelle Christensen of Redleaf Engineering, who organized the first Professional Women breakfast at last year’s SPI in Los Angeles.

Unlike many energy industries—which, mostly likely, due to beginning in times when women weren’t such a presence in the technology sector, are mostly male—the younger solar industry has an increasing number of women in influential positions.

“I think it’s fascinating. When I did my first SPI, I was surprised by how very few women there were,” said Edmée Kelsey, CFO of Main Street Power, a Colorado-based solar developer. “Every year, you see more and more, and that’s a sign that things are changing.”

The breakfast, which had to extend the space for the event twice in order to fit all the attendees, was sold out, the hall packed with about 120 women from the solar industry.

One of the topics for the discussion was how to encourage more women to join the industry.

“I think you have to start with girls, as they are coming up through school, to make sure that they are educated about solar energy,” said Hamm. “So, as young women are coming out of college who are looking for a career, they know what opportunities are available for them in solar.”

“When I was growing up, I looked ahead and saw no women in engineering,” said Wendy Arienzo, CEO of Array Power, which builds system-integrated inverters for solar panels. “So I think it’s very important to set an example, especially for young women, that it’s a terrific and lasting career. I think it’s important for young women to see happy professionals that enjoy their jobs.”

According to the panel, trying to foster an interest in math and science early in a girl’s education could make the difference.

“I know, myself, in the last five or ten years, I’ve learned some pretty basic things about electricity that I think if I had been a boy, I probably would have known at that point,” said Janine Smith, president of Power to the People, a solar nonprofit that installs arrays in developing countries. “I would have loved to have been encouraged to study that as a young girl.”

Unfortunately, the solar industry, unlike the wind industry, does not have a formal organization of women. But many attendees suggested that they form one in order to encourage more women to enter the solar industry and to support the ones who are already there.