Solar for All: How Aliya Bagewadi is Making Clean, Affordable Energy a Reality
Do you have rooftop solar? Aliya Bagewadi wants you to know that you can get it even if you live in a rented apartment.
Aliya is the US Director of Strategic Partnerships at Allume.
Allume is making it possible for apartment-dwellers to benefit from solar energy with their SolShare™ technology. But she didn’t always know she wanted to work in clean energy. “While working in strategy consulting,” she explains, “I realized that addressing the profound challenges ahead required transformative societal change. The clean energy transition stood out to me as a rare and powerful opportunity—not just to tackle climate issues, but to reimagine society as more inclusive, equitable, and resilient.”
Aliya’s work has led her around the country touching communities that otherwise wouldn’t know the benefits of solar energy. Among the many projects that she has overseen, one in Jackson, Mississippi, stands out as a shining example of the impact clean energy can have when implemented with purpose and community focus. “Jackson faces significant economic challenges,” Aliya explains. “yet it’s home to visionary leaders like Jennifer Welch, who owns an affordable housing property in a historic part of the city. Her determination to preserve her community while embracing innovative solutions exemplifies the kind of leadership that drives real progress.”
Jennifer was determined to preserve her property while embracing innovative technologies to support her tenants. “This project will always stand out to me because it wasn’t just about deploying solar panels—it was about fostering real, meaningful change that benefits people directly,” Aliya says. She highlights Jennifer’s progressive vision and the leadership of Alicia Brown with Georgia BRIGHT, a clean energy trailblazer who helped bring the project to fruition.
Jackson project participants Alicia Brown from the Georgia BRIGHT program, building owner Jennifer Welch, and Brent Bailey, the former Mississippi Public Service Commissioner.
For Aliya, the most rewarding aspect of the project was hearing from the residents themselves. “They were so excited about their lower utility bills and being part of a sustainable solution,” she shares. “The residents were thrilled to see their utility bills drop and to be part of a sustainable solution. This project demonstrated what’s possible, even in a city like Jackson, which then ranked 47th nationwide in solar adoption. It’s about more than helping the planet—it’s about empowering people and transforming communities.”
Central to Aliya’s advocacy is the concept that everyone should be able to participate in the renewable energy transition, particularly in underserved communities and demographics, such as apartment dwellers. “Owning your energy assets means more than cutting costs—it’s about enhancing resilience, taking control of your energy future, and knowing you’re actively contributing to a cleaner, healthier planet,” she explains.
Whether you live in a multi-tenet building or your closest neighbors are miles away, everyone benefits from rooftop solar. It lowers costs and can prepare homeowners for extreme weather and outages.
“Energy equity isn’t an ideal—it’s a necessity,” she says. “The clean energy transition must include everyone, particularly those historically left behind. That’s the only way we can truly build a sustainable and just future.”
With leaders like Aliya Bagewadi at the helm, the clean energy movement is not only advancing technologically but also growing as a force for social and economic justice. Through her unwavering dedication, Aliya is proving that clean energy can—and should—be a tool for empowerment, equity, and transformation.
