Allume Energy to Install Newest SolShare in Jackson, Mississippi, Giving Low-Income Residents Clean Energy and Cost Savings

Allume Energy presents the newest U.S. SolShare installation in Jackson, Mississippi, giving low-income people access to sustainable electricity and cost savings.

FREMONT, CA: “Our team is thrilled to work with the Mississippi Public Service Commission and the Belhaven Residential team to lead the transition to clean, affordable energy in Mississippi,” says Aliya Bagewadi, Director of U.S. Strategic Partnerships at Allume Energy. Allume Energy has successfully installed its SolShare clean energy system at 805 Madison Street, a Jackson, Mississippi, apartment complex owned and maintained by Belhaven Residential. This latest U.S. SolShare deployment will contribute to advancing solar and behind-the-meter technology in an underrepresented market for renewable energy initiatives.

"By bringing more proof of SolShare technology to Jackson residents, we're demonstrating a scalable model for more equitable access to the environmental and financial benefits of solar for multifamily housing," adds Bagewadi.

Solar Alternatives, a solar contractor located in Louisiana, installed the 22kW array at 805 Madison. Mississippi Public Service Commission members supported the initiative, notably Central District Commissioner Brent Bailey and former Solar Innovation Fellow Alicia Brown. Entergy Mississippi, an integrated energy firm that provides electricity to 461,000 utility customers in 45 Mississippi counties, contributed to the project's finance. The agreement between Entergy Mississippi and Belhaven Residential stipulates that Entergy will offer a $6,500 grant in exchange for access to renewable energy data collected by the project.

“Belhaven Residential focuses on offering quality housing at affordable rates, and we have a holistic and long-range vision for how to serve our tenants' needs,” says Jennifer Welch, Founder of Belhaven Residential. “Implementing solar with the goal to provide cleaner energy at affordable prices is a win for our tenants and a win for our environment.”

The installation of SolShare and rooftop solar will enhance on-site consumption of clean energy and reduce the energy burden for the tenants of the Belhaven Residential complex, who all qualify for low- to moderate-income benefits under Mississippi's distributed generation program.

“Residential consumers and building managers continue to pursue and embrace the benefits of a more sustainable energy portfolio, and I'm excited to see the results of our new rules and the partnerships that are developing in the community,” says Commissioner Brent Bailey. The Distributed Generation Rules provide customer-focused programs that reduce risks, reduce energy consumption, and put money back into customers' pockets.

SolShare is the first technology in the world that allows many apartments to share rooftop solar panels. SolShare is a solution for multi-tenant tenants desiring the environmental and economic benefits of rooftop solar, and it requires no modification to the current electricity supply and metering infrastructure. Current SolShare installations have proven up to a 40 percent reduction in electricity costs.

"I am so excited to see this partnership between Allume, Belhaven Residential, and Entergy Mississippi; it epitomizes Elemental's approach working to ensure that the transition to renewable energy is a just and equitable transition by enabling low- to moderate-income residents of Belhaven Residential to participate in the energy transition while saving money," states Allume Energy is an Australian-born company in the U.S. with support from Elemental Excelerator Gabriel Scheer, Director of Innovation at Elemental Excelerator, Mobility & Energy.

Energy costs continue to harm American households. Expanding access to technologies like SolShare through technologies and initiatives can cut utility expenditures and decarbonize multifamily buildings. This is especially important for low-income tenants. According to the Department of Energy, low-income citizens in Mississippi currently have the nation's highest energy burden (12 percent of total income). Most residences in the South are equipped with electric heating and cooling systems. These characteristics and the region's high temperatures add to a greater energy burden, although Entergy Mississippi has some of the lowest electricity rates in the country.

As Mississippi ranks 35th in the nation for solar adoption, Allume and its partners believe that installations like the one at 805 Madison Street will be a scalable model for democratizing access to clean technologies and cost-saving benefits for more low-income residents throughout the Southeast.