Home Power

Home Power was a bi-monthly American magazine based in Ashland, Oregon. At one time it had a circulation greater than 100,000.[1]

HomePowerCover, Issue#168

Published from October 1987 through November 2018, Home Power promoted a goal of reducing the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation by replacing fossil fuel generation capacity with currently available renewable electricity alternatives. Solar, wind, and hydro systems information were covered at a homeowner's do-it-yourself level with expert advice and examples. Home Power also provided information on energy efficient building and design practices. Electric vehicle information was also featured and its integration with renewable electricity systems and solar panels.

After ceasing publication at the end of 2018 the publishers made a downloadable archive of all past issues available for free from their web site.

History

Richard and Karen Perez started Home Power in 1987. From the start the magazine itself has been published with the use of alternative energy resources. Its publishers live the lifestyle they espouse. Today, Home Power is a recognized leading provider of detailed information for renewable energy installation. Its authors and editors are cited in other industry publications and blogs.[2]

At its founding, Home Power focused on off-grid systems and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) information for homeowners. Focusing on "home scale" renewable systems, the magazine will not typically cover utility scale renewable energy issues such as large wind farms or utility scale solar installations. The magazine recognizes the up-tick in interest in, and expansion of, the grid-tied solar electric systems market for homeowners. Today the magazine covers both DIY systems and professionally installed grid-tied systems on its web site and print editions and in its articles, editorials and advertising. It also covers broader subjects related to home-scale energy production, including green building, energy efficiency, and alternative transportation.

A controversial topic Home Power was once in support of (and coined the term for)[3] is "Guerrilla Solar", (see Solar Guerrilla) or solar power installations by homeowners that are grid tied which are not permitted by the utilities they are tied to. This non-inspected practice has fallen out of favor given the current cooperation of utilities with homeowners wishing to install solar, and states' enactment of net-metering regulations. Home Power still covers the topic in its coverage of micro-inverters and small systems that can safely and legally be tied to the grid.

Home Power also has a web presence. The web site complements the print edition with most past articles in HTML format, convenient because they are often referred to in current issues.

Because Home Power covers off-grid self-reliance it is a popular magazine in the prepper community.

The Home Power website states: "Home Power Inc. will be publishing the final edition of Home Power magazine in November 2018. This November/December issue (HP188) will end the magazine’s 31-year publishing run..."[4]

Recent initiatives

To fill the growing need for reliable information for renewable energy systems professionals Home Power has also come out with an industry trade magazine: SolarPro.

References
  1. "Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News - CNN.com". CNN. Archived from the original on 2005-11-04.
  2. "Home Power Magazine Turns 20". Mother Earth News.
  3. "The Guerrilla Solar Movement". Mother Earth News.
  4. End of publication
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