Home Power
 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. (April 2009) |
Home Power magazine is a bi-monthly American magazine. It is based in Ashland, Oregon. Circulation is greater than 100,000. [1]
Published since 1987, Home Power magazine has promoted a goal of reducing the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation by replacing fossil fuel generation capacity with currently available renewable energy alternatives. Solar, wind, and hydro systems information is covered at a homeowners do-it-yourself level with expert advice and examples. Home Power magazine also promotes and presents information on energy efficient building and design practices. Clean transportation information is also featured.
History
Richard and Karen Perez started Home Power magazine 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. [2] 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. [3] and [4]
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. More recently, the magazine has recognized 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. [5]
A controversial topic Home Power was once in support of (and coined the term for) [6] 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.[7] 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 article archives which are often referred to in current issues. Home Power's web site is uniquely recognized on a U.S. Department of Energy web site: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy information resources page: [8]
Recent Initiatives
To fill the growing need for reliable information for renewable energy systems professionals Home Power has also come out with a free trade magazine: SolarPro.
External links
References
See links to other online articles throughout the article.
Information about Guerrilla Solar and Home Power Guerrilla Solar article: (and general topic information)
- Karl Mallon, ed. Renewable Energy Policy and Politics: A Handbook for Decision-Making, 2006, Earthscan Publications Ltd. ISBN 978-1844071265