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. At its founding, Home Power focused on off-grid systems and Do-It-Yourself 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 is "Guerrilla Solar", 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 will end the magazine’s 31-year publishing run..."
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.
