
Edward Howe: Founder & Lead Solar Engineer, Designer, and Consultant
With more than 20 years in electrical systems and renewable energy, Ed has designed, installed, and maintained 200+ solar energy systems across the U.S., from rugged off-grid houses and RVs to residential properties to sophisticated commercial arrays and aquamarine projects. His portfolio includes 200+ custom residential, commercial, and mobile installations, with expertise in grid-tied, hybrid, and off-grid systems, as well as advanced energy solutions — including many types of battery systems and power generation. He has performed 1,000+ system repairs and diagnostic evaluations, ensuring optimal performance and compliance with NEC standards. He is known for his thorough product knowledge and recommendations, excellent fabrication skills, and troubleshooting on the spot.
While he lived most his life in Maine, in 2025 he married the love of his life and is now based in Georgia where he is starting a new venture withSolBound Power Systems. Combining the mindset of an inventor, the sensibility of a farm boy, and the technical mastery of a seasoned engineer - he delivers dependable power solutions. See below to read about his interesting family background.
Ed's Innovative Family Background
Growing up on a sustainable, off-grid homestead in rural Maine, Ed was immersed in creativity, engineering, and innovation from childhood. As a young boy, his father, John G. Howe handed him a soldering iron—an act that sparked a lifelong curiosity and motivation to invent, fix, and build. Together they developed creations from a solar-powered tractor for their farm to rebuilt English race cars and rugged off-road motorbikes.
John G. Howe was a renowned mechanical engineer who revolutionized the world of composites, holding 14 patents. As chief engineer at Head Ski Company during its expansion into fiberglass and composite design, he helped change World Cup ski racing with lighter, high-performance skis. Beyond skis, John held numerous patents and manufactured groundbreaking sports equipment—including composite tennis rackets at Head, one of which was the Head Legend racket famously wielded by Arthur Ashe.
He then moved from Colorado to Maine in the 1970's to raise a family and study self-sustaining living. He authored several influential works, including "The End of Fossil Energy" and "A Plan for Sustainability," where he advocated for decentralized, distributed solar systems as a path to resilience in the face of peak oil. His father’s pioneering mindset deeply informed Ed’s own approach to energy and engineering.
Ed’s family roots in innovation run even deeper. On his mother Debbie Howe’s side, his great-grandfather was Edward Ernst Kleinschmidt, an extraordinary inventor credited with over 100 U.S. patents. His work laid the foundation for modern telecommunications, paving the way for automated typing, remote data entry, and reliable message delivery — elements still essential today. His inventive journey began in his teens; in 1895 he patented a Morse keyboard transmitter, later developing the keyboard perforator, high-speed stock tickers, railroad signaling devices, and more. Most notably, he was a pioneer of the teleprinter (or teletypewriter), an electromechanical device that transformed written communication worldwide. Ed was named in his honor, carrying forward a legacy of ingenuity, problem-solving, and technical mastery.

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