A common goal across businesses, industries, and communities is becoming more sustainable, and there are small changes that can be made to help accomplish these initiatives. A step that we can take today is by switching signage from LCD or paper to ePaper displays. These displays are already sustainable due to their low power consumption, but incorporating solar power enhances their efficiency even further, making them the perfect choice for digital signage.
Source: Papercast
How E Ink Technology Saves Power
Unlike traditional digital screens, ePaper displays do not require a constant power source to maintain an image. They only use energy when updating content, making them an ideal choice for applications that demand energy efficiency and readability, such as retail signage, and public transportation schedules.
E Ink compared the environmental impact of 32-inch signage of ePaper, printed paper, and LCD displays. If 100,000 ePaper signs operated 20 hours per day, updated their displays four times per hour and ran for five years, they’d reduce CO2 emissions by about 500,000 tons when compared with LCD. Compared with traditional paper signs, ePaper would reduce CO2 emissions by about 4 million tons.
The integration of solar power with E Ink displays is a game changer. Since E Ink screens consume minimal power, they can easily be operated using small solar panels, eliminating the need for grid connection or frequent battery replacements. This opens up new possibilities for digital signage in remote locations, smart cities, and public information systems where wired power sources may not be accessible or cost-effective.
Source: Soofa
Applications for Solar-Powered E Ink Signs
Solar-powered E Ink signs, like Soofa, are being used for public information boards, city maps, and emergency alerts. These signs provide updated information with minimal energy usage, making cities more connected and sustainable. Due to being solar-powered, Soofa signs can operate to their full potential from only 5 hours of sunlight.
Papercast’s ePaper bus stop signs allow for real time updates for passengers, improving the public transportation experience. They are powered by both battery and solar panels, allowing for up to five years without needing to change the batteries. This combination also makes it so these bus stop signs can be placed anywhere, without needing to be connected to a power source.
Agile display partnered with Exeger to create the EPD32-FD Forever Display. This is a full color E Ink display that can be used for any advertising situation. The display gets its power from the ambient light of its environment, so it has no cables and doesn’t need electricity to function. While this also makes it so you can advertise anywhere, it won’t add to the amount of energy your business is consuming.
Whether it’s at bus stops, train stations, or outdoor shopping malls, solar-powered E Ink signs offer an excellent solution for providing real-time information without the need for grid connections. Keep an eye out for these energy-efficient displays popping up in more locations, making information more accessible while reducing our carbon footprint.