Off-grid solar ePaper parking signage in Montreal

A case study on autonomous ePaper totem deployment with AMDM

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Case Study: Agence de mobilité durable de Montréal x System TV

About Agence de mobilité durable de Montréal

Agence de mobilité durable de Montréal (AMDM) is a paramunicipal organization created in 2020 by the City of Montreal to manage paid parking, on-street and off-street, across the entire metropolitan territory.
With over 700 employees, AMDM operates a network of mobility hubs (Pôle Masson, Pôle Boyer) that bring together shared bikes, EV charging, and carsharing. Its mission: improve the customer experience, promote equitable use of public space, and support sustainable mobility to reduce single-occupancy vehicle use.

The Challenge: Real-time information, zero grid connection

AMDM needed a way to deliver real-time information at parking entrances, dynamic pricing, weather updates, service alerts, and accessibility messages, across its network. Three constraints made this requirement unusually demanding:

Hostile climate. Montreal winters routinely drop to -25°C (-13°F), with heavy snowfall and limited winter sunlight. Any deployed solution had to operate reliably in conditions that disqualify most outdoor digital signage.
No grid connection. AMDM wanted to eliminate the prohibitive costs of civil engineering work, trenching, conduit, and connection to the urban power grid, that traditional LCD or LED installations require.
A net-zero vision. The Agency’s sustainability mandate ruled out energy-intensive display technologies. The brief called for a fully decarbonized solution aligned with Montreal’s climate commitments.

How do you deploy color, readable, autonomous dynamic signage capable of operating 24/7 in extreme climate conditions, with zero grid connection and zero on-site energy infrastructure?

Solution

Solar energy meets color ePaper

System TV designed and deployed a fully autonomous ePaper totem, purpose-built for the Montreal climate and AMDM’s sustainability goals.

Hardware

25.3-inch color ePaper display with 3K resolution, sunlight-readable, no backlight, near-zero idle consumption.
Plug & play structure mounted on an aluminum pole, installed on a simple concrete foundation — no trenching required.

Energy system

100 Wp solar panel, tilted at 45° to optimize winter sun capture and prevent snow accumulation.
96 Ah lead-gel battery, frost-resistant and sized for 5 days of full autonomy without sunlight.

Thermal innovation

Smart heating film activated below threshold temperatures to keep the display operational.
Adaptive software fallback that switches between full color (4-bit) and resilient monochrome (1-bit) modes based on temperature, guaranteeing legibility even in worst-case conditions.

Connectivity & control

Industrial 4G modem (Telus network) for full off-grid connectivity.
Remote management via Cloud CMS, pricing, content, and alerts updated in real time from anywhere.

Benefits

Measurable impact, from day one

Environmental

Zero greenhouse gas emissions at use.
Zero light pollution, fully compliant with Montreal’s “Trame Noire” dark-sky framework.
99% energy savings vs. equivalent LCD signage.
500–800 kg of CO₂ saved from installation onward, before a single message is even displayed.

Economic

No civil engineering required, no trenching, no road work, no permits for grid connection.
Zero electricity bill for the entire operational lifetime.
Faster time-to-deployment vs. conventional grid-connected totems.

Operational

5 days of autonomy without sunlight, validated through Montreal’s 2026 winter.
Perfect readability in direct sunlight thanks to the reflective ePaper technology, no glare, no washout.
Remote pilotability eliminates on-site interventions.

Social

Universal accessibility: high-contrast display and FALC (Plain Language) methodology support seniors and users with cognitive disabilities.
Territorial equity: the off-grid design makes it possible to equip underserved zones with no existing electrical infrastructure.

This deployment with the Agence de mobilité durable de Montréal proves that dynamic parking signage no longer has to compromise between performance and sustainability. By combining solar energy, color ePaper, and adaptive intelligence, System TV delivers a solution that runs anywhere, even where the grid doesn't.

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