Demand for e-paper displays is growing not only in Europe but also in North America. Canadian manufacturer Praevar is now offering them to customers as energy-saving alternative to their power-guzzling high-brightness models.
One display technology is currently developing faster than any other: E-paper, especially color e-paper. Several models are now available for the digital signage market from manufacturers like PPDS and Sharp/NEC, with sizes ranging from 13 to 32 inches. Outdoor-capable versions, such as the DIN A0 poster from Sharp, have also become available recently. While Sharp is initially testing its product in Japan, most suppliers are focusing on Europe. However, e-paper is also gaining interest in North America as a cost-saving alternative to LCD displays, especially due to rising electricity costs.
Rising operating costs for LCDs
One example of the growing demand in North America is the Canadian display manufacturer Praevar, known for its high-brightness LCDs. Praevar is now launching an e-poster product line, introducing e-paper displays for indoor use for the first time, including a 32-inch model. According to Ralph Idems, CEO of Praevar, the company has recognized a strong trend toward more efficient displays: “Our clients are challenged by the availability of power, the operating costs of energy at sites, and increasingly, by demands from their customers and from regulators to deliver more sustainable, environmentally-friendly solutions.”
Praevar, like competing models from PPDS and Sharp, relies on E Ink’s Spectra-6 technology, which offers brighter colors and a high-contrast, print-like look compared to older versions. “Collaborating with Praevar on their innovative ePoster solution is a significant step forward in sustainable signage,” says Tim O’Malley, AVP for the US Regional Business Unit at E Ink. “By offering a vibrant, full-color display with minimal power consumption, we help businesses reduce their environmental impact while maintaining high-quality, dynamic content.”
Praevar’s 32-inch e-poster is designed specifically for retail and offers WQHD resolution and 65,000 colors. Like all e-paper-based displays, it only consumes power when content changes and is therefore designed to run for up to a year on a single battery. The display weighs four kilograms and has integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), allowing it to be used via cloud-based CMS software. It comes with an optional two-inch solar panel that charges the battery. Praevar specifies the viewing angle as 180 degrees.
Outdoor series planned for 2025
Although the price of the product has not yet been announced, it will hardly be lower than its counterparts from Sharp and PPDS – and therefore more expensive than conventional LCD solutions. However, growing demand – for example due to large orders from companies such as Amazon – could make color e-paper more affordable in the near future.
Praevar is also planning an outdoor version of the 32-inch e-poster as part of the new E-Luminex series for 2025. This large-format e-poster is intended to replace conventional six-sheets and offer a more environmentally friendly alternative for use in public spaces, transport hubs and shopping centers.
