The objective of this project was to examine whether a typical DMS can be reliably powered by a solar/wind HRPG. The project location was near a State highway and hasdan easy access to utility grid power, and thus the location was not selected based on the needs and cost benefits of an HRPG but rather selected based on the convenience of field tests and availability of a DMS for testing. Since solar/wind HRPGs were not available on the market, the researchers designed and put together a solar/wind HRPG using off-the-shelf products. Installation was done with the help and resources provided by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT). The DMS was originally designed and installed to be powered by a grid AC source.
Consequently, power efficiency was not a concern in the design. This project replaced the grid AC power supply with a solar/wind HRPG.