A startup's next-gen device could soon help households harness the infinite power of the earth at a lower cost, making it easier than ever to maximize savings on utility bills.
As detailed by CleanTechnica, Swiss company Borobotics has developed the "world's most powerful worm," an 8.2-foot-high boring machine dubbed "Grabowski," capable of drilling in small spaces such as gardens, parking garages, and basements with its 5.3-inch tube.
Because Grabowski runs on electricity, it is about 94% quieter and 86% less polluting than conventional diesel drills that tower nearly 20 feet, according to the company. Moreover, its space-efficient dimensions make geothermal power an affordable, viable energy source for households interested in ground-source heat pumps.
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Should we be digging miles beneath Earth's surface? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
No way 👎 Typically, air-source heat pumps (used for both heating and cooling) are more popular because of their lower upfront cost, as EnergySage explains. The devices are also three to five times more efficient than traditional HVAC systems, saving households up to $1,000 annually on energy bills.
However, ground-source heat pumps are longer-lasting and even more efficient. They're just initially more expensive and difficult to install.
Borobotics' mini borer, first conceived by co-founder Hans-Jörg Dennig back in 2017, flips that narrative on its head, eliminating what the company calls "conventional disadvantages" to ensure access to reliable, clean energy for the indoor heating-and-cooling device.
"The potential of geothermal heat pumps to decarbonise Europe is substantial, as long as the cost comes down. The minute that happens, the market is open," Torsten Kolind, managing partner of Borobotics pre-seed funding leader Underground Ventures, told TNW.
Around one year after its official launch in July 2023, Borobotics claimed the 2024 grand prize in Venture's competition for up-and-coming entrepreneurs. The company anticipates its completely autonomous drilling device can be part of a crucial push to install 3.2 million geothermal heat pumps in Germany and Switzerland by 2035 as part of Europe's pollution-reduction goals.
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