An autonomous drilling machine that promises to make geothermal energy more accessible for domestic and commercial customers has been developed by the Switzerland-based startup Borobotics.

Nicknamed Grabowksi and described as the ‘world’s most powerful worm,’ the new drill, which measures roughly 9 ft long and 5.3 inches in diameter, is expected to help make energy locked inside the Earth cheaper and easier to access by boring through the ground in small spaces both quickly and quietly.

Source: BoroboticsSource: Borobotics

“Drilling will become possible on properties where it would be unthinkable today — small gardens, parking lots, and potentially even basements,” Moritz Pill, Borobotics’ co-founder, explained.

Grabowski’s developers added that the drill can work autonomously without human intervention and explained that the drill head features sensors that can continuously detect what material the drill is drilling through, thus enabling the drill to autonomously change direction or stop drilling if it hits something like a water or gas reservoir. In the event that the drill hits such a reservoir, it will autonomously seal these hazards shut.

While the drill runs entirely on electricity — unlike conventional models that run on fuel — there are potential drawbacks to using the drill. According to its developers, the Grabowski tends to be slower than conventional drills and it can only drill up to a maximum depth of 1,640 ft.

Yet, the company added, the drilling machine should prove sufficient for the shallow geothermal market rather than the deep borehole market.

Typically, shallow or horizontal geothermal energy systems use a network of underground pipes to transfer heat from the earth to a building's interior. This system is often paired with a specially designed heat pump. By utilizing the ground instead of air as the medium for heat exchange, it can efficiently heat or cool the building throughout the year.

“In many European countries, at a depth of 250 meters, you have an average temperature of 14 degrees C,” the company explained. “This is ideal for efficient heating in winter while still being cold enough to cool the building in summer.”

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