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Spotted: Heat makes up half of the world’s total energy consumption, and heating for buildings and water accounts for around 60 per cent of energy-related carbon emissions. With the majority of thermal energy worldwide still generated using fossil fuels, geothermal presents a promising alternative. Traditional drilling methods have so far remained costly and space-intensive, often requiring sites as large as a football field to drill deep enough to access meaningful thermal energy. HammerDrum has an innovative approach that could overcome these barriers.

The startup’s fully automated system can be used in much smaller spaces for a fraction of the cost, paving the way to a future where geothermal can be brought to heat-dense urban areas with zero-carbon energy. The technology behind HammerDum’s new drilling method is designed to go as deep as 3,000 metres with minimal disruption, by using a geothermal probe system that typically only bores to around 200 metres.

Using an approach similar to a vertical tunnel-boring machine, the device is lowered into a borehole, where it anchors to the sides and drills in small intervals, cutting and storing the material in the probe itself, which is brought to the surface in between drilling sessions. As it drills, sensors monitor internal components and the surrounding environment, with real-time data streamed to the surface to ensure safe and efficient operations. If any irregularities are detected, personnel on the surface receive a warning and can take quick action to address the issue. 

By positioning the drilling machine inside the borehole, the technology requires only about 25 square metres of surface space, a breakthrough that could allow for geothermal drilling in urban settings where space is limited. “For us, the vision of geothermal is not a crazy vision. 99 per cent of our planet is hotter than 1000 degrees Celsius, and we need to utilise this energy (…) This inspires us, and we think it will be a very essential energy source in the future.” Oliver Rau, co-founder and business development lead at HammerDrum, explained to Springwise. What’s more, the high degree of automation means that only two operators are needed on site, further reducing labour costs.

Currently, the project is in its prototyping phase, with its fourth prototype undergoing field testing after extensive trials of individual components. The initial successes at shallow depths confirm the system’s feasibility, with more ambitious drilling targets planned as the team prepares for further refinement and fundraising to support. Partnerships with an elaborate worldwide network and research support from institutions like the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s deep tech accelerator AHEAD are helping to pave the way for a potential commercial launch.

Written By: Oscar Williams