Borehole-Integrated Electric Drilling Robot for Shallow Geothermal Energy

Conventional drilling technologies for geothermal probes face technical, ecological, and economic limits in urban areas. Large diesel-powered rigs require extensive space, create high noise emissions, and depend on scarce skilled labour and machine availability—factors that slow down the energy transition.The novel Grabowski drilling robot developed by Borobotics operates fully electrically and autonomously within the borehole—without drill pipes or a surface rig. It integrates a rotary-percussive drive, a hydraulic movement system, a closed-loop water flushing circuit, and an extrusion unit that stabilises the borehole wall. This compact technology enables boreholes of up to 500 m depth even in confined environments such as parking decks or courtyards.Laboratory and initial field tests verified drilling speeds up to 1 cm per minute with approximately 10 kWh of electrical energy per 200 m borehole—equating to an 86 % CO₂ reduction compared to conventional methods. The quiet operation, low footprint, and autonomous control open new applications for shallow geothermal energy and significantly reduce labour and installation costs.This paper presents the system concept, current development results, and a scalable business model for drilling companies, illustrating how autonomous electric drilling can accelerate the decarbonisation of building heating.