- Dig Energy has completed the first commercial geothermal drilling installation in Boston.
- The compact drilling equipment can operate in crowded environments, reducing space requirements.
- Suffolk is evaluating Dig's technology through a real-world application, aiming to reduce installation costs.
- Plans are in place to use the compact drilling system in multiple projects across New England.
A geothermal drilling rig recently completed its work at a construction site in downtown Boston, a demanding environment for heavy equipment. Dig Energy has completed its first commercial installation at 100MAG, the AI and Innovation Center of Suffolk, located near the construction firm's headquarters. The Massachusetts-based startup used its compact drilling platform to install geothermal heating and cooling infrastructure for the building. Drilling operations began in early August and were completed in about two weeks. Workers carried out the work while construction continued, providing Dig with a real-world opportunity to test its methods in a crowded commercial setting.
The Challenges of Geothermal Drilling Technology
Geothermal drilling has become more compact, and geothermal heating and cooling technology has been mature for decades. However, the challenge has been completing drilling without increasing project costs. Traditional drilling equipment typically requires a significant amount of space and manpower, which poses particular difficulties at urban construction sites where space is often scarce. Dig built its drilling system with these limitations in mind. The company claims its equipment requires only a fraction of the space and personnel of traditional drilling setups. At 100MAG, the active drilling area occupied only a few parking spaces at any given time.
This allows geothermal work to be carried out within an active construction site without taking up large tracts of land.
Dig Energy's co-founder and CEO Dulcie Madden said, "Suffolk leads some of the most complex and high-end construction projects nationwide." She noted that the 100MAG site tested the technology under spatial constraints and a tight schedule. Madden added that Dig's equipment could integrate into Suffolk's construction workflow. This is crucial because geothermal projects typically require drilling to be completed before the building can use the system.
The smaller drilling platform will make this step easier to coordinate with other construction activities.
Suffolk's Real-World Evaluation
The installation also provided Suffolk with an opportunity to evaluate geothermal technology through a real project rather than a demonstration. Suffolk Technologies, the construction firm's venture capital arm, invested in Dig through its BOOST 6 accelerator. The program aims to bring emerging construction technologies into Suffolk's projects for real-world application. Parker Mundt, a partner at Suffolk Technologies, said the project demonstrated how Dig's compact platform could reduce the cost and complexity of geothermal installation.
Suffolk now has direct experience with the drilling process for commercial properties. This experience will help contractors evaluate geothermal systems in their future projects.
This opportunity is not limited to traditional office construction. Suffolk is also working with clients investing in geothermal and on-site energy infrastructure, including educational institutions and data centers. In the coming months, Dig plans to use its drilling system in several projects across New England. Planned locations include a grocery store, a utility headquarters, and a small campus. These deployments will expose the compact drilling equipment to different site conditions and building requirements. They may also show whether the space and manpower savings seen at 100MAG can be maintained across a broader range of commercial projects.
The Potential of Geothermal Technology in Commercial Construction
The maturity of geothermal heating and cooling technology has made it increasingly attractive in commercial construction. As urban space becomes more constrained, compact drilling equipment offers new possibilities for implementing geothermal projects, particularly in busy construction sites. Suffolk's collaboration with Dig Energy not only demonstrates the technology's practicality but also provides valuable experience for future projects, potentially encouraging the adoption of more similar technologies and further driving the development of sustainable building practices.