Dandelion Energy, a startup founded by Google X, has raised US$12 million recently, mainly for funding its development of residential geothermal technology.
Different from thermal power generation, the technology aims to realize energy conservation by taking advantage of the temperature gap between above and underneath ground. It involves insertion of pipelines into the ground, 300-500 feet deep, which would channel residential heat during summer into the depth of ground during summer via thermal pump and heat deep in the ground into residences during winter, thereby reducing the need for air conditioning or heating.
Spun off from Moonshot Factory, under the auspices of Google X, in 2017, the company, with a workforce of 100, has installed its systems in several hundreds of residences in New York State. The fresh fund will boost the company’s total fund raising to US$35 million.
The company will benefit from New York State government’s green energy policy. On Jan. 16, 2020, the New York Public Service Commission (NYPSC) appropriated several billions of U.S. dollars for promoting installation of thermal pumps.
Dandelion Energy employs sonic drill technology, featuring high efficiency and quietness, in the installation of its pipelines, even in small residential yards.
(Collaborative media: TechNews; photo courtesy of Dandelion Energy)