Great potential for savings through innovative technology
The separatus borehole heat exchanger offers decisive advantages over conventional borehole heat exchangers. By integrating the preliminary and return in a single tube, the drilling diameter in particular can be significantly reduced. This significantly reduces the material usage as well as the drilling and grouting effort / grouting requirements. The result: a high potential for cost savings, combined with high efficiency and long-term operational reliability.
Thanks to the special design, optimal heat transfer is achieved while interventions into the substrate are minimized. In addition, the system enables a flexible and fast installation. This time gain during installation reduces the risk of installation, especially under demanding geological conditions, and can contribute decisively to the success of the project.
Great potential for savings through innovative technology
As the market leader in the field of geothermal energy, BauGrund Gesellschaft für Geothermie mbH has decided to implement a first project with the separatus borehole heat exchanger in order to convince itself of the further development. A first project includes two borehole heat exchangers à 80 m depth and a distribution system for a terraced single-family house in Wangen im Allgäu. The result was extremely positive: despite demanding geology, a drilling in 2,5 hours was successfully drilled. The subsequent installation of the separatus borehole heat exchanger went smoothly and efficiently, as Christoph Knepel, member of the management, reports.
The construction of two borehole heat exchangers took less than two days in total – even though there is still further potential for optimization in the area of drilling diameters. This must be used fully in future projects.
Smooth transfer until commissioning
The house connection and the construction of the distribution system was carried out by Geser Erdwärme GmbH & Co. KG. Already in the same week, a local heating company installed the modulating heat pump from Weishaupt. This enabled the overall system to be put into operation quickly.
Modulating heat pumps continuously adjust their performance to the actual heat demand. This ensures particularly efficient operation, lower power consumption, quieter running and a longer service life of the plant. At the same time, a constant high level of comfort is achieved.
The client is completely satisfied: The rooms are just as warm as before, with one crucial difference that he can now enjoy noticeable cost savings every year.
He has every reason for this: The service life of the separatus borehole heat exchanger is over 50 years and makes the system an extremely sustainable investment. In addition, this investment will sustainably increase the property value.
This project is another successful example of how geothermal energy is today the best standard of technology for modern renovations: efficient, economical, quiet and future-proof.
Long-term perspective
The cooperation community around separatus, BauGrund and GESER Erdwärme looks confidently into the future of geothermal energy. All partners are convinced that with the necessary innovation and pioneering spirit, market shares in the heating market, especially in Germany, can be recovered for geothermal energy.
In addition to the ones presented here, separatus has already proven itself in numerous other projects. In 2025, several pioneer plants were successfully implemented: from the Rhine spring in the Alpine region to the Rhine estuary in the Netherlands.
In Switzerland, an alpine plant in difficult geology was built on 1800 metres above sea level with 30 borehole heat exchangers à 40 metres deep. Three probes were hydraulically combined in series to form a circuit and thus optimised with regard to a turbulent volume flow.
In Brussels, several installations were realised in densely built-up urban areas. Thanks to a drilling diameter of only 90 millimeters, the system is ideal for working in extremely limited space conditions.
One project in the Netherlands includes a 100 metre-deep separatus probe, which is installed and operated in direct comparison with a double-U 32. This showed that the installation of the separatus probe in swelling geology was easily possible, while the double U variant reached its limits. In permanently monitored operation, both probe types deliver the same temperatures (difference < 0.05 °C)
These examples illustrate the broad range of applications of separatus. This ranges from demanding alpine conditions to inner-city compaction situations. They underline the potential of modern, cost-effective and space-saving geothermal energy.
The innovative spirit of the small Swiss start-up is far from exhausted. All interested parties are cordially invited to get to know the next high-quality developments at the booth of separatus at the GeoTHERM 2026 in Offenburg.
It is clear that With the Splitpipe technology and the associated connection system, significant cost savings can be achieved in the long term not only in drilling, but especially in the area of development.