It may have the word “fridge” in its name, but the Groundfridge is not your ordinary refrigerated cellar. Instead of using electricity, it uses the oldest cooling technology in the world: the insulating capacity of the ground.
Your typical wine cellar nowadays depends on electricity to keep the temperature inside cool, which means an additional running cost for you to keep tabs on. But Dutch company Studio Floris Schoonderbeek found a better solution: the Groundfridge.
This is a naturally cooled cellar that gets installed in the ground and relies on the insulating properties of the soil to keep a steady, cool temperature throughout the entire year. The Groundfridge is easy to transport and you can install it wherever you see fit, as long as you can dig a hole big enough for the sphere-shaped structure to fit. It has a standing height of 82.6 inches (210 cm) and the deepest point in the ground from ground level is 86.6 inches (220 cm).
Once you placed the cellar in the ground, you cover it up with the excavated soil, and Studio Floris Schoonderbeek also recommends planting trees or any other vegetation on top of it. This helps even more with keeping the temperature warmer during the winter and cooler during the summer.
With a weight of 661 pounds (300 kg) and a storage capacity of 792.5 gallons (3,000 liters), this naturally cooled cellar can keep cool your wine bottles, fruits, vegetables, cheese, and more.
In addition to relying on Earth’s insulating capacity, the Groundfridge also has a battery-driven ventilator with a timer, which allows you to set specific ventilation times. You should vent the cellar for one hour every day. The Groundfridge maintains temperatures down to 46 degrees F (8 degrees C) during the summer. However, the temperature is influenced by the soil type, the exposure to sunlight, the vegetation on top, and more.
In order to keep the temperatures even lower in hotter areas, the company offers an additional active cooler called “the Chiller”, which circulates and cools down the air inside the fridge, maintaining it to a constant temperature, regardless of the weather outside. This accessory comes with solar panel charging.
The Groundfridge has a steep price of approximately $14,000 (€11,900) for the basic version, but you can also get shelves, for an additional $2,500 (€2,100). If you also want the Chiller in the package, the total cost goes up to $20,700 (€17,500).
Cristina’s always found writing more comfortable to do than speaking, which is why she chose print over broadcast media in college. When she’s not typing, she also loves riding non-motorized two-wheelers, going on hikes with her dog, and rocking her electric guitars. Full profile
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