Auckland is becoming a testing ground for innovative geothermal technology that could help reduce household power bills—by tapping into the heat beneath our feet.

Researchers from the University of Auckland, led by Associate Professor Sadiq J. Zarrouk, have started drilling a test well in Takanini to explore how underground warmth could help lower water heating costs for homes and businesses.

Partnering with local drilling firm Drill Force NZ Ltd, the team has fitted the well with 15 temperature sensors.

The data will be used to gauge how much heat can be harnessed from shallow depths—down to just 20 metres underground.

The goal is to create a simple, low-cost heating system that uses natural ground warmth to pre-heat water.

A pipe would run through a small well near the property, gently raising water temperature before it enters the home’s hot water system.

Less electricity would be needed to finish the job—potentially saving households up to $20 each month.

“This could change how we heat buildings,” Zarrouk says. “It’s clean, cost-effective, and easy to apply to both new and existing homes.”

To make the system more efficient during peak usage, the team is testing a special material that stores and releases heat as needed.

Machine learning tools are also being used to analyse the sensor data and guide the design of a second well, which is planned in the coming months.

If successful, the technology could offer a new way for Coasties—and all Kiwis—to cut energy bills and reduce reliance on traditional power sources.

The two wells will be monitored over the next year to better understand how ground temperature changes with the seasons.

It’s early days, but the potential is big.

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