This Underground Fridge Runs Without Electricity
Imagine if you could have an underground food bunker or wine cellar to store your own freshly grown root vegetables and wine and cheese without the need for electricity. It would be easily accessible for picnics, outdoor family gatherings, a farm-to-table restaurant, or daily farm or vineyard production. Well, innovative designers and developers in The Netherlands came up with the perfect solution for this, and it’s called the Groundfridge.
The Groundfridge is a modern spin on the traditional root cellar – an autonomic operating and naturally cooled cellar. It can hold 12 refrigerators worth of veggies, cheese, wine, etc. In other words, it has 3000 liters of storage capacity. This natural cooler utilizes the insulating capacity of the ground and cooler night temperatures. The temperature inside of the Groundfridge remains steady and cool throughout the whole year. The Groundfridge has stairs leading down into the root cellar and can comfortably fit two people. Its entrance is wide and high, allowing you to walk in and out in an upright position.
Installation of the lightweight Groundfridge isn’t complicated and doesn’t require any permits. It’s based on “a basic principle that goes back centuries.” It can be dug in and covered with the excavated soil from its new location. This covering layer of soil, which will be one meter thick, will provide sufficient insulating properties for the Groundfridge’s core temperature to remain constant. You can also opt for an external cooler should you need even cooler temperatures. No soil needs to be disposed of after installation.
A battery-driven ventilator equipped with a timer allows you to set the most ideal times for ventilation according to your desired specifications. Ideally, night venting will be the most effective way in reducing the Groundfridge’s interior temperature quickly and efficiently. It’s suggested to vent at least one full hour every twenty-four hours.
The Groundfridge is perfect for rural or urban farmers, vineyard owners, sustainable companies, wine collectors, restaurants, or just someone who loves gardening! According to Groundfridge’s designer and developer, Floris Schonebeck, it’s ideal for the “global citizen” who is “modern and self-providing.”
