OblinEngine is a patent-protected mechanical long-duration energy storage technology currently at TRL 5. The next development stage is an integrated Australian demonstrator intended to progress the technology from TRL 5 to TRL 6.
OblinEngine was developed around a simple engineering question: can stored compressed air be introduced at depth to create useful hydraulic uplift, allowing stored energy to be recovered through established hydroelectric equipment?
Development has progressed from concept work through prototype construction, shallow hydraulic testing and deep-shaft testing.
That work has established the current TRL 5 development position. The next step is to integrate the major system components in an Australian demonstrator designed to generate the evidence required for progression to TRL 6.
OblinEngine is being developed in Australia by Australian Biowaste Energy Pty Ltd, the owner of the technology and the proposed demonstration site at Coleambally, New South Wales.
This short video provides a visual introduction to the OblinEngine concept and its underlying compressed-air-driven hydraulic uplift principle.
Earlier development material is provided for technical context. Current technology-readiness claims are based on the measured evidence described on the Development page.
OblinEngine development is based on generating physical evidence at each technology-readiness stage before progressing to the next.
Generate physical test data for the hydraulic mechanism and, at the next stage, the integrated system.
Use measured data and independent technical assessment to determine whether progression from TRL 5 to TRL 6 is justified.
Use validated results to inform subsequent engineering, cost modelling and decisions about larger-scale development.
OblinEngine is protected by UK Green Patent GB2601502B, granted in March 2023.
OblinEngine was invented by Brannan James Tempest. The patent was assigned to Australian Biowaste Energy Pty Ltd (ABE) effective 6 October 2026, with the ownership transfer lodged with the UK Intellectual Property Office on 7 October 2026. The patent covers the underlying energy-storage and hydraulic-uplift approach used by the system.
The patent provides the intellectual-property foundation for continued engineering development and future commercialisation.
UK Green Patent GB2601502B. Click the certificate to view the full-size document.
The immediate development objective is an integrated Australian demonstrator intended to move OblinEngine from its current TRL 5 position toward TRL 6.
Bring the compressor, air-delivery system, uplift shaft, hydraulic circuit and turbine-generator together as one system.
Record electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic performance, including storage charging, pressure retention and compressor-off discharge, across defined representative operating conditions.
Generate evidence suitable for independent technical assessment of progression from TRL 5 to TRL 6.
Measure compressor electrical demand and other material auxiliary loads.
Measure air pressure, air flow, water flow and hydraulic head.
Measure turbine-generator electrical output under actual demonstrator conditions.
Determine whether measured results can be reproduced across multiple test runs.
Assess complete system behaviour and measured electrical round-trip efficiency across the defined storage-cycle test boundary.
Determine whether the resulting evidence supports progression to TRL 6.
The immediate objective is progression from TRL 5 to TRL 6, not commercial-scale deployment.
Successful TRL 6 demonstration would provide a stronger technical basis for subsequent system engineering, cost modelling, customer validation, investment and larger-scale development.
Commercial efficiency, capital cost, operating life and deployment economics remain subject to future engineering and validation.
Review the existing development evidence and the proposed Australian integrated demonstrator designed as the next step from TRL 5 to TRL 6.