Systems and methods for storing and releasing energy comprising directing inlet air into a vertical cold 
flue assembly having an air inlet at or near its top into which inlet air is directed and an exit at or near its bottom. The air is cooled within the cold 
flue assembly and a portion of 
moisture is removed from the air within the cold 
flue assembly. The air is directed out the exit of the cold flue assembly and compressed. The remaining 
moisture is substantially removed and the 
carbon dioxide is removed from the air by adsorption. The air is cooled in a main 
heat exchanger such that it is substantially liquefied using 
refrigerant loop air, the 
refrigerant loop air generated by a 
refrigerant loop process. The substantially liquefied air is directed to a storage apparatus. The refrigerant loop air is cooled by a mechanical 
chiller and by a plurality of refrigerant loop air expanders. In energy release mode, working loop air warms the released 
liquid air such that the released 
liquid air is substantially vaporized, and the released 
liquid air cools the working loop air such that the working loop air is substantially liquefied. A portion of the released liquid air is directed to the at least one generator and used as bearing air for the at least one generator. The substantially vaporized air is directed to a 
combustion chamber and combusted with a fuel 
stream. 
Combustion gas may be directed from the 
combustion chamber to at least one expander and expanded in the expander, the expanded 
combustion gas split into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being relatively larger than the second portion. The first portion may be directed to a first 
heat exchanger, and the second portion may be directed to a second 
heat exchanger such that the second portion heats and substantially vaporizes the released liquid air.