Does energy storage in liquid air technology pass the laugh test?

AI Thread Summary
A UK company has secured $10 million to develop liquid air energy storage technology, raising questions about its feasibility and efficiency as a grid storage solution. The discussion highlights concerns regarding the energy losses associated with air liquefaction and the limitations of heat engines, questioning whether the system can deliver a meaningful percentage of energy output relative to input. The potential for cost competitiveness is noted, especially if the technology is paired with efficient compressors used in carbon sequestration or co-generation applications. Additionally, the technology may be particularly effective in cold climates, where the ambient conditions can enhance efficiency. Overall, while liquid air technology presents intriguing possibilities, its practicality as a reliable energy storage method remains under scrutiny.
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a UK company got $10M to build it, see here http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/liquid-air-for-utility-scale-energy-storage/ . Can this be at least hypothetically feasible or is it more like pure quackery for stupid investors?

ETA: to clarify, I don't doubt that it would "work" the same way as thermoelectric generator "works". The question is about the reasonableness of this kind of thermal machine as an efficient energy storage. Are air liquefaction machines sufficiently efficient nowadays that you can lose some energy on liquefaction, then lose some more energy on the limitations of the heat engine and still output big enough percentage of energy input to make it a meaningful grid storage technology?
 
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All large energy storage systems are expensive. This one may be competitive, especially if they team up with one of the companies currently developing very efficient high volume high pressure compressors for carbon sequestration. They could combine this with any number of co-gen applications. This liquid nitrogen might even be made largely as a byproduct of another highly profitable commodity.
 
This air liquification should be most efficient in cold climate areas with their cold and dry air, by which heat rejected can be utilized for other needs.
 

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