Adiabatic　compressed　air　energy　storage　technology　is　found　to　reliably　stabilize　the　power　load　and　support　renewable　energy　generation.　Comprehensive　life　cycle　techno-economic　and　environmental　optimization　analysis　for　this　technology　are　of　great　importance　to　improve　system　performance.　In　this　study,　we　first　proposed　an　integrated　hybrid　life　cycle　optimization　framework　to　understand　trade-offs　between　the　techno-economic　and　environmental　performance　of　adiabatic　compressed　air　energy　storage　plant　in　China,　by　combining　integrated　hybrid　life　cycle　analysis　with　multi-objective　optimization.　The　results　show　that　solutions　with　investment　cost,　carbon　dioxide　emission,　water　and　energy　consumption　of　1.47　k$/kW,　1.48　kg/kWh,　0.097　m3/kWh　and　2.08　×　104　kJ/kWh,　respectively,　are　promising　for　a　practical　adiabatic　compressed　air　energy　storage　system　design　in　China.　An　analysis　of　the　materials　and　energy　contribution　towards　the　environmental　impact　at　selected　optimum　points　are　carried　out　in　detail　to　elucidate　means　for　reducing　the　life-cycle　emission　of　the　plant;　besides,　an　impact　comparison　for　plant　installation　in　different　provinces　was　performed　to　provide　guidance　for　policymakers　in　site　selection.　As　a　result,　the　life-cycle　carbon　dioxide　emission,　water　and　energy　consumption　of　the　plant　were　found　to　be　large　in　the　provinces　with　a　high　proportion　of　thermal　power　generation　—　for　example,　Shandong　and　Jiangsu　—　yet　the　most　environmental　benefit　is　achieved　in　these　provinces　if　the　system　is　combined　with　the　local　power　grid.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd