Optimizing on-site green hydrogen consumption using heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles

Transitioning to zero-emission heavy-duty freight vehicles, such as fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), could contribute to mitigating the environmental footprint in the freight sector. However, sustainable and economical production, transportation, and storage of hydrogen fuels remain challenging. The goal of this study is to leverage the flexibility of logistics delivery to maximize the utilization of green hydrogen while balancing the freight operational costs. To achieve this goal, we develop a mixed integer programming (MIP) model that optimizes the planning, routing/scheduling, refueling, and on-site “green” hydrogen production to support the operations of FCEVs. The model strategically determines the locations and sizes of hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs) and the corresponding vehicle routing/refueling plans to minimize total costs, while utilizing solar-powered on-site hydrogen generation in freight operations. Our model was initially tested using the Solomon benchmark and later implemented in a real-world case study of freight distribution systems in Florida to evaluate its robustness and efficiency. Computational performance between exact methods and a customized Adaptive Large Neighborhood Search (ALNS) metaheuristic algorithm are also compared. Extensive sensitivity analyses were conducted on operational and environmental parameters to generate numerical insights. We found that strategic trade-offs in routing the FCEV fleet and placing HRSs, coupled with optimized solar hydrogen production, substantially reduce operational costs and enhance sustainability.