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Towards an Understanding of Hydrogen Supply Chains: A Structured Literature Review Regarding Sustainability Evaluation

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  • Sebastian Fredershausen

    (Chair of Production and Logistics, Faculty of Business and Economics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Henrik Lechte

    (Chair of Information Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Mathias Willnat

    (Chair of Information Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Tobias Witt

    (Chair of Production and Logistics, Faculty of Business and Economics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Christine Harnischmacher

    (Chair of Information Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Tim-Benjamin Lembcke

    (Chair of Information Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Matthias Klumpp

    (Chair of Production and Logistics, Faculty of Business and Economics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
    Department of Health Care Logistics, Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML), 44227 Dortmund, Germany)

  • Lutz Kolbe

    (Chair of Information Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

Abstract

Hydrogen technologies have received increased attention in research and development to foster the shift towards carbon-neutral energy systems. Depending on the specific production techniques, transportation concepts, and application areas, hydrogen supply chains (HSCs) can be anything from part of the energy transition problem to part of the solution: Even more than battery-driven electric mobility, hydrogen is a polyvalent technology and can be used in very different contexts with specific positive or negative sustainability impacts. Thus, a detailed sustainability evaluation is crucial for decision making in the context of hydrogen technology and its diverse application fields. This article provides a comprehensive, structured literature review in the context of HSCs along the triple bottom line dimensions of environmental, economic, and social sustainability, analyzing a total of 288 research papers. As a result, we identify research gaps mostly regarding social sustainability and the supply chain stages of hydrogen distribution and usage. We suggest further research to concentrate on these gaps, thus strengthening our understanding of comprehensive sustainability evaluations for HSCs, especially in social sustainability evaluation. In addition, we provide an additional approach for discussion by adding literature review results from neighboring fields, highlighting the joint challenges and insights regarding sustainability evaluation.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Fredershausen & Henrik Lechte & Mathias Willnat & Tobias Witt & Christine Harnischmacher & Tim-Benjamin Lembcke & Matthias Klumpp & Lutz Kolbe, 2021. "Towards an Understanding of Hydrogen Supply Chains: A Structured Literature Review Regarding Sustainability Evaluation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-19, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:21:p:11652-:d:661765
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    1. Tobias Mueller & Steven Gronau, 2023. "Fostering Macroeconomic Research on Hydrogen-Powered Aviation: A Systematic Literature Review on General Equilibrium Models," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-33, February.
    2. Uroš Kramar & Matjaž Knez, 2025. "Gamified Learning for Sustainability: An Innovative Approach to Enhance Hydrogen Literacy and Environmental Awareness Through Simulation-Based Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-25, March.

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