Techno-economic modelling and analysis of hydrogen fuelling stations.

Abstract Climate change is probably the most relevant global challenge. For this reason, governments are promoting energy efficiency programmes, carbon capture technologies, and renewable energies as a way to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change. Hydrogen is a clean alternative to fossil fuels in automotive applications. In this context, the objective of this project is to find the best design of a hydrogen refuelling station in terms of the number of banks and their size, having as a final aim the most cost-efficient design. This study suggests that, from an economic point of view, a state of charge for the vehicle of 100% is not adequate, since it requires very large high-pressure banks at the station, which increases significantly its setup costs. The study finds that high-pressure banks have to be bigger in volume than the low-pressure banks to minimise the total cost of the station, including setup and operational costs along its timespan. Finally, the project shows that the optimal number of banks is 4 or a maximum of 5. As a side conclusion, these results have practical implications for firms, as they might reduce the time spent in the design process of a hydrogen refuelling station. Highlights • A state of charge of 100% could not be adequate since it increases the cost per kilometre travelled. • The high-pressure bank must be bigger in volume than the low-pressure bank to minimise setup costs. • The linear distribution of volumes gives the minimum total energy consumption. • The cost of the energy used along the lifespan of the station is small compared to the setup costs. • An optimal design is a station of 4 or a maximum of 5 banks with highest-pressure bank 4 times bigger than the rest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]