The optimal location of refuelling stations for hydrogen freight vehicles considering the effects on route choice

This paper proposes a model and a procedure to optimise the location of hydrogen refuelling stations for freight vehicles, considering their influence on the route choice. The methodology can also be applied to the location of other refuelling stations for innovative vehicles, such as electric vehicles, where there is a limited number of stations. Usually, the optimal location of this type of facility is obtained by assuming known and invariable routes followed by vehicles and maximising the demand served, i.e. the ‘captured’ flows. On the other hand, the proposed approach assumes that vehicles should adapt their route to reach one of the refuelling stations and that this will not necessarily be the minimum-cost route. In this case, the objective of optimal location is not only to serve the demand but also to serve it in a way that minimises the additional travel costs for vehicles. The proposed approach has been tested on the Sioux Falls network and has proven that it can be used to locate a limited number of refuelling stations on a network, to serve as much demand as possible while limiting route deviations.