Abstract: Hydrogen fuel cell trucks (HFCTs) are a promising alternative to diesel trucks (DTs) for decarbonizing long-haul freight while maintaining comparable operational performance.

This study investigates a large-scale hydrogen refueling station (HRS) siting problem with the objective of minimizing both capital investment in HRS construction and hydrogen delivery costs. A hybrid delivery method is considered, in which hydrogen is transported from production hubs through the existing natural gas pipeline network to storage reservoirs, and then delivered by truck to HRS locations.

Assuming that 10% of the 2050 Freight Analysis Framework Version 5 (FAF5) truck flow is composed of HFCTs operating on the U.S. continental interstate highway network, the results indicate that pipeline-based delivery offers significant economic advantages over truck-based delivery.

These findings underscore the strategic value of leveraging existing pipeline infrastructure and suggest that targeted policy support for hydrogen delivery and refueling infrastructure is essential to enable the cost-effective adoption of HFCTs in long-haul freight.