Design of hydrogen supply networks for aviation: dynamic optimization model and transition pathways for German airports

Citation
Technische Universität Hamburg (2025)
Peer Reviewed
false
Hydrogen-based propulsion concepts for aircraft are considered a promising technology towards the decarbonization of aviation. While the development of respective aircraft models is in progress, questions regarding the supply network of green hydrogen are arising. We present a multi-period mixed-integer programming model for the hydrogen supply chain network design problem focusing on the aviation sector. The model minimizes the total network cost by making strategic decisions (e.g. suppliers, locations, capacities, transportation infrastructure) and tactical decisions (e.g. hydrogen flows, storage quantities) at different temporal resolutions. Our model formulation considers the spatially and temporally varying supply and demand of hydrogen, the techno-economic characteristics of hydrogen storage, liquefaction and transportation (e.g., economies of scale), as well as the specific requirements of hydrogen handling (e.g., losses). Model application is illustrated for a representative set of German airports with local production and hydrogen import options, considering the projected development of the European Hydrogen Backbone pipeline infrastructure. Optimal network designs (from production to the airport storage tanks) and corresponding costs are analyzed for different hydrogen demand scenarios. In addition to the model results, refueling costs at each airport are calculated separately, thereby covering the entire end-to-end supply chain and enabling the estimation of hydrogen cost at the pump.
Subjects
Supply Chain Network Design
MIP
Sustainability
Hydrogen (H2)
Aviation
DDC Class
629.13: Aviation Engineering
519: Applied Mathematics, Probabilities
333.7: Natural Resources, Energy and Environment
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