The transport sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, requiring effective decarbonization strategies. Hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) can complement battery electric vehicles, but their deployment depends on efficient hydrogen refueling infrastructure in the hydrogen supply chain. This study analyzes hydrogen refueling station (HRS) locations using integrated geographic information system (GIS) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) to evaluate relative efficiency. The model incorporates input criteria including highway access distance, distance to urban areas, distance to the nearest HRS, and hydrogen transport distance, while output criteria include surrounding industrial area and utilization  percentage. A case study is conducted in the Saxony region of Germany, assessing existing and potential station locations. Results show that approximately half of the analyzed stations are efficient, while the remaining locations exhibit inefficiencies mainly due to spatial positioning and limited demand potential. The findings provide practical insights for infrastructure planning by identifying optimal locations and highlighting improvement areas, supporting data-driven decisions for expanding hydrogen infrastructure and enhancing the sustainability of the transport sector.

Keywords

Hydrogen Refueling Stations, Data Envelopment Analysis, Location Efficiency, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, Hydrogen Supply Chain.