Prediction of Future Potential Hydrogen Demand and Optimisation of Refuelling Station Site Allocation for Australian Heavy-Duty Transport: A Geospatial Approach

Hydrogen is critical for decarbonising heavy-duty transport; however, limited infrastructure and aggregated demand data hinder effective planning. This study develops a geospatial framework to project hydrogen demand for Australia’s heavy-duty trucks and optimise hydrogen refuelling station (HRS) siting under three 2050 scenarios. A multi-scale modelling approach at regional, demand centre, and corridor levels captures spatial heterogeneity and identifies demand hotspots. Projected demand is integrated into a decision-making framework combining multi-criteria decision analysis and location-allocation. Results identify optimal HRS locations, number, and capacity, and reveal overlapping sites across scenarios for early deployment, thereby supporting more strategic infrastructure planning toward net-zero emissions.