Design and planning of global sustainable bio-hydrogen supply chain with uncertainty: A transportation-oriented robust model

Among renewable energy systems, hydrogen-based ones are promising options towards the "clean fuel" because they do not produce greenhouse gases during combustion. By utilizing the supply chain concept, it is possible to develop the use of hydrogen as a fuel in the transportation industry. As the first stage, in this study a MILP model is developed to configure the hydrogen supply chain network, including strategical and tactical decisions, while minimizing costs and carbon emission across the network. And, in the second stage, it investigates the excess hydrogen exportability to regional countries, based on which an economic objective function maximizes the related profit. Dealing with hydrogen demand uncertainty, the present study has been used the robust possibilistic programming method. Results of a related case study in Iran show that: 1) The sensitive analysis of carbon tax parameter shows a small value can reduce carbon emissions significantly, 2) Among hydrogen production technologies, "coal gasification with carbon capture-emission facilities" is an optimal decision, and 3) exporting produced hydrogen did not have any economic justification due to its high cost/unit production.