A mathematical programming model for facility location optimization of hydrogen production from renewable energy sources

ABSTRACT

Fossil fuels are the primary energy sources and meet the global energy demands. However, environmental and health problems related with these sources boosted the demand for renewable energy sources. Hydrogen, as an energy carrier has a growing potential for solving these problems. In this article, a mathematical programming model that integrates the production, storage and transportation, safety, location, and staff assignment decisions is presented considering minimization of costs. Although most of the studies focus on location, distribution, storage decisions of hydrogen energy networks, the article also includes production, safety and staff assignment decisions to make this problem more practical. Furthermore, we also investigate the set covering constraint will ensure that each region is covered by minimum number of the hydrogen facilities. The developed model ensures a balance between location, distribution, storage, production, safety and staff decisions by installing two production facilities by assigning total 9 warehouses, 22 tank trucks, 12100 km pipeline, 35 staffs under distance constraint 2000 km in regions 1 and 5. The computational results indicate that the proposed model produces effective solutions for the coverage to all region and minimum total cost for real-case situations.

KEYWORDS:

• Renewable energy sources
• hydrogen energy
• hydrogen supply chain network
• optimization
• mathematical programming model

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Onur Derse

Onur Derse is working as Lecturer in the Department of Management and Organization of Tarsus University. His main research areas include operations research, risk analysis, mathematical programming models, optimization, and renewable energy.

Elifcan Göçmen

Elifcan Göçmen is working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Munzur University, Tunceli, Turkey. Her main research areas include operations research, mathematical programming models, optimization, and supply chain management.

Ebru Yılmaz

Ebru Yılmaz is working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey. Her main research areas include operations research, mathematical programming models, optimization, and modeling of manufacturing and service systems.

Rızvan Erol

Rızvan Erol is working as a Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey. His main research areas include operations research, system simulation, production management, production scheduling, quality management, production and service systems.