Strategic placement of alternative fueling stations in the UAE

The emergence of Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs), which comprises hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (HFCVs) and Electric Vehicles (EVs), among others, presents a promising shift away from traditional Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs). AFVs offer a solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a pressing concern for global climate challenges. However, the widespread adoption of AFVs depends on the presence of accessible alternative fueling stations. This paper investigates various ways to locate hydrogen refueling stations (HRS) for FCEVs and electric charging stations for EVs with the lowest number of stations and maximum coverage. This paper aims to solve the problem of locating publicly accessible stations on the main highways of the UAE by creating the first geospatial maps that work as a roadmap for future HRS rollout. The novelty of the relies on the integration of three distinct location models—the Set Cover Model (SCM) to find the most suitable number of stations based on a pre-determined distance, the Flow Intercept Location Model (FILM) to maximize the coverage considering the road network, and the Maximum Coverage Model (MCM) to maximize coverage given the number of stations needed and by utilizing the existing gas stations in the UAE. The investigation focuses on selecting optimal sites for Hydrogen Refueling Stations (HRS) and electric Charging Stations (CSs) along major highways interlinking the seven emirates. For the short-term planning, our findings illustrate spatial requirements and a projected necessity for 2–5 HRSs and 3–11 CSs, contingent upon varying distances.