Abstract
Renewable energy infrastructure struggles with location and long-distance transportation challenges. To address this, the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier has gained prominence. However, large-scale hydrogen transport poses difficulties. This study investigates converting hydrogen into more stable and transportable carriers, methanol and ammonia, with the aim of developing a sustainable green hydrogen supply chain. A versatile multi-period mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model is proposed for an optimal economic assessment. Using data from China, the model identifies key nodes, quantities of photovoltaic panels, and wind turbines required. The results favor wind power, accounting for 72 % of total installations. Despite renewable energy abundance in northwest China, long-distance transportation costs make other regions more economically viable. The total annual cost of creating a green hydrogen supply chain to meet demand from 35 large enterprises is estimated at approximately 9.96 billion USD, providing useful insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders.
