Cost-Optimal Design of a Stand-Alone PV-Driven Hydrogen Production and Refueling Station Using Genetic Algorithms

Driven by the growing availability of funding opportunities, electrolyzers have become increasingly accessible, unlocking significant potential for large-scale green hydrogen production. The goal of this investigation is to develop a techno-economic optimization framework for the design of a stand-alone photovoltaic (PV)-driven hydrogen production and refueling station, with the explicit objective of minimizing the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). The system integrates PV generation, a proton-exchange-membrane electrolyzer, battery energy storage, compression, and high-pressure hydrogen storage to meet the daily demand of a fleet of fuel cell buses. Results show that the optimal configuration achieves an LCOH of 11 €/kg when only fleet demand is considered, whereas if surplus hydrogen sales are accounted for, the LCOH reduces to 7.98 €/kg. The analysis highlights that more than 75% of total investment costs are attributable to PV and electrolysis, underscoring the importance of capital incentives. Financial modeling indicates that a subsidy of about 58.4% of initial CAPEX is required to ensure a 10% internal rate of return under EU market conditions. The proposed methodology provides a reproducible decision-support tool for optimizing off-grid hydrogen refueling infrastructure and assessing policy instruments to accelerate hydrogen adoption in heavy-duty transport.