Hydrogen Refueling Station Selection Using the AROMAN Method: A Case Study in the Pardubice Region

Hydrogen-powered vehicles are emerging as a promising mode of transportation, aligned with the principles of sustainable societal development. The establishment of hydrogen refueling stations is an ongoing endeavor, with an expected growth in the number of hydrogen-powered vehicles in the near future. This paper addresses the challenge of selecting a hydrogen refueling station from a driver's perspective. The proposed methodology is designed as a decision support tool for drivers and can be integrated, for example, as a background program within a mobile phone application. To assist drivers in selecting the most suitable hydrogen refueling station, a recently developed multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method known as the Alternative Ranking Order Method Accounting Two-Step Normalization (AROMAN) has been employed. Several criteria are taken into account in the decision-making process, including the driver's distance to the station, travel time to the charger, expected wait time if the charger is occupied, and the number of available chargers at each station. To demonstrate the practicality of the proposed approach, the problem is addressed for the Pardubice Region in the Czech Republic. The available alternatives for the driver's choice include the hydrogen refueling stations in Pardubice, Chrudim, and Třemošnice. The results obtained from the proposed approach identify the Chrudim refueling station as the optimal solution in this specific case. Comparative analyses are conducted with other MCDM methods such as the Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS) and Measurement of Alternatives and Ranking according to the Compromise Solution (MARCOS), demonstrating a high level of confidence in the results. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis is performed, revealing enhanced stability when employing two normalization techniques as opposed to only one.