What Drives Land Suitability for Hydrogen Fueling Stations? A Meta-Analysis

Hydrogen storage is an environmentally friendly technology and an enabler for technological advancements in applications such as transportation. However, the appropriate location of hydrogen refueling stations is crucial in increasing the adoption of hydrogen fuel. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the influence of key variables (such as policy requirements, construction and maintenance costs, social demand, and environmental variables) on the location of hydrogen refueling stations on a global scale. For this purpose, this study examined the findings of 26 primary articles published between 2000 and 2025, using the weighted meta-analysis method. The results of this study showed that environmental variables (such as road access and weather conditions), compared to construction and maintenance costs, had a higher impact of around 76% on the better siting of liquid hydrogen stations. In addition, the meta-regression results showed that environmental variables can affect achieving a better location of compressed hydrogen stations by 23% and a better location of liquid hydrogen stations by 20%. The findings indicate an 18% reduction in the impact of variables affecting the location of compressed hydrogen stations in studies after 2020, as well as a spatial focus of most studies on Europe with a share of about 2%. This study demonstrates how zoning laws, infrastructural corridors, and environmental restrictions determine the best site for hydrogen refueling stations, which compete with other land uses (urban and suburban). Therefore, the emphasis on land science research is evident through choices about energy infrastructure siting, spatial growth patterns, and land use sustainability.