Creating a Roadmap for Hydrogen-Powered Trucking

As part of Kentucky’s efforts to explore low-carbon transportation, the state’s Energy and Environment Cabinet commissioned a feasibility study on hydrogen-powered truck operations. We led the study’s development and stakeholder engagement, identifying opportunities, constraints and a roadmap for hydrogen truck deployment.

Our team collaborated with Kentucky’s Hydrogen Hub Workgroup, which provides a platform for key stakeholders in Kentucky’s hydrogen economy to collaborate with Energy and Environment staff to advance hydrogen projects over the next decade. We engaged public agencies, private industry and research institutions, incorporating their feedback throughout the study process.

The feasibility study marks a key step in exploring how Kentucky can reduce emissions from freight and transportation — an industry central to the state’s economy — and support the development of Alternative Fuel Corridors in the region. Kentucky has one of the highest shares of jobs in transportation and manufacturing in the U.S. Transportation has also consistently been ranked as one of the United States’ highest emissions sources and represents a significant opportunity to reduce overall emissions. 

Developing Hydrogen Refueling Models With Proprietary Software

Through research and collaboration with key stakeholders — including vehicle manufacturers, hydrogen producers, private companies and research institutions — our team integrated a wide range of perspectives into the study. HDR took this input and condensed it into workable technical solutions that could meet both statewide goals and stakeholder needs. This primarily consisted of a technical evaluation of suitable refueling technologies that could meet the overall goal of advancing hydrogen-fueled freight activities.

Using our proprietary hydrogen toolkit, we developed concepts for two refueling network scenarios:

• Corridor-based network: Multiple stations along key highways and near major manufacturing hubs.
• Hub-and-spoke model: Large regional stations where trucks depart from and return to a central facility.

Each scenario includes three refueling station investment levels: pilot scale, liquid delivery and on-site generation. Liquid delivery emerged as the most cost-effective, supporting up to 20 trucks per day in the corridor model and 50 in the hub-and-spoke model.

We also outlined an action plan with continuous and short-, medium-, and long-term strategies to advance hydrogen adoption. These included public-private partnerships, funding opportunities and standards for infrastructure development. 

As Kentucky continues to explore energy solutions, the feasibility study helps position the state to lead in sustainable freight innovation and economic development.