Biochar Research Trends Mapped in Five-Year Bibliometric Analysis

A new bibliometric analysis published in Discover Sustainability on 26 October 2026 maps how research on this renewable energy source has evolved, drawing on publication records from the Web of Science database covering the years 2020 to 2024. The study, conducted by Eda Orhun, Gul Ebru Orhun and Joao Miguel Rocha, focused its search on three core terms: "biochar," "biochar yield" and "biochar production." Using VOSviewer software, a widely applied tool for visualising bibliometric networks, the team analysed publication patterns, citation networks, patterns of authorship collaboration and keyword co-occurrences across the five-year window. The motivation behind the analysis reflects a broader shift in energy research.

As fossil fuel reserves are depleted and their environmental impacts accumulate, the search for sustainable and renewable alternatives has intensified. Biochar occupies a distinctive position in this landscape because it is derived from biomass and offers benefits that extend beyond energy production alone. The bibliometric findings highlight the key authors, influential publications and active institutions shaping the field, as well as the emerging research themes and collaborative networks that connect them.

By charting who is publishing where, and which concepts recur across the literature, the analysis provides a structured picture of how the biochar research community has organised itself in recent years. According to the authors, the results underscore the pivotal role of biochar in four main areas: carbon sequestration, soil enhancement, waste management and its use as a renewable energy source. Beyond summarising past output, the analysis is designed to be forward-looking.

By identifying existing research themes and potential areas for collaboration, the authors argue that the study offers valuable insights for advancing biochar research and applying it to global sustainability challenges. As an open access review, the article is freely available and citable, carrying a permanent DOI. The published version is being shared early as accepted peer-reviewed research, subject to further editorial refinement before the final Version of Record replaces it.

The study is limited to the scope of its bibliometric method: it describes trends in the published literature rather than reporting new experimental results on biochar performance itself.

Subject of Research: Bibliometric analysis of biochar research trends and applications as a renewable energy source

Article Title: A bibliometric analysis of biochar current research trends: biochar applications and treatments as a renewable energy source

Article References: Orhun, E., Orhun, G. E., & Rocha, J. M. (2026). A bibliometric analysis of biochar current research trends: biochar applications and treatments as a renewable energy source. Discover Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-04399-9

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s43621-026-04399-9

Keywords: biochar, bibliometrics, pyrolysis, renewable energy, carbon sequestration, soil enhancement, waste management, Web of Science, VOSviewer, sustainability, bibliometric, analysis