The Low-Carbon Transition of Energy Systems: A Bibliometric Review from an Engineering Management Perspective

As a major solution to climate change, the low-carbon transition of energy systems has received growing attention in the past decade. This paper presents a bibliometric review of the literature on the low-carbon transition of energy systems from an engineering management perspective. First, the definition and boundaries of the energy system transition are clarified, covering transformation of the energy structure, decarbonization of fossil fuel utilization, and improvement in energy efficiency. Second, a systematic search of the related literature and a bibliometric analysis are conducted to reveal the research trends. It is found that the number of related publications has been growing exponentially during the past decade, with researchers from China, the UK, the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands comprising the majority of authors. Related studies with interdisciplinary characteristics appear in journals focusing on energy engineering, environmental science, and social science related to energy issues. Four major research themes are identified by clustering the existing literature: ① low-carbon transition pathways with different spatiotemporal scales and transition constraints; ② low-carbon technology diffusion with a focus on renewable energy technologies, pollution control technologies, and other technologies facilitating the energy transition; ③ infrastructure network planning for energy systems covering various sectors and regions; and ④ transition-driving mechanisms from the political, economic, social, and natural perspectives. These four topics play distinct but mutually supportive roles in facilitating the low-carbon transition of energy systems, and require more in-depth research on designing resilient low-carbon transition pathways with coordinated goals, promoting low-carbon technologies with cost-effective and reliable infrastructure network deployment, and balancing multi-level risks in various systems. Finally, business models, nongovernment actors, energy justice, deep decarbonization, and zero-energy buildings are recognized as emerging hot topics.