A keyword selection method for mapping technological knowledge in specific sectors through patent data: the case of biofuels sector

In this paper, we propose an innovative methodology that aims to solve drawbacks related to how patent data are allocated and organized in international databases. We propose as a case study in the biofuels sector, in order to evaluate the validity of such a method. Starting with a systematic mapping of biofuels production value chain, we have built a comprehensive description of the biofuels technological domain. The resulting list of keywords relies on an iterative selection approach, based on an analysis of recent scientific literature combined with the keyword search tool developed by Scopus. The final patent database, BioPat, has been finalized by a validation procedure with the help of expert interviews, revealing improved accuracy compared with standard International Patents Classification-based codes. Collected information in BioPat allows us to derive more intriguing insights on the characteristics and evolution of technological patterns in the biofuels sector with respect to standard classification methods.