A Patent Bibliometric Analysis of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Technology

Large amounts of CO2 from human socioeconomic activities threaten environmental sustainability. Moreover, uncontrolled resource use and lack of relevant technology exacerbate this issue. For this reason, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology has gained worldwide attention. Many scholars have researched CCUS, but few have used CCUS patent bibliometric analysis from a unified perspective. This article aims to provide a conclusive analysis for CCUS researchers and policymakers, as well as summarize the innovation trends, technological distribution, and topic evolution. Based on 11,915 pieces of patent data from the Derwent Innovations Index, we used bibliometric analysis and data mining methods to conduct research on four dimensions: overall trend, geographical distribution, patentees, and patent content. The results of this article are as follows. CCUS has entered a rapid development stage since 2013. Patents are mainly distributed geographically in China, the US, and Japan, especially in heavy industries such as energy and electricity. Large enterprises hold patents with a relatively stable network of cooperators and attach great importance to international patent protection. A total of 12 topics were identified through clustering, and these topics gradually shifted from technicalities to commercialization, and from industrial production to all aspects of people's daily lives.

Automated summary

Large amounts of CO2 from human socioeconomic activities pose a threat to environmental sustainability, worsened by uncontrolled resource use and lack of relevant technology. Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology has gained global attention as a solution. This article provides a comprehensive analysis for CCUS researchers and policymakers, summarizing innovation trends, technological distribution, and topic evolution. Using bibliometric analysis and data mining methods on 11,915 patent data, the results show that CCUS has entered a rapid development phase since 2013. Patents are mainly distributed in China, the US, and Japan, particularly in heavy industries like energy and electricity. Large enterprises prioritize international patent protection and have a stable network of cooperators. Clustering analysis identified 12 topics, shifting from technicalities to commercialization and encompassing various aspects of daily life.