Mapping the scientific structure and evolution of renewable energy for sustainable development

The integration of renewable energy and sustainable development (RE&SD) can help overcome existing obstacles and create opportunities for renewable energy deployment to achieve sustainable development goals. In view of the limited research on science mapping and visualization analyses of RE&SD, this study sought to determine the scientific structure and evolution based on longitudinal and mapping change analysis. As an entity in the knowledge base, keyword and subject were considered essential information of documents. The co-word network was generated using SciMAT to reveal the dynamic aspects of the scientific research in the five subperiods. The thematic evolutionary analysis identified two main RE&SD thematic areas, with the current research hotspots that involved technological, environmental, sustainable energy innovation, and sustainable biofuel contributions. The alluvial diagram using MapEquation revealed significant structural changes from subject data. Clusters of subjects continued to grow, and more interdisciplinary integration was undergoing. This study provides a systematic study of RE&SD research, and the future research of RE&SD may inevitably consider renewable energy investment and renewable energy perspective approaches to achieve sustainable development goals.