Analyzing global research trends in combined cycle power plants: A bibliometric study

Over the last two decades, extensive research has focused on enhancing operational efficiency, emission reduction, and technological advancements in combined cycle power plants. This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis encompassing over 4100 peer-reviewed publications within the Scopus database (2000–2022) related to combined cycle power plants. The outcomes reveal a burgeoning global research landscape, primarily led by the United States, China, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Encompassing diverse domains such as engineering, energy, environment, and others, this research delves into technical areas like carbon capture, exergy analysis, and optimization, while hinting at emerging research directions involving machine learning and power-to-gas technologies. Renowned authors such as Bolland, Tsatsaronis, and Dincer, alongside influential institutions like Tsinghua University and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, form significant research networks. International collaboration underscores widespread knowledge exchange, with the United States and China leading in total citations, while Italy boasts the highest average citations per article. A comprehensive analysis of keywords underscores the interdisciplinary nature of research, spanning technical, economic, and environmental dimensions. Further affirmation is found in the extensive publication span across general energy and specialized thermoscience journals. This study offers a comprehensive overview of research productivity, impact, and trends in combined cycle power plant research over the past two decades, providing actionable insights for strategic research planning and global performance enhancement.