Scientometric analysis of building integrated photovoltaics research: development, themes, and main trends

Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), a significant technological tool to reduce carbon emissions from buildings, have attracted extensive research attention worldwide as the call for “carbon neutrality” in the building sector continues to rise. Existing studies lack a comprehensive compendium of global BIPV-related research, and articles on the latest advances in the last five years are particularly scarce. Consequently, this study conducted a scientometric review of BIPV research to systematically and visually analyse the cutting-edge BIPV literature. Through multiple rounds of searching and screening, this study collected 467 BIPV-related studies between 2019 and 2023. It utilised CiteSpace to analyse the development of BIPV literature, summarise the themes, and predict the trends. The review reveals that the cross-disciplinary nature of the discipline dynamically shapes the focus of BIPV research. Based on the findings of scientometrics, three major themes are outlined and critically analysed: science and technology, market products, and implementation impediments. By comprehensively summarising and analysing the most recent BIPV literature, this study proposes a series of research trends in the field. This study provides policymakers, architects, and researchers in the field of low-carbon buildings with a detailed compendium of the current status and trends of BIPV. It offers specific insights and sources of reference for in-depth research and the promotion of the application of BIPV technology in the building industry.