Number of papers
The publication data on biochar shows a clear and steady upward trend from 2008 to 2023. This demonstrates a growing interest in biochar research over the years. In 2008, there were only 12 publications, a number which has increased exponentially over time. The number of publications breached triple digits in 2010 and by 2013, nearly 500 articles were published on biochar. This momentum continued into the mid-2010s, with publications more than doubling from 2015 to 2016.
However, the most significant increase in biochar publications came in the last few years. From 4,296 publications in 2020, there was a significant jump to 5,591 in 2021 and a peak of 6,011 in 2022. While the data for 2023 only covers part of the year, it already shows 1,994 publications, suggesting a continued strong interest in biochar research. The increasing volume of research also suggests that the scientific community is actively exploring the complexities of biochar in a bid to optimize its use and benefits. This result is in line with most bibliometric studies on biochar publications (Abdeljaoued et al., 2020).