Shell-based agricultural wastes biomass valorization for biofuel production: a bibliometric analysis into the circular bioeconomy

The valorization of shell-based agricultural waste biomass for biofuel production represents a promising approach within the circular bioeconomy. This study employs a bibliometric analysis to investigate research trends and identify key developments in the field from 1997 to 2023, using data from the Web of Science and VOSviewer for scientific mapping. A total of 1333 research articles were examined, revealing notable shifts in research focus: from pyrolysis and biomass energy (1997–2005) to gasification (2006–2014), and more recently, to enzymatic hydrolysis and lignocellulosic biomass gasification (2015–2023). Findings highlight the critical role of pre-treatment processes such as combustion, pyrolysis, and torrefaction in enhancing biofuel yields. The analysis also underscores Asia’s leading role in research contributions, with collaborative networks strengthening across various global institutions. Future research is encouraged to explore innovative and cost-effective pre-treatment methods, fostering sustainable, large-scale biofuel production from agricultural waste shells.