Benjamin K. Sovacool

65.3k total citations · 29 hit papers
705 papers, 42.7k citations indexed

About

Benjamin K. Sovacool is a scholar working on Sociology and Political Science, Pollution and Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment. According to data from OpenAlex, Benjamin K. Sovacool has authored 705 papers receiving a total of 42.7k indexed citations (citations by other indexed papers that have themselves been cited), including 250 papers in Sociology and Political Science, 195 papers in Pollution and 172 papers in Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment. Recurrent topics in Benjamin K. Sovacool's work include Energy and Environment Impacts (195 papers), Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy (151 papers) and Sustainability and Climate Change Governance (102 papers). Benjamin K. Sovacool is often cited by papers focused on Energy and Environment Impacts (195 papers), Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy (151 papers) and Sustainability and Climate Change Governance (102 papers). Benjamin K. Sovacool collaborates with scholars based in United Kingdom, Denmark and United States. Benjamin K. Sovacool's co-authors include Lance Noel, Steve Sorrell, Gerardo Zarazua de Rubens, Steve Griffiths, Johannes Kester, Frank W. Geels, Jonn Axsen, Morgan Bazilian, Michael H. Dworkin and Dylan D. Furszyfer Del Rio and has published in prestigious journals such as Nature, Science and Nature Communications.

In The Last Decade

Benjamin K. Sovacool

677 papers receiving 40.8k citations

Hit Papers

What are we doing here? Analyzing fifteen years of energy... 2008 2026 2014 2020 2014 2016 2018 2015 2016 250 500 750
What are hit papers?

Hit papers significantly outperform the citation benchmark for their cohort. A paper qualifies if it has ≥500 total citations, achieves ≥1.5× the top-1% citation threshold for papers in the same subfield and year (this is the minimum needed to enter the top 1%, not the average within it), or reaches the top citation threshold in at least one of its specific research topics.

  1. What are we doing here? Analyzing fifteen years of energy scholarship and proposing a social science research agenda
    2014 980 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool Energy Research & Social Science profile →
  2. Electricity market design for the prosumer era
    2016 877 citations Yael Parag, Benjamin K. Sovacool Nature Energy profile →
  3. Promoting novelty, rigor, and style in energy social science: Towards codes of practice for appropriate methods and research design
    2018 875 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool, Jonn Axsen et al. Energy Research & Social Science profile →
  4. Energy justice: Conceptual insights and practical applications
    2015 836 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. profile →
  5. How long will it take? Conceptualizing the temporal dynamics of energy transitions
    2016 665 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool Energy Research & Social Science profile →
  6. Sociotechnical transitions for deep decarbonization
    2017 638 citations Frank W. Geels, Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. Science profile →
  7. New frontiers and conceptual frameworks for energy justice
    2017 500 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. profile →
  8. Sustainable minerals and metals for a low-carbon future
    2020 483 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool, Saleem H. Ali et al. Science profile →
  9. Energy decisions reframed as justice and ethical concerns
    2016 467 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. Nature Energy profile →
  10. Connecting climate action with other Sustainable Development Goals
    2019 462 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. profile →
  11. Valuing the greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear power: A critical survey
    2008 458 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool profile →
  12. The Socio-Technical Dynamics of Low-Carbon Transitions
    2017 426 citations Frank W. Geels, Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. profile →
  13. Integrating techno-economic, socio-technical and political perspectives on national energy transitions: A meta-theoretical framework
    2017 400 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. Energy Research & Social Science profile →
  14. It starts at home? Climate policies targeting household consumption and behavioral decisions are key to low-carbon futures
    2019 379 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. Energy Research & Social Science profile →
  15. Industrial decarbonization via hydrogen: A critical and systematic review of developments, socio-technical systems and policy options
    2021 373 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool, Jinsoo Kim et al. Energy Research & Social Science profile →
  16. Who are the victims of low-carbon transitions? Towards a political ecology of climate change mitigation
    2021 348 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool Energy Research & Social Science profile →
  17. Energy justice in the transition to low carbon energy systems: Exploring key themes in interdisciplinary research
    2018 335 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. profile →
  18. Ordering theories: Typologies and conceptual frameworks for sociotechnical change
    2017 307 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. profile →
  19. Climate change and industrial F-gases: A critical and systematic review of developments, sociotechnical systems and policy options for reducing synthetic greenhouse gas emissions
    2021 290 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool, Jinsoo Kim et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews profile →
  20. Smart home technologies in Europe: A critical review of concepts, benefits, risks and policies
    2019 279 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews profile →
  21. Decarbonization and its discontents: a critical energy justice perspective on four low-carbon transitions
    2019 276 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool, Mari Martiskainen et al. profile →
  22. Carbon capture utilization and storage in review: Sociotechnical implications for a carbon reliant world
    2023 239 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool, Morgan Bazilian et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews profile →
  23. Decarbonizing the iron and steel industry: A systematic review of sociotechnical systems, technological innovations, and policy options
    2022 237 citations Jinsoo Kim, Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. Energy Research & Social Science profile →
  24. Equity, technological innovation and sustainable behaviour in a low-carbon future
    2022 169 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. profile →
  25. Pluralizing energy justice: Incorporating feminist, anti-racist, Indigenous, and postcolonial perspectives
    2023 123 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool et al. Energy Research & Social Science profile →
  26. Decarbonizing the cement and concrete industry: A systematic review of socio-technical systems, technological innovations, and policy options
    2023 123 citations Benjamin K. Sovacool, Morgan Bazilian et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews profile →
  27. Public perceptions and support of climate intervention technologies across the Global North and Global South
    2024 49 citations Chad M. Baum, Livia Fritz et al. profile →
  28. Public engagement for inclusive and sustainable governance of climate interventions
    2024 36 citations Livia Fritz, Chad M. Baum et al. profile →
  29. Public perceptions on carbon removal from focus groups in 22 countries
    2024 34 citations Sean Low, Livia Fritz et al. profile →

Peers — A (Enhanced Table)

Peers by citation overlap · career bar shows stage (early→late) cites · hero ref

Name h Career Trend Papers Cites
Benjamin K. Sovacool United Kingdom 113 11.6k 11.6k 9.9k 9.7k 7.8k 705 42.7k
Frank W. Geels United Kingdom 68 8.4k 0.7× 2.8k 0.2× 3.8k 0.4× 4.3k 0.4× 11.8k 1.5× 137 32.2k
Detlef P. van Vuuren Netherlands 108 3.9k 0.3× 4.2k 0.4× 4.4k 0.4× 9.6k 1.0× 23.9k 3.1× 485 59.4k
Keywan Riahi Austria 79 2.3k 0.2× 2.8k 0.2× 3.5k 0.4× 6.9k 0.7× 20.4k 2.6× 269 44.6k
Daniel M. Kammen United States 65 1.4k 0.1× 5.5k 0.5× 4.9k 0.5× 4.5k 0.5× 1.7k 0.2× 338 19.2k
Linda Steg Netherlands 86 12.6k 1.1× 2.0k 0.2× 2.2k 0.2× 2.4k 0.2× 2.3k 0.3× 287 36.2k
Boqiang Lin China 110 1.1k 0.1× 5.3k 0.5× 3.8k 0.4× 16.4k 1.7× 1.9k 0.2× 883 44.5k
Manfred Lenzen Australia 88 2.0k 0.2× 2.3k 0.2× 1.6k 0.2× 5.9k 0.6× 2.0k 0.3× 308 29.3k
Klaus Hubacek United States 91 2.4k 0.2× 2.3k 0.2× 985 0.1× 4.8k 0.5× 6.4k 0.8× 319 30.9k
Qiang Wang China 89 1.0k 0.1× 3.0k 0.3× 3.8k 0.4× 6.7k 0.7× 3.3k 0.4× 1.0k 31.4k
André Faaij Netherlands 90 928 0.1× 3.1k 0.3× 4.4k 0.4× 4.3k 0.4× 3.0k 0.4× 391 28.0k

Countries citing papers authored by Benjamin K. Sovacool

Since Specialization
Citations

This map shows the geographic impact of Benjamin K. Sovacool's research. It shows the number of citations coming from papers published by authors working in each country. You can also color the map by specialization and compare the number of citations received by Benjamin K. Sovacool with the expected number of citations based on a country's size and research output (numbers larger than one mean the country cites Benjamin K. Sovacool more than expected).

Fields of papers citing papers by Benjamin K. Sovacool

Since Specialization
Physical SciencesHealth SciencesLife SciencesSocial Sciences

This network shows the impact of papers produced by Benjamin K. Sovacool. Nodes represent research fields, and links connect fields that are likely to share authors. Colored nodes show fields that tend to cite the papers produced by Benjamin K. Sovacool. The network helps show where Benjamin K. Sovacool may publish in the future.

Co-authorship network of co-authors of Benjamin K. Sovacool

This figure shows the co-authorship network connecting the top 25 collaborators of Benjamin K. Sovacool. A scholar is included among the top collaborators of Benjamin K. Sovacool based on the total number of citations received by their joint publications. Widths of edges represent the number of papers authors have co-authored together. Node borders signify the number of papers an author published with Benjamin K. Sovacool. Benjamin K. Sovacool is excluded from the visualization to improve readability, since they are connected to all nodes in the network.

All Works

20 of 20 papers shown
1.
Fritz, Livia, et al.. (2025). Between inflated expectations and inherent distrust: How publics see the role of experts in governing climate intervention technologies. Environmental Science & Policy. 164. 104005–104005. 1 indexed citations
2.
Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Hee Wook Ryu. (2025). Beyond economies of scale: Learning from construction cost overrun risks and time delays in global energy infrastructure projects. Energy Research & Social Science. 123. 104057–104057. 1 indexed citations
3.
4.
Dunlap, Alexander, et al.. (2024). “Our town is dying:“ Exploring utility-scale and rooftop solar energy injustices in Southeastern California. Geoforum. 156. 104120–104120. 7 indexed citations
5.
Low, Sean, Livia Fritz, Chad M. Baum, & Benjamin K. Sovacool. (2024). Public perceptions on solar geoengineering from focus groups in 22 countries. Communications Earth & Environment. 5(1). 8 indexed citations
6.
Debnath, Ramit, Felix Creutzig, Benjamin K. Sovacool, & Emily Shuckburgh. (2023). Harnessing human and machine intelligence for planetary-level climate action. SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología. 2(1). 20–20. 17 indexed citations
7.
Sovacool, Benjamin K., Paul Upham, Mari Martiskainen, et al.. (2023). Policy prescriptions to address energy and transport poverty in the United Kingdom. Nature Energy. 8(3). 273–283. 49 indexed citations
8.
Sovacool, Benjamin K., Chad M. Baum, Sean Low, & Livia Fritz. (2023). Coral reefs, cloud forests and radical climate interventions in Australia’s Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef. PLOS Climate. 2(10). e0000221–e0000221. 12 indexed citations
9.
Sovacool, Benjamin K., Jonn Axsen, Laurence L. Delina, et al.. (2022). Towards codes of practice for navigating the academic peer review process. Energy Research & Social Science. 89. 102675–102675. 5 indexed citations
10.
Kim, Jinsoo, et al.. (2021). Critically assessing and projecting the frequency, severity, and cost of major energy accidents. The Extractive Industries and Society. 8(2). 100885–100885. 2 indexed citations
11.
Sovacool, Benjamin K., Saleem H. Ali, Morgan Bazilian, et al.. (2020). Sustainable minerals and metals for a low-carbon future. Science. 367(6473). 30–33. 483 indexed citations breakdown →
12.
Sovacool, Benjamin K.. (2019). The precarious political economy of cobalt: Balancing prosperity, poverty, and brutality in artisanal and industrial mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Extractive Industries and Society. 6(3). 915–939. 187 indexed citations
13.
Sovacool, Benjamin K., et al.. (2019). Cars and kids: Childhood perceptions of electric vehicles and sustainable transport in Denmark and the Netherlands. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 144. 182–192. 18 indexed citations
14.
Geels, Frank W., et al.. (2018). Of emergence, diffusion, and impact: A sociotechnical perspective on researching energy demand. 1 indexed citations
15.
Parag, Yael & Benjamin K. Sovacool. (2016). Electricity market design for the prosumer era. Nature Energy. 1(4). 877 indexed citations breakdown →
16.
Ren, Jingzheng, Liang Dong, Lu Sun, et al.. (2015). “Supply push” or “demand pull?”: Strategic recommendations for the responsible development of biofuel in China. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 52. 382–392. 22 indexed citations
17.
Mukherjee, Ishani & Benjamin K. Sovacool. (2014). Palm oil-based biofuels and sustainability in southeast Asia: A review of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 37. 1–12. 218 indexed citations
18.
Brown, Marilyn A., Yu Wang, Benjamin K. Sovacool, & Anthony D’Agostino. (2014). Forty years of energy security trends: A comparative assessment of 22 industrialized countries. Energy Research & Social Science. 4. 64–77. 87 indexed citations
19.
Sovacool, Benjamin K., et al.. (2013). Wasted opportunities: resolving the impasse in United States nuclear waste policy. Figshare. 34(1). 113. 3 indexed citations
20.
Sovacool, Benjamin K., et al.. (2010). Developing Asia and the electricity sector: dynamics, trends, and policy implications. SSRN Electronic Journal. 1 indexed citations

Rankless uses publication and citation data sourced from OpenAlex, an open and comprehensive bibliographic database. While OpenAlex provides broad and valuable coverage of the global research landscape, it—like all bibliographic datasets—has inherent limitations. These include incomplete records, variations in author disambiguation, differences in journal indexing, and delays in data updates. As a result, some metrics and network relationships displayed in Rankless may not fully capture the entirety of a scholar's output or impact.

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