Euro-LAC Energy Teams — Insights from Science Teams on the Energy Sector Scientific Performance and Knowledge Structure Across Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean

Understanding how science teams contribute to energy transition is essential as global energy demands rise and the environmental costs of clean technologies intensify. Science teams are increasingly central to scientific progress and innovation in the energy field. However, comparatively little is known about team-based scientific performance and thematic knowledge structures across regions, particularly between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). This study aims to identify and compare the scientific performance and the structural characteristics of scientific knowledge produced by research teams from Europe and LAC over the period 1996 to 2019 using a sample of 6,248 energy-related research articles sourced from Scopus. Via descriptive exploratory analysis, Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn’s post-hoc analysis, and a temporal network analysis, we show that while European science teams consistently exhibit higher normalized citation scores than their LAC counterparts, a convergence trend is emerging. We also found structural differences in research strategic and persistent priorities, with LAC emphasizing biomass and solar energy and Europe engaging more with materials science and experimental optimization. Both regions show sustained interest in bioenergy and solar-related technologies, suggesting areas for thematic complementarity. These findings provide evidence on how science team composition and regional priorities shape scientific knowledge, providing evidence to support more inclusive and strategically aligned research partnerships. The observed convergence in performance and evolving knowledge structures offer a roadmap for collaboration strategies and co-innovation between both regions.