Journal profile · Environmental Science-Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Clean Energy
ISSN 2515-4230 · eISSN 2515-396X · Oxford University Press · United Kingdom
Clean Energy: CAS Zone 4 · Environmental Science & Ecology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 9.1 (journal website); fully open access; APC charged, amount not published; review about 10 weeks (community reports); 99 articles in 2025; indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Clean Energy is published by Oxford University Press and is in Zone 4 of Environmental Science & Ecology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems, Energy and Environment Impacts and Photovoltaic System Optimization Techniques, together about 28.6% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Clean Energy is an open access, peer-reviewed international journal and serves as an important platform to present the research, innovation, development, and demonstration in the energy field to worldwide researchers, scholars and scientists, highlighting the importance of clean utilization of fossil energy, renewable energy, advanced energy systems and increased energy efficiency as key elements to achieve an economic, ecological, and sustainable energy future. The journal publishes original articles in the form of full research papers, reviews, mini-reviews communications, perspectives and comments. Clean Energy is financially supported and founded by National Institute of Clean and Low-Carbon Energy (NICE), CHN group, China. Key topics covered in the journal include, but are not limited to: Clean Energy Production, Conversion and Utilization: Green and intelligent development of fossil energy; Clean power generation (including new-gen nuclear) and flexible regulation; Renewable energy power generation; Catalytic conversion to fuels and chemicals; Biosynthesis and bio-manufacturing; Chemical process intensification and system optimization. Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS): Carbon capture; CO₂ conversion and utilization; CO₂ transportation and storage. Hydrogen and Energy Storage: Clean hydrogen production; Hydrogen storage, transportation and diversified conversion; Electrochemical energy storage; Thermal energy storage; Advanced physical energy storage. Clean Energy Materials: Materials for energy storage and conversion; Materials for energy transmission and intelligent management; Materials for energy conservation and efficiency enhancement; Bio-based materials; materials recycling and high-value utilization of energy process wastes. Artificial Intelligence (AI) + Energy: AI-assisted and data-driven design and manufacturing of energy materials and equipment; Digital twin simulation of complex energy/industrial systems or processes; AI-based regulation and operational optimization of multi-energy systems; Data-driven full lifecycle carbon emission management for energy systems. Integrated Energy Systems Engineering for Energy-Intensive Sectors: Multi-energy system planning and integrated design; Multi-energy system modeling and reliability analysis; Regulation and aggregation of distributed energy resources; Life cycle assessment and optimization of multi-energy systems and energy industry supply chains; Cross-sector coupled system integra
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Environmental Science-Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Editor-in-chief Norman N. LiPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 30 in mainland China (about 51%); most named Mainland China 30, United States 7, United Kingdom 6, Canada 5, Australia 3 (59 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Hybrid Renewable Energy SystemsEnergy11.8%
- Energy and Environment ImpactsEnvironmental Science8.6%
- Photovoltaic System Optimization TechniquesEnergy8.2%
- Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic SystemsEnergy6.7%
- Integrated Energy Systems OptimizationEngineering5.8%
- Solar Radiation and PhotovoltaicsComputer Science5.4%
- Microgrid Control and OptimizationEngineering5.2%
- Advanced Battery Technologies ResearchEngineering4.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Energy & Fuels | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Engineering, Environmental | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Green & Sustainable Science & Technology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Green & Sustainable Science & Technology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Energy & Fuels | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Engineering, Environmental | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Energy & Fuels | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Engineering, Environmental | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Green & Sustainable Science & Technology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
ESCIScopusDOAJLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
EI CompendexPublisher website
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 9.1Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 4.7Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 9.1LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 9.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2024
- 6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.88LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.23LetPub ·
- h-index
- 43OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 237OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 7.54OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 2%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 100%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 89LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 660 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 64 | 64 | 14 |
| 2025 | 99 | 99 | 444 |
| 2024 | 138 | 138 | 1,813 |
| 2023 | 111 | 111 | 1,960 |
| 2022 | 66 | 66 | 1,738 |
| 2021 | 69 | 69 | 1,139 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 10 weeksLetPub ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewLetPub
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Fully open accessOpenAlex
Every article is open access; authors usually pay an article processing charge (APC).
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 0 | — | — | |
| LetPub | No APC | No | — | |
| Publisher website | No APC | — | — |
Other charges and waivers (author guidelines)
- Other fees
- No other fees
- Page charges
- No page charges
- Submission fee
- No submission fee
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Optional
Article types accepted16, with length limits
- book reviewResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…Length not stated
- commentaryResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…main text ≤ 1,000 words
- communicationA Communication presents highly influential, innovative, and time-sensitive research findings in the fields of clean energy and integrated energy systems, with …Length not stated
- full research articleResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…Length not stated
- full research paperResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…Length not stated
- hypothesisResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…Length not stated
- mini-reviewMini-reviews should follow the guidelines provided for a full review but provide concise, focused summaries of recent insights or advances in specific research …Length not stated
- news and focusNews and Focus articles can contain breaking news in clean energy: recently published articles, book reviews, or significant conference findings. We also invite…Length not stated
- opinionResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…Length not stated
- original researchResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…Length not stated
- perspectiveResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- research articleResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…Length not stated
- research paperResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…Length not stated
- reviewResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…Length not stated
- review articleResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…main text ≤ 8,000 words
- viewpointResearch article Full Research papers report the results of original, high-quality research that makes a significant contribution to the field, with tables, ill…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAuthorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints, Self-archiving
- Authorship Authorship
Authorship is limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the design and execution of the work described. Any contributors whose participation does not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged but not listed as an author. The Journal will contact all listed authors at the point of submission to confirm their role. For a detailed definition of authorship, please see …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest
Authors The Journal requires all authors to disclose any potential conflict of interest at the point of submission. It is the responsibility of the corresponding author to ensure that conflicts of interest of all authors are declared to the Journal. A conflict of interest exists when the position, activities, or relationships of an individual, whether direct or indirect, financial or non-financial…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Availability of data and materials
Data availability statement required for papers published in the Journal. Model summary
Where ethically feasible, the Journal strongly encourages authors to make all data and software code on which the conclusions of the paper rely available to readers. Authors are required to include a data availability statement in their paper. When data and software underlying the research article are available in an online source, authors should include a full citation in their reference list. Fo…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Misconduct
Authors should observe high standards with respect to research integrity and publication ethics as set out by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Falsification or fabrication of data including inappropriate image manipulation, plagiarism, including duplicate publication of the author's own work without proper citation, and misappropriation of work are all unacceptable practices. Allegation…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Open Government Licence
Permission required for third-party material (quotations, tables, figures, images, data, software). Model summary
The Open Government Licence is an open licencing model for content produced by employees of UK Crown bodies allowing users to copy, publish, distribute, adapt and transmit the Information for commercial and non-commercial purposes. For additional information visit the gov.uk information on the Open Government Licence.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access charges
Clean Energy is a fully open access journal, and all articles are published in the journal under an open access licence immediately upon publication. Clean Energy does not currently charge for open access. Journal (required) Please select Academic MedicineActa CytologicaActa HaematologicaAdaptationAesthetic Surgery JournalAesthetic Surgery Journal Open ForumAfrican AffairsAge And AgeingAJE Advance…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review process
Double-anonymized peer review: authors hidden from reviewers and vice versa; editors know both identities. Model summary
The Journal uses the ANSI/NISO Standard Terminology for Peer Review. If you would like further description of the peer review terms used here, please refer to the most recent standard definitions. If further clarification is needed, please contact the editorial office at connie@conniesenior.com. The Journal conducts double-anonymized peer review, meaning that the identities of the authors are hidd…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprints allowed; authors retain right to share Author’s Original Version; must update preprint status with published DOI upon acceptance. Model summary
As an author, you retain the right to make an Author’s Original Version (preprint) available through various channels and this does not prevent submission to the Journal. If accepted, you are required to update the status of any preprint, including adding your published paper’s DOI. For full details on allowed channels and updating your preprint, please see our Author self-archiving policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Self-archiving Self-archiving
Self-archiving refers to posting a copy of your work on a publicly accessible website or repository. Under certain circumstances, you may self-archive versions of your work on your own webpages, on institutional webpages, and in other repositories. For information about the Journal's policy, and to learn which version(s) of your paper are acceptable for self-archiving, please see our Author self-a…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Country or region
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 2515-4230
- Electronic ISSN
- 2515-396X
- Society / sponsor
- NICE
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 10, Issue 5 (October 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Aims & Scope ↗LetPub
- Peer review process ↗LetPub
- Editorial board ↗LetPub
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Clean Energy
What CAS zone is Clean Energy in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Clean Energy is in Zone 4 of Environmental Science & Ecology, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Energy & Fuels / Engineering, Environmental / Green & Sustainable Science & Technology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Environmental Science & Ecology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Clean Energy?
The journal's website gives an impact factor of 9.1 (2025); this is the journal's own figure, as LetPub lists none for it; CiteScore 9.1, h-index 43.
How long does peer review take at Clean Energy?
Authors report an average review time of about 10 weeks. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Clean Energy?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Graphical abstract: Optional; Cover letter: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Clean Energy based?
Of the 59 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 30 (about 51%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (30), United States (7) and United Kingdom (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Clean Energy?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Clean Energy is indexed in ESCI, Scopus and DOAJ. The journal's website also lists EI Compendex; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Clean Energy open access, and what is the APC?
Clean Energy is a fully open-access journal. APC charged, amount not published.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .