Kenneth Möllersten

Kenneth Möllersten has been working over 25 years in the interface between greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation technology and climate policy. His current research is focused on the four focus areas Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR), Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, Voluntary Carbon Markets, and GHG accounting and reporting. Kenneth has authored over 20 peer-reviewed papers in the areas of GHG mitigation & accounting and carbon pricing. He has received international recognition for his contributions as one of the first proponents of Bioenegy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) (2001) and Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) (2004) as well as some of the first model-based global scenarios featuring BECCS and globally net-negative CO2 emissions published (2001-2010).

He has extensive experience of practical work related to the project-based flexible mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol. During 2003-2018 Kenneth managed bilateral carbon market transactions for the Swedish government and represented Sweden in multilateral carbon funds developing piloting concepts for Art. 6 activities, taking active part in the methodological development of the flexible mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol and the market-based collaborative instruments under the Paris Agreement. He amongst others had an active role in the development of new CDM methodologies (water purification and Carbon Capture and Storage).

Kenneth served on the advisory board of London-based firm Carbon Capital Markets, represented Sweden as an expert in IPCC and UNFCCC negotiations, the Clean Technology Fund, the IEA GHG R&D Programme and IEA Annex GHG Balances of Bioenergy Systems. He is a current member of the Article 6.4 mechanism Roster of experts as “Methodologies Expert” and WG2/Env Mgmt "Greenhouse gases" of the Swedish Institute for Standards.

As a public servant and consultant, he has been leading several complex assignments related to carbon markets including for the Swedish Energy Agency, the Swedish Ministry of Environment, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Sida, the Church of Sweden, and several private corporations. Kenneth is currently part of teams providing technical and policy advice to the Swedish Energy Agency’s programme for Article 6 investments and National Centre of Competence for CCS, respectively.

Latest journal publications:
-Möllersten, K., Dufour, M., Ahonen, H-M., Spalding-Fecher, R. (2024). “Demystifying carbon removals in the context of offsetting for sub-global net-zero targets”. Carbon Management. 15(1):2390840.  DOI:10.1080/17583004.2024.2390840

-Fridahl, M., Möllersten, K., Lundberg, L., Rickels, W. (2024). “Potential and goal conflicts in reverse auction design for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)”. Environmental Sciences Europe 36, 146. DOI:10.1186/s12302-024-00971-0.

-Dufour, M., Möllersten, K., Zetterberg, L. (2024). “How to maintain environmental integrity when using state support and the VCM to co-finance BECCS projects - a Swedish case study”. Frontiers in Environmental Science 12:1387138.

-Fridahl, M., Schenuit, F., Lundberg, L., Möllersten, K., Böttcher, M., Rickels, W., Hansson, A. (2023). Tackling the overdue task of anchoring novel carbon dioxide removals in the European Union’s climate policy framework. Communications Earth & Environment. DOI: 10.1038/s43247-023-01121-9.

-Zetterberg, L., Johnsson, F., & Möllersten, K. (2021). Incentivizing BECCS – a Swedish case study.Frontiers in Climate.

Latest reports:

-Möllersten, K, Särnbratt, M, Nilsson, Å (2024). Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) model for estimation of GHG emission reductions. IVL Report no U6832.

-Bednar, J, Höglund, R, Möllersten, K, Obersteiner, M, Tamme, E (2023). The role of carbon removal in contributing to the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement (2023). IVL Report no. C807.

-Johnsson, F, Zetterberg, L, Möllersten, K (2023). Mot nettonollutsläpp – Hur kan koldioxidavskiljning bidra). Studieförbundet Näringsliv och Samhälle. SNS Analys 98.

-Möllersten, K (2023). Carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon removal in the context of Nordic zero net GHG emissions. Policy paper, Concito, DK.

-Lind, A, Andreas Norn, P, Johan Sørensen, T, Tynkkynen, O, Daviðsdottir, B, Ásgeirsson, E, Stefánsson, H, Torvanger, A, Waage Skjeflo, S, Möllersten, K, Zetterberg L. (2023). Nordic Stocktake – Pathways to Climate Neutrality. Nordic Council of Ministers. Copenhagen.

-Möllersten, K, Zetterberg, L. (2023). Bringing BECCS credits to voluntary carbon markets. Sustainable policy lab Policy brief. TRITA-ABE-RPT-2316.

-Möllersten, K, Marklew, S., Ahonen, H.-M. (2023). “Regulatory frameworks for CCS in the Nordic countries,” Nordic Council of Ministers. Copenhagen.