Mass balance in the freight transport market – a dead end or an effective solution?
This project investigates how mass balance, Book & Claim and Insetting can be used to accelerate the transition to fossil-free freight transport in Sweden. We map current market offerings, identify risks, and develop principles and criteria for credible mass balance solutions.
The transition to fossil-free freight transport is too slow. In this project, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, together with transport and energy stakeholders, explores whether and how so-called mass balance systems can help accelerate the transition. Mass balance means that the climate benefit from fossil-free transport or fuels can be purchased and/or accounted for even when it does not occur in the buyer’s own transport.
The project aims to increase knowledge about opportunities, risks and enabling conditions. The work is based on market mapping, case studies carried out with companies, and analysis of regulations and existing offerings.
The outcome will be guidance, principles and criteria to help transport buyers, transport providers and fuel suppliers assess when and how mass balance can be used in a responsible way.
Book & Claim
Book & Claim is an administrative model in which the right to claim the climate or sustainability attributes of a fossil-free fuel or transport service is decoupled from its physical use. The climate benefit is accounted for and allocated to an actor, even though the actual transport or energy use may occur using another, often fossil-based, alternative. The model enables flexibility between production, distribution, and use, with the aim of accelerating demand for sustainable energy carriers in situations where physical traceability is not possible.
Insetting
Insetting refers to emission reductions that take place within an organisation’s own value chain or a closely related system, for example through the use of fossil-free fuels or climate-optimised transport solutions. Unlike offsetting, the emission reduction is linked to the organisation’s own operations and aims to reduce actual emissions within the relevant system. Insetting can be combined with mass balance and Book & Claim approaches to manage limited availability of sustainable fuels across time and location.
Project facts
- Project name: Massbalansprincip på transportmarknaden – Återvändsgränd eller effektiv metod för att accelerera omställningen till fossilfria godstransporter?
- Budget: 3,7 MSEK
- Funding: Triple F
- Project partner: IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet, Bring, Energifabriken, Einride, Frigoscandia
- Period: 2025 - 2027
Contributes to the UN Global Goals
