David Turley

David Turley is a Director of NNFCC and the Lead Consultant for Bio-based feedstocks with over 25 years’ research and consulting experience.  With a background in agricultural research and development, David leads strategic analysis studies, helping to de-risk decision making. David has a broad knowledge of the bioeconomy sector covering both traditional and emerging sectors and leads on policies shaping the current market landscape.

David is a highly experienced project manager, with extensive national and international project experience working for both public and private clients. For over 14 years, David has led work providing policy advice and support to; Defra, DECC and now BEIS on non-food crop and bioenergy issues. In recent years he has led strategic studies to examine; the opportunities for industrial biotechnology development, business cases for further public investment and bio-based opportunities to stimulate the UK chemical sector.

David is a member of the UK government’s ad-hoc Biomass and Biogas Specialist Interest Group (BABSIG), the Renewable Energy Association’s Biomass Power Specialist Interest Group and the ETI’s Bioenergy Specialist Advisory Group. He is a former Trustee of the Association of Applied Biology and convenor of the Crops and Environment Committee. He chaired the ILSI Expert European Committee on Use of Food Crops for Non-Food Uses and is a regular editor for the Industrial Crops and Products Journal.

Recent Projects 

Tees Valley as a Biorefinery Cluster – opportunities for biobased-chemical production and integration (2016)

Commissioned by Tees Valley Unlimited to lead an assessment of the most promising bio-based opportunities for the Tees Valley Chemical Cluster. This study took into account feedstock availability, technology status and embedded capabilities to identify the most promising prospects and outline next steps for development.

The Potential for Forest-Based Industrial Biotechnology in Scotland (2015)

Commissioned by Scottish Enterprise, Chemicals Scotland and Forestry Commission Scotland to assess what opportunities might be available to exploit the Scottish Forest resource as a feedstock for a Scottish bio-based chemicals sector.

Industrial Biotechnology Process Plant Study (2015)

For more information read the case study here.

Straw Availability Analysis (several studies) (2014 & 2016)

Commissioned by several investment clients to provide due-diligence on straw resource in English regions to supply planned biomass power and advanced biofuel developments, taking account of competing demands, typical supply arrangements and factors likely to affect continuity of supply.

Use of sustainably-sourced residue and waste streams for advanced biofuel production in the EuropeanUnion: rural economic impacts and potential for job creation

Commissioned by the European Climate Foundation to identify the Europe-wide impacts of utilising agricultural crop and forest residues and waste streams on the potential for advanced biofuels production and associated economic and employment returns for the rural economy.

Selected Publications 

  • Assessment of digestate drying as an eligible heat use in the Renewable Heat Incentive. A report for DECC Heat Team. Turley D.B., Hopwood L.,  Burns C., Di Maio D. (2016)
  • Tees Valley as a Biorefinery Cluster – opportunities for biobased-chemical production and integration.
    A report for Tees Valley Unlimited. Turley D.B. (2016)
  • Distinguishing between “standard” and “advanced” gasification processes.
    Report for DECC Clean Electricity Directorate. Turley D.B. (2016)
  • Analysis of the resource impacts of bio-based value chains for surfactants.
    Commercial client report. Turley D.B. & Arvaniti E. (2016)
  • Opportunities for collaboration in innovation between the UK and Dutch food and biobased sectors.
    A report for the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Turley D.B., Burns, C.  (2016)
  • Miscanthus Market Overview. Commercial client report.
    Turley D.B. (2015)
  • Identification of low-cost cellulose resources suited to use in the food sector. Commercial client report.
     Turley D.B., Burns C. and De Maio D. (2015)
  • Policies and strategies for delivering a sustainable bioeconomy: a European perspective.
    Chapter 8 in: Introduction to Chemicals from Biomass, 2nd Edition. Ed J Clarke and F Deswarte. Pub: John Wiley & Sons, UK. Turley D.B. (2015)
  • Industrial Biotechnology Process Plant Study.
    Report for The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Innovate UK and The Industrial Biotechnology Leadership Forum. Turley D.B., Higson A., Goldsworthy M., Martin S., Hough D. and De Maio D. (2015)
  • Lignocellulosic feedstock in the UK
    Report for the Lignocellulosic Biorefinery Network. Di Maio D. and Turley D.B. (2014).
  • East of England Region Straw Availability Analysis for Biopower Development.
    Commercial client report. Turley D.B. (2014)
  • The Potential for Forest-Based Industrial Biotechnology in Scotland.
    Report for Scottish Enterprise, Chemicals Scotland and Forestry Commission Scotland. Turley D.B., Higson A., Goldsworthy M. and Arvaniti E. (2014)
  • Use of sustainably-sourced residue and wastestreams for advanced biofuel production in the European Union: rural economic impacts and potential for job creation.
    Report for the European Climate Foundation. Turley D.B. Evans, G. and Nattrass L. (2014).
  • Algal markets and technology licence assessment.
    Technology market opportunity assessment report for private client. Turley D.B. (2013)


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