David Turley

David Turley is a Director of NNFCC and the Lead Consultant for Biofuels. With over 30 years’ research and consulting experience, David leads strategic, technical, policy and opportunity analysis studies, helping to de-risk business decisions for developments and investments. David has a broad knowledge of the bioeconomy sector, the supporting policies, resource availability and technology developments 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, David provides advice and support to UK government departments and development agencies on bioenergy and biofuel issues. David provides advice and opportunity analysis services for private clients addressing issues such as bioenergy and industrial biotechnology investment propositions, technology landscape and feedstock resource and sustainability reviews. David also leads product and biofuel carbon foot-printing studies seeking formal accreditation.

Recent Projects

  • Methodology for calculating the indirect greenhouse gas emissions of fuels derived from the fossil component of municipal solid waste and associated GHG calculator – report for commercial client.
  • Low Carbon Fossil Fuels – approaches to defining greenhouse gas benefits focusing on biologically mediated pathways. Report for C1Net NIBB
  • Analysis and characterisation of global non-wood processing residues and agricultural residues available for use in large-scale thermal combustion. Commercial report.
  • Tees Valley as a Biorefinery Cluster – opportunities for biobased-chemical production and integration (2016). NNFCC was commissioned by the former Tees Valley Unlimited Local Enterprise Partnership to assess the most promising bio-based opportunities for the Tees Valley Chemical Cluster, through analysis of feedstock availability, technology status and embedded capabilities and outlining the 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 the opportunities to exploit the Scottish Forest resource to underpin a Scottish bio-based chemicals sector.

Selected Publications

  • Straw Availability and logistics analysis for biopower developments - several commercial client reports. Turley D.B. (2020, 2016, 2014(x2))
  • Assessment of the opportunities for sugar beet production and processing in Scotland. Report for Scottish Enterprise. Hopwood L., Mitchell E., Turley D.B. Sourmelis S. (2019).
  • Potential for anaerobic digestion in the Australian poultry sector. Report for Biorenewables Development Centre and Newcastle University, NSW.
  • Biomass Sustainability Assurance mechanisms in place in Russia.Commercial report (2018)
  • Green Book business case for investment in Biopilots UK. Business case developed for BEIS. Turley D. B. and Higson A. 2018.
  • Long-term outlook for coal, bulk liquids and agribulks at Rotterdam and Wilhelmshaven. Scarsfield-Hall R., Long D., Turley D., McNamee P. and Tarsewicz L. (2017)
  • Review of evidence submitted to DfT consultation on bioethanol derived from starch slurry. Report for DfT. Goldsworthy M. and Turley D.B. (2017).
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • Use of sustainably-sourced residue and waste streams 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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