As chief adviser with the National Farmers’ Union since 2007, Dr Scurlock leads a small team on renewable energy, providing analysis and advice to the NFU’s senior management, office holders and members. His background is in university and government research, covering energy and climate change policy, plant physiology, all kinds of biomass fuels, bio-based products and other renewable energy technologies.

He has worked with regional and local government in North East England, was previously a scientist with the US Department of Energy in Tennessee, and is presently a visiting Research Fellow at the Open University. The author of more than 50 research papers and book chapters, he was educated at Oxford and London Universities. His international experience encompasses more than 30 countries