Milton Park has strengthened its position as a hub for pioneering green technology with the arrival of one of the UK’s most advanced clean-tech manufacturing platforms, developed by Earthshot Prize-nominated company Nium.
On a mission to eliminate one of the world’s most polluting industrial processes — the Haber-Bosch method — Nium is producing fully renewable, low-carbon ammonia. When existing equipment couldn’t meet their atomic-level precision requirements, the company designed and built its own breakthrough solution.
The result is a patented catalyst manufacturing platform, housed within Nium’s bespoke R&D facility known as the Nanosphere. Part-funded by Innovate UK, the development represents a world-first in advanced catalyst production.
According to Nium’s Co-Founder and CEO Phil Hunter, Milton Park’s flexibility and scale made the innovation possible. He said:
“The challenge with creating revolutionary new materials isn’t just in their design, but in their manufacturing. No off-the-shelf equipment could deliver the precision we needed, so we had to invent our own. Milton Park gave us the space and freedom to do that.”
The new platform enables Nium to manufacture its catalysts through a process that coats fine powders with atomic-level precision, transforming them into high-performance materials.
Unlike traditional ammonia production – which emits around two tonnes of CO₂ for every tonne produced – Nium’s technology uses nanotechnology to extract hydrogen from water and nitrogen from air, producing ammonia with minimal emissions and far less energy.
The system is fossil fuel-free, powered by renewables, and generates very little waste. Beyond ammonia, the platform has potential applications in creating advanced materials such as graphite and ceramics using this same solvent-free, low-waste approach.
The innovation has already drawn national attention, including a visit from Professor Paul Monks CB, the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. After touring the facility, Professor Monks remarked that he was “fascinated to see innovation happening at scale at Milton Park.”
As Nium prepares for full operational runs this autumn, the facility will mark its transition from prototype to production-ready capability — a significant milestone in the company’s clean manufacturing journey.
Tom Booker, Commercial Manager at MEPC Milton Park, said:
“Nium’s launch is a fantastic home-grown story of British innovation. It’s been inspiring to see them grow and deliver a UK-first of this scale right here at Milton Park.”
