Government champions green tech pioneers in visit to Milton Park 

Milton Park welcomed Professor Paul Monks CB, the government’s Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and members of the DESNZ team for a tour and roundtable discussion.

The visit showcased innovations in green technology taking place across Milton Park, the UK’s largest single-ownership science and innovation community, which is home to over 270 companies and 9,000 employees. 

Milton Park is home to a growing cluster of clean energy innovators tackling some of the world’s most existential problems, delivering breakthroughs across battery innovation, quantum computing, ammonia production and fusion technology. 

Tour attendees had an opportunity to see first-hand some of the boundaries being pushed at Milton Park, which is home to, quite literally, some of the universe’s coolest and hottest innovations. 

Tokamak Energy’s Co-Founder Dr David Kingham introduced the team’s work in fusion energy, which sees their pioneering ST40 tokamak reach plasma temperatures six times hotter than the sun (100 million°C). The team then gave an overview of the breadth of applications on offer through TE Magnetics, the company’s high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets spinout. 

At the other end of the thermometer, TreQ, a venture-backed quantum computing startup, demonstrated its open-architecture system, which operates just above absolute zero. The team explained how quantum systems like theirs could one day solve currently intractable simulation and optimisation problems across various sectors, including the energy sector, and reduce data centre energy consumption. 

Earthshot-Prize nominee Nium showcased its nanotechnology-enabled, decentralised ammonia production system. The team gave a preview of their brand-new nanocatalyst production facility, the largest of its kind in the world, which will produce catalysts for green ammonia and other chemical processes. Nium’s technology offers a viable alternative to the traditional, carbon-intensive Haber-Bosch process, and is designed to reduce energy intensity across ammonia and fertiliser supply chains. 

Closing the tour, Nexeon demonstrated its pioneering Li-ion battery anode technology, which uses silicon instead of graphite and is cheaper and more efficient than counterparts. With a production facility in South Korea and headquarters in Oxfordshire, Nexeon’s battery technology is being scaled to support demand from global EV manufacturers and energy storage developers. 

A roundtable discussion was then held at Bee House, with representatives from DESNZ, Advanced Oxford and the Oxford Growth Commission, alongside other Milton Park occupiers Electrogenos and Nuvia. The session focused on how the UK can scale innovation while aligning with its net zero targets, covering topics including infrastructure, investment, workforce skills and supply chain resilience. 

The DESNZ visit follows the publication of the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, which positioned clean energy industries and digital technologies as key growth-driving sectors for the UK economy over the coming decade.   

Commenting on the tour, Professor Paul Monks CB, Chief Scientific Adviser at DESNZ, said: “It was fascinating to see innovation happening at scale at Milton Park. This is clearly one of the places to be in the UK if you want to contribute to clean growth. Meeting the breadth of innovators on the visit made me feel very positive about the future of UK science and innovation. It was a fitting reminder that, as a country, we shouldn’t shy away from promoting ourselves as global leaders and a science and innovation superpower.” 

The Milton Park Local Development Order (LDO), a UK-first planning framework, was also highlighted in the discussion as a model to accelerate responsible growth. The LDO provides pre-approved consent for new development within ten days, allowing companies to expand more quickly and with greater certainty, while incorporating sustainable design principles. 

Philip Campbell, Commercial Director at Milton Park, said:  “Our focus at Milton Park isn’t just on providing businesses with the space they need today. Ultimately, we strive to create an environment with the right conditions for sustainable future growth allowing occupiers to innovate and scale up.  

“Underpinned by our single ownership model, Milton Park’s flexible ten-day planning LDO, superb transport connections, our investment in power infrastructure and placemaking initiatives such as our new Signal Yard amenity offering, we’re focused on creating conditions where our occupiers can grow faster with fewer barriers, giving them the ability to focus on innovation.  

“We were proud to host so many amazing occupiers across a breadth of innovation taking place at Milton Park and it was a privilege to showcase the groundbreaking activities of Tokamak Energy, Nium, TreQ and Nexeon to the government. I would also like extend a personal note of thanks to all involved.” 

Operating across a range of sectors, common challenges emerged between the companies in attendance, ranging from high energy costs, infrastructure delays and access to scale-up funding. There was broad agreement from all in the room that the UK’s innovation system could do with more support, not just at early-stage R&D, but through commercialisation and manufacturing as they look to scale up. 

Professor Monks’ discussion centred on one of the government’s five core national missions, how we can become a Clean Energy Superpower, exploring new public investments in Great British Energy and Great British Nuclear, the rollout of small modular reactors (SMRs) and infrastructure support for fusion, hydrogen, carbon capture and fission. 

Dr David Kingham, Co-Founder of Tokamak Energy, said: “It was a pleasure to show our technology to Paul Monks and his DESNZ colleagues who are well-placed to appreciate the crucial value of our work. Our high temperature superconductor technology has many applications, including loss-less transmission, efficient propulsion systems and wind energy generators – as well as being the key enabler for commercial fusion energy.” 

Occupiers also noted sector-specific issues, including the need for smart procurement to support domestic battery supply chains and better recognition of battery storage markets beyond automotive.  

Attendees then discussed how superconductors and quantum computing could improve efficiency across the energy system. On the energy demand side, the group explored digital solutions for grid flexibility, smart home energy systems and the need for policy to incentivise the reduction in consumption. As Professor Monks remarked, “the greenest electron is the one that is never produced!” 

As the session closed, there was a shared sense from those in attendance that net zero ambitions and industrial growth needn’t be mutually exclusive. Success will depend on more than just technical breakthroughs; it will also require stable policy, long-term investment and the right places for innovation to thrive. For many in the room, Milton Park represented exactly that kind of place: where collaboration, infrastructure and ambition come together to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges.

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