Milton Park has become home to one of the UK’s most advanced green-tech manufacturing platforms, thanks to an innovation from clean-tech occupier Nium.
The Earthshot Prize-nominated company is on a mission to tackle one of the planet’s most polluting industrial methods, the Haber-Bosch process, by producing fully renewable, low-carbon ammonia.
No off-the-shelf equipment could meet Nium’s precise atomic-level requirements for the team to tackle ammonia’s ‘dirty carbon secret’ so the team set about creating their own solution.
As a result, Nium has designed, patented and built a unique catalyst manufacturing platform, which is housed in its bespoke R&D facility affectionately known as the ‘Nanosphere’. The development of this world-first technology was part-funded by a major grant from Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency.
According to Nium’s CEO, the new catalyst production facility, which is believed to be the largest of its kind in the UK, was made possible thanks to Milton Park’s ample space, flexibility and single-ownership structure.
The new platform at Milton Park is dedicated to manufacturing the catalyst. Inside the system, a specialised process is used to coat fine powders with atomic-level precision, transforming them into Nium’s unique, high-performance materials.
A greener way to make ammonia
Ammonia is a chemical widely used in agriculture as fertiliser, in industrial processes and as a potential clean fuel source. However, the process requires large amounts of energy to extract hydrogen from natural gas and to drive the high-pressure, high-temperature Haber-Bosch process.
Traditional ammonia production produced using this method releases around two tonnes of CO₂ for every tonne of ammonia produced. In contrast, Nium’s catalyst production breakthrough uses nanotechnology to take hydrogen from water and nitrogen from the air, producing ammonia with far lower energy requirements and minimal emissions.
Put simply, it creates ammonia without the need to burn fossil fuels, producing much less pollution and waste.
The process is greener because it can be powered by renewable energy sources, avoids fossil fuels and generates very little waste. Beyond ammonia, the technology has the potential to create advanced materials like high-performance graphite and ceramics, all using this solvent-free, low-waste approach.
National attention and government engagement
The ‘catalyst creator’ has already attracted national attention for its potential to build domestic capability in advanced manufacturing. It was recently showcased during a visit from Professor Paul Monks CB, the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
Professor Monks toured the facility, witnessing Nium’s pioneering Nanosphere system first-hand and commented that he was “fascinated to see innovation happening at scale at Milton Park.”
The visit highlighted the importance of technologies like Nium’s in driving the UK’s clean growth agenda and strengthening advanced manufacturing.
From prototype to operation
Nium is preparing for the first full operational runs of the new platform this autumn, which will mark the transition from a prototype to a production-ready facility. These upcoming tests will establish the system’s performance, confirming its capacity to reliably produce Nium’s advanced catalyst materials at scale.
These catalysts are the key enabling component for Nium’s clean ammonia technology. They will be deployed within the company’s modular ammonia production systems, which are designed to be used on any site, at any scale. This opens up a vast range of applications, from producing decarbonised chemicals and clean shipping fuel to creating low-carbon fertilisers for agriculture.
A place to grow and innovate
According to Phil Hunter, Nium’s Co-Founder and CEO, having the room to grow at Milton Park has been critical to developing the platform.
He said: “The challenge with creating revolutionary new materials isn’t just in their design but in their manufacturing. We found that no off-the-shelf equipment could deliver the precision needed for our advanced catalysts so we had to invent our own solution from the ground up. As we outgrew our previous labs, Milton Park gave us the space and flexibility to build this unique manufacturing platform within our own bespoke, purpose-built R&D facilities.
“Having the freedom to create our own labs under Milton Park’s Local Development Order has been truly transformational and made commissioning this world-first platform possible.”
Tom Booker, Commercial Manager at MEPC Milton Park, said: “Nium’s launch is a fantastic home-grown story of British innovation. It was excellent to support the team’s move into the Park last year and since then, see them grow their operations before delivering a UK-first of this scale.
“Milton Park’s flexible approach, the quality of space available, along with transport connectivity and access to world-class talent have helped make that possible. We’re proud to support the team’s growth journey and to provide a home where likeminded green-tech innovators can take on global challenges and deliver solutions for a more sustainable future.”
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