The Dresden-based startup NOVUM and the energy company Shell have joined forces to make battery handling more efficient, safer and sustainable. This cooperation combines NOVUM's expertise in battery diagnostics and battery storage monitoring with Shell's extensive experience and network in the mobility sector. The focus is on acquiring new customers in the automotive, energy storage and transportation sectors, with NOVUM expanding Shell's e-mobility portfolio in terms of first- and second-life battery diagnostics as well as operations and monitoring.
The joint vision of Shell and NOVUM is clear: a more sustainable use of batteries that promotes electromobility. "The support from an established energy company like Shell strengthens the confidence in our technology," said Mandy Schipke, CEO of NOVUM.
The collaboration benefits both companies, as electromobility is a core topic for Shell on its way to becoming a net-zero emissions company by 2050. Shell is continuously working with innovative startups and leading automakers to facilitate electrification and enable a digital, electrified future where the circular economy plays a critical role.
NOVUM's technology could play a critical role in this, enabling reliable battery testing that improves battery life and safety, as well as maximizing the benefits of batteries along the entire value chain. This provides a solution to the challenges faced by automotive manufacturers, particularly in determining the remaining life and required maintenance intervals of batteries.
Through the collaboration, NOVUM's AI-based rapid testing systems can be more widely deployed, giving more batteries a second life in stationary storage. NOVUM's artificial intelligence monitors each recycled battery throughout its remaining life and identifies potential problems long before they occur, preventing fires or even explosions.
"Our customers expect more sustainable products and services from partners like Shell to help them with their challenges," said Ade Ajala, vice president of new business development and global key accounts at Shell. He believes NOVUM's unique battery testing technology can bring significant benefits to automakers and fleet customers through predictive maintenance, fleet monitoring and sustainable end-of-life management.
Background
The collaboration between NOVUM and Shell aims to revolutionize battery durability and reusability, a goal deeply rooted in NOVUM's mission. The current practice of unchecked discarding and throwing away used energy storage is not only inefficient, but also environmentally harmful. NOVUM has set an ambitious goal to change this paradigm. Using patented tools and artificial intelligence, the company strives to determine the functionality, capacity and lifespan of batteries in order to extend their useful life, possibly by giving them a second or third life in various applications such as large-scale storage for wind turbines and solar panels.
The Dresden-based startup's vision is that battery recycling will become the standard and that battery reuse will be a given. This is not only a practice that makes good business sense, but also a necessary step to reduce the ecological footprint, out of consideration for the planet and future generations. NOVUM's technology enables simple, cost-effective and reliable battery monitoring down to the cell level, helping companies check the condition of their batteries anytime, anywhere. This reduces the need for thermal recycling and instead promotes the return of most energy storage to the usage cycle.
NOVUM is committed to working with dedicated employees, strong partners like Shell and many supporters to improve the industry every day. The technology to promote more sustainable use of batteries is available, and the collaboration with Shell is a significant step toward deploying this technology across the board to advance e-mobility and the circular economy.
