German Documentary Points To Issues At Tesla Gigafactory In Grünheide

[TruckElectric]

By: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo

The company still lacks a building permit, for example.

The video above is only in German, but there’s also an English version for it on the ZDFheute Nachrichten website. This is what we have watched to learn more about what is going on at the so-called Giga Berlin, a factory that is actually in Grünheide, Brandenburg. The documentary tells how Tesla chose the site and the issues it is currently having.

One example is that it still lacks a building permit, which is quite surprising for a factory supposed to start operating in July 2021. We have already shown how complete the building already looks.

It is not clear if Tesla wanted to have a factory in Germany or if it was an effort from politicians such as Jörg Steinbach, minister of economic affairs of Brandenburg. He is the one that tells about a conversation with Elon Musk in which Tesla’s CEO almost gave up on the factory if he could not call it Giga Berlin.

Steinbach told him he wanted to promote Brandenburg and that it was a big no-no to have a factory in that German state called Giga Berlin. Berlin is the country’s capital but also considered as one of the 16 constituent states in Germany. Musk would be ready to give up on the factory due to the name.

Steinbach personally met Musk at the Hotel Adlon, in Berlin, and they agreed that the name would be Giga Berlin-Brandenburg, like the airport, but Musk tweeted it would be Giga Berlin, and this is how the world now knows it.

Tesla received the promise that all legal procedures to build the factory would be quick to solve, just like they apparently were for Giga Shanghai. That made people familiar with the German bureaucracy doubtful. Not having a building permit until now shows they were right. But that did not stop Tesla.

The factory was placed in an area of environmental protection due to groundwater reserves. Residents like Nicola Riesberg and Steffen Schorcht are deeply concerned that the factory may pollute water supplies as much as André Bähler, chairman of the Water Board Strausberg-Erkner. He advised that the factory should not be built there.

In the construction process, Tesla faced the sandy soil of the region, which demanded piles to provide a foundation to the plant. Groundwater zones in Germany forbid that. Bähler said Tesla made an independent investigation that determined the damages “would not be very severe.” He said he expected no damages, severe or not, would be allowed to that area.

Steinbach said Tesla was fined for that illegal building. However, the company later received an exemption from the groundwater protection ordinance and placed 560 piles on the ground. All piles invaded the groundwater table.

Apart from the environmental concerns, Tesla will also face resistance from the Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, the German union confederation. Its chairman, Reiner Hoffmann, had a harsh speech prepared for Tesla’s plans not to have unions at Giga Grünheide.

The documentary spoke to Cindy Estrada, vice-president of UAW, and three former Tesla employees. Cristina Balan is currently suing Tesla for defamation after being accused of trying to favor specific suppliers. She claims she was fired for warning about a safety issue with the Model S mat that could cause unintended acceleration issues, such as the ones Toyota had.

A man identified only as Lane reported that his finger was cut off at Giga Nevada. After getting it stitched back on, he was allegedly told to go back to work. Another one, named only Cris, reported undergoing multiple surgeries due to work-related injuries.

More Tesla Giga Grünheide News:

These Are The Signs That Show Why Giga Berlin Should Be Worried

Tesla Is Having A Hard Time Recruiting Workers For Giga Berlin

The documentary also made sure to mention how Musk resisted keeping Fremont closed due to lockdown orders. The Washington Post reported that more than 400 workers were infected in the plant after it reopened.

Tesla plans to invest €5.8 billion at Giga Grünheide, but it will receive €400 million in incentives from the German government and €1 billion more for its battery factory there. After watching the documentary, we wonder when the company will get the building permit for its almost finished plant.


SOURCE: INSIDEEV's

 

[Crissa]

All of these are signs that interviewing only people with axes to grind makes for an unbalanced article.

Current media in German language (via Tesla Daily 3/17/21) says the final application to open should be applied by July, before the factory is set to open.

-Crissa

 

[TruckElectric]

All of these are signs that interviewing only people with axes to grind makes for an unbalanced article.

Current media in German language (via Tesla Daily 3/17/21) says the final application to open should be applied by July, before the factory is set to open.

-Crissa

By Armen Hareyan G+ Mar 18 2021 - 11:02am
New Problems for Tesla Giga Berlin - Start Date in Danger
Tesla CEO Elon Musk plans to roll off the first electric cars from his European Gigafactory Giga Berlin in July. But the factory doesn't even have a sewer connection. And there is more turbulence, reports Thorsten Metzner in Der Tagesspiegel.

Suddenly there are problems, problems everywhere on the way to the new Tesla Giga Berlin factory in Grunheide: In a current documentary by the ZDF magazine “Frontal21”, allegations have been raised again about the high water consumption of the Gigafactory, which is supposed to supply all of Europe.

And according to Tagesspiegel information, the planned start of production in Grünheide in July 2021, which Elon Musk has so far stuck to, is clearly in danger. The installation of the production robots in the factory halls is already in full swing on the 300-hectare site.

But the construction of the central sewer pipe, which was originally supposed to be ready in February / March 2021, has not even started. Without it, the Giga Berlin trial run cannot even start. It hardly seems possible that the first cars will roll off the assembly line in July.

Yet, what about these Model Y bodies at Giga Berlin?


Metzner in Der Tagesspiegel also notes that there are also no water and sewage pipes installed on the site itself, which is usually done before the building is constructed. For this - and for building ground leveling - Tesla has applied for two further advance permits. So far, Tesla has been working with ten pre-authorizations ("8a") at its own risk, as the main approval process is still ongoing.

A five-kilometer sewer line at Giga Berlin by July - can it be done?

A five-kilometer sewer pipe has to be built from the plant to Erkner near the S-Bahn station, which is complicated. In the urban area, the underground is difficult due to contaminated sites. The motorway and a railway line must be crossed underground.

Approvals are required for this swer pipe, both from the Federal Motorway Office and the Federal Railway Authority, which is feared because of its long processing times. According to an expert on the problem, that will hardly be possible by July. Tesla, on the other hand, assures industry circles close to it: "The line should be ready for use by the planned start of production (i.e. July)."



As the Tagesspiegel found out, Tesla has now awarded the contract to a Brandenburg civil engineering company, which is now supposed to obtain the permits and build the route. The Strausberg-Erkner Water Association (WSE) had prepared the project and - probably also because of the tight, risky schedule - did not take it on itself.

Instead, it was handed over to Tesla on the basis of a contractual agreement. “On schedule,” said WSE boss André Bähler to this newspaper. “The rest of the implementation is in the hands of Tesla. We don't know what the schedule looks like. "

Association chief warns of endangering the drinking water supply in the Giga Berlin area.

It is Bähler who in the 45-minute documentary by Frontal 21, as a key witness, vehemently warns that because of the high water consumption of the Gigafactory - built in the drinking water protection area - there would be restrictions for consumers, quote: "The drinking water supply in the region is being sacrificed on the table economic policy."

The factory will initially get 1.4 million cubic meters of water from the WSE, as much as a city of 40,000. This need is considered to be secured. But in the planned expansion stages, up to 3.6 million cubic meters are involved, for which, according to WSE, there is not enough water. Elon downplayed the water concerns.

"We hope that our concerns will finally be taken seriously in the ongoing approval process," Bähler told Tagesspiegel. "Unfortunately, the will to simply push the project through is overwhelming."

ZDF: Employees in the State Environment Agency feel under pressure

Vogel is responsible for the State Environment Agency, where the approval process for “Giga Berlin” is running. "We don't let anyone put us under pressure," assured Vogel. No pressure is exerted, not even from Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach (SPD). "We ensure that a legally secure procedure is guaranteed."

Vogel responded to the ZDF representation, according to which LFU employees felt under pressure, according to internal protocols, because of tight deadlines, but also statements from the Brandenburg government. Then the authorities talk about the "stress factor Tesla".

When the main license for the Gigafactory will be granted is still open. She was last notified by the end of March. In the event of errors, the risk would increase that expected processes could completely destroy Tesla's tight schedule through lawsuits from environmental associations.

Elon Musk wants to invest 5.6 billion euros in Grünheide

Musk also wants to build the “world's largest battery factory” in Grünheide . According to ZDF, he is planning investments of 5.6 billion euros - 4 billion were previously known.

The location that this newspaper made public a few weeks ago has now been officially confirmed: After that, the battery factory is to be housed in the hall, which is several soccer fields large and which Tesla is initially building as a warehouse according to the building application. Environment Minister Vogel recently said that an application for reallocation has been announced.

Much has been speculated about how much this energy transition project will cost the public sector, which will be part of the European battery promotion program for which the EU recently approved subsidies.

Of all people, VW boss Herbert Diess claimed on Tuesday at the company's balance sheet press conference that he knew it: "Tesla has been awarded billions for battery production in Brandenburg," he said. So far there is no confirmation of this. Tesla has to fight on all fronts for the Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg.

SOURCE: Torque News

 

[FullyGrounded]

I'm with Crissa on this - I call BS. I wouldn't doubt that there are ties between USA and Germany, that are being pushed creating bad press for Elon. The American government can't do it, because SpaceX is helping immensely with their space efforts, among other areas. The legacy manufacturers can't do it because, they're already in a hole, and can't afford to go up against Elon - he could bury them, quickly. Big Oil is just about done (relatively speaking), in fact, they're piling into solar and NG as we speak, who knows what else. They know this would be catastrophic. So, Elon is being pinged by the government of Germany - Elon wants something from them, and really there's nothing he would do, so it's safe for Germany to give a little flack. The same with China, in Shanghi... with all the rules and such that were fine for a time, but now see Elon like a virus... you let him set up, and he will only get bigger and become dominant over time - that's not within the Chinese way, and won't be tolerated by the Communist leader. peace

 

[Crissa]

Well, almost everyone quoted in the articles is someone who wants the factory stopped. Only two officials are quoted.

So... Yeah. NIMBYs, basically. I don't believe in environmentalists who don't work ahead of the project. They should have been pushing for soil tests and permeability and drainage abatement from the beginning. Not now, almost two years later.

I don't think Elon has any trouble with the Chinese government. They do these moves to flex that they're watching the company, but that's why Tesla is buying batteries from other companies... Get them invested, get allies.

-Crissa

 

[OneLapper]

By Armen Hareyan G+ Mar 18 2021 - 11:02am
New Problems for Tesla Giga Berlin - Start Date in Danger
Tesla CEO Elon Musk plans to roll off the first electric cars from his European Gigafactory Giga Berlin in July. But the factory doesn't even have a sewer connection. And there is more turbulence, reports Thorsten Metzner in Der Tagesspiegel.

Suddenly there are problems, problems everywhere on the way to the new Tesla Giga Berlin factory in Grunheide: In a current documentary by the ZDF magazine “Frontal21”, allegations have been raised again about the high water consumption of the Gigafactory, which is supposed to supply all of Europe.

And according to Tagesspiegel information, the planned start of production in Grünheide in July 2021, which Elon Musk has so far stuck to, is clearly in danger. The installation of the production robots in the factory halls is already in full swing on the 300-hectare site.

But the construction of the central sewer pipe, which was originally supposed to be ready in February / March 2021, has not even started. Without it, the Giga Berlin trial run cannot even start. It hardly seems possible that the first cars will roll off the assembly line in July.

Yet, what about these Model Y bodies at Giga Berlin?


Metzner in Der Tagesspiegel also notes that there are also no water and sewage pipes installed on the site itself, which is usually done before the building is constructed. For this - and for building ground leveling - Tesla has applied for two further advance permits. So far, Tesla has been working with ten pre-authorizations ("8a") at its own risk, as the main approval process is still ongoing.

A five-kilometer sewer line at Giga Berlin by July - can it be done?

A five-kilometer sewer pipe has to be built from the plant to Erkner near the S-Bahn station, which is complicated. In the urban area, the underground is difficult due to contaminated sites. The motorway and a railway line must be crossed underground.

Approvals are required for this swer pipe, both from the Federal Motorway Office and the Federal Railway Authority, which is feared because of its long processing times. According to an expert on the problem, that will hardly be possible by July. Tesla, on the other hand, assures industry circles close to it: "The line should be ready for use by the planned start of production (i.e. July)."



As the Tagesspiegel found out, Tesla has now awarded the contract to a Brandenburg civil engineering company, which is now supposed to obtain the permits and build the route. The Strausberg-Erkner Water Association (WSE) had prepared the project and - probably also because of the tight, risky schedule - did not take it on itself.

Instead, it was handed over to Tesla on the basis of a contractual agreement. “On schedule,” said WSE boss André Bähler to this newspaper. “The rest of the implementation is in the hands of Tesla. We don't know what the schedule looks like. "

Association chief warns of endangering the drinking water supply in the Giga Berlin area.

It is Bähler who in the 45-minute documentary by Frontal 21, as a key witness, vehemently warns that because of the high water consumption of the Gigafactory - built in the drinking water protection area - there would be restrictions for consumers, quote: "The drinking water supply in the region is being sacrificed on the table economic policy."

The factory will initially get 1.4 million cubic meters of water from the WSE, as much as a city of 40,000. This need is considered to be secured. But in the planned expansion stages, up to 3.6 million cubic meters are involved, for which, according to WSE, there is not enough water. Elon downplayed the water concerns.

"We hope that our concerns will finally be taken seriously in the ongoing approval process," Bähler told Tagesspiegel. "Unfortunately, the will to simply push the project through is overwhelming."

ZDF: Employees in the State Environment Agency feel under pressure

Vogel is responsible for the State Environment Agency, where the approval process for “Giga Berlin” is running. "We don't let anyone put us under pressure," assured Vogel. No pressure is exerted, not even from Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach (SPD). "We ensure that a legally secure procedure is guaranteed."

Vogel responded to the ZDF representation, according to which LFU employees felt under pressure, according to internal protocols, because of tight deadlines, but also statements from the Brandenburg government. Then the authorities talk about the "stress factor Tesla".

When the main license for the Gigafactory will be granted is still open. She was last notified by the end of March. In the event of errors, the risk would increase that expected processes could completely destroy Tesla's tight schedule through lawsuits from environmental associations.

Elon Musk wants to invest 5.6 billion euros in Grünheide

Musk also wants to build the “world's largest battery factory” in Grünheide . According to ZDF, he is planning investments of 5.6 billion euros - 4 billion were previously known.

The location that this newspaper made public a few weeks ago has now been officially confirmed: After that, the battery factory is to be housed in the hall, which is several soccer fields large and which Tesla is initially building as a warehouse according to the building application. Environment Minister Vogel recently said that an application for reallocation has been announced.

Much has been speculated about how much this energy transition project will cost the public sector, which will be part of the European battery promotion program for which the EU recently approved subsidies.

Of all people, VW boss Herbert Diess claimed on Tuesday at the company's balance sheet press conference that he knew it: "Tesla has been awarded billions for battery production in Brandenburg," he said. So far there is no confirmation of this. Tesla has to fight on all fronts for the Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg.

SOURCE: Torque News

Another article with multiple spelling and grammer errors. Armen Hareyan.

My prof in college, Dr. Bazin, would FAIL you for that.

I can't take an article seriously if words are spelled wrong. Just can't do it.

 

[Frankenblob]

Face it peeps get attacked, ostracized or ridiculed whether they do good, bad or indifferent actions.

Always a SLANT towards an agenda/narrative.

MSM (Main Street MARXISM) is not kosher with freedom or successful oriented groups, companies....

 

[Friday]

Haven't we seen article after article like this for several months going? I smell people still shorting Tesla behind most of these, disruption breeds contempt it seems.

 

[Ehninger1212]

These article are so dumb..

 

[TruckElectric]

Tesla Giga Berlin Production on Track to Start in July - August, Local Authorities Confirm
by Eva Fox March 20, 2021

Giga Berlin Tesla

Photo: @gigafactory_4/Twitter

Tesla chose Brandenburg as a home for its European factory for a number of important reasons. Despite some delays in approving construction, the company remained flexible and made incredible progress only with prior permits. According to the plan, Tesla should start production in mid-2021, and it seems to remain on track to do so. The start of production at the factory is scheduled for late July, at the latest August, Brandenburg officials said.

@alex_avoigt/Twitter reported that yesterday, at a meeting of the Brandenburg Committee on Infrastructure and Regional Planning, infrastructure issues related to the opening of Tesla's factory were discussed. In more detail, they discussed how the workers will get to and from the plant, so as not to negatively affect the congestion of the roads.

Member of the Parliament of the state of Brandenburg from the electoral group BVB/FREE, who is also a member of the Oder-Spree district council and councilor in Schöneich Dr. Phillip Zeschman said Tesla has confirmed that production of Giga Berlin is set to start at the end of July but no later than August. This is the first official timeline since the company announced it was slated to start production in mid-2021.




Tesla is currently awaiting a final environmental building permit. All the progress that has been made so far has been done with only a few prior permits. The company recently applied for two more. Tesla wants to remove topsoil from newly harvested pine trees. Another permit would allow the company to lay underground lines for the factory.


SOURCE: TESMANIAN

 

[TruckElectric]

Tesla Giga Berlin & Surrounding Area Will Have No Problems with Water Supply at All Stages of Expansion
by Eva Fox March 24, 2021

Germany Giga Berlin Tesla

Photo: @tobilindh/Twitter

The expansion of Tesla's factory in Germany should not face problems with water supply. In 2023, in Hangelsberg in the Oder-Spree region, construction of a hydraulic structure could begin, which will also supply Tesla's Giga Berlin, a spokesperson for the state ministry of the environment said.

Tesla's factory faced opposition in Germany, and the water supply became one of the stumbling blocks. It should be noted that in fact, this issue has already been openly resolved and commented on, both by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and the Strausberg-Erkner Water Association (WSE). However, the facts continue to be distorted by stakeholders, portraying the American manufacturer as a villain.


ZDF Info, a German public-service television broadcasting network, recently released a documentary "Turbo, Speed, Tesla Elon Musk in Brandenburg." As it turned out, the film contained a fake tweet from Musk, parts of his statements taken out of context to distort reality, false information regarding salaries for Giga Berlin, and unfounded accusations of the manufacturer that it accepts state financial aid, while creating bad working conditions for German citizens. (Exposing of the lies used in the film can be read here.)

Water supply was one of the issues raised in the film, so this needs to be clarified. At the moment, at Phase 1 of expansion, the plant will need 1.4 million cubic meters of water per year. The American manufacturer and the WSE have signed a contract for the supply and maximum consumption of 1.5 million cubic meters of water per year. Musk previously mentioned that this calculation was based on peak factory consumption, but in reality, these are not daily events, so water consumption will be lower. That is why any accusations and problems based on this have no basis.

The second point was the problem that Tesla does not have an ensured water supply for the subsequent phases of expansion. And although at the moment this is true, and the contract has not been signed (there are no guarantees that Tesla will expand in the future), it is expected that this issue will be resolved without bringing risk to the region.

On March 11, Anke Herrmann, who is in charge of water and soil protection at the Ministry of the Environment, explained that the state plans to build a new hydraulic structure in the long term in Hangelsberg to supply water to Tesla's new factory. In a new comment from March 23, received by RBB24, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Environment said that the construction of the new hydraulic structure could begin as early as 2023 and it could supply water not only to Giga Berlin, but to the entire Freienbrink industrial park.

According to a spokesperson, the Hangelsberg area has a groundwater system that is currently not being used. Water research has already begun here, and according to the available data, there is enough water on site to supply water to Tesla's factory and other businesses. Thus, all the water reserves at the current hydraulic structure will be fully available to the growing communities immediately after the new hydraulic structure is put into operation.

On March 20, the Brandenburg Ministry of the Environment issued an official statement that should settle the issue of water shortages once and for all.

"Brandenburg currently has sufficient groundwater resources for the production of drinking water, as well as for the supply of trade and industry. This applies to both the quantity of water and its quality."

Unfortunately, some of the German media have repeatedly distorted reality in order to form a negative impression of the American manufacturer. Tesla has come to the heart of the European automotive industry and could cause irreparable harm to those companies that do not want to stop producing gasoline and diesel vehicles.

The truth is that our planet needs urgent change to stop the colossal emission of carbon dioxide, a big part of which comes from cars with internal combustion engines (around 18% in 2017 according to the European Commission and the IEA). Instead of trying to harm Tesla, which made electric cars desirable and thus encouraging people to switch to green vehicles, all of us should support this company, which will not only help our planet end its oil addiction, but also create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process of doing this. Our descendants deserve a better future!

© 2021, Eva Fox. All rights reserved.


SOURCE: TESMANAIN

 

[Cybercarlson]

As a born and raised german those kind of articles are not new to me, but I agree with Crissa and Ehninger1212.
FUD still sells and baits clicks......

To not grant a final permit would be the greatest embarassment to Germany.

My people have become very scared of change in large parts of the populus.
Articles like these aim at this growing section, sadly.

To hinder (economic-) evolution, even if it will improve the life of many, has become a sad sport to watch.... even the reruns, one court level higher.

I personally like the TESLA approach using temporay/partial permits to build faster and create factual changes.... and they could keep using DIXI (portable) toilets until the sewer line is finished.

"Die normative Kraft des Faktischem" will win once again. Go TESLA!

 

[madquadbiker]

As a born and raised german those kind of articles are not new to me, but I agree with Crissa and Ehninger1212.
FUD still sells and baits clicks......

To not grant a final permit would be the greatest embarassment to Germany.

My people have become very scared of change in large parts of the populus.
Articles like these aim at this growing section, sadly.

To hinder (economic-) evolution, even if it will improve the life of many, has become a sad sport to watch.... even the reruns, one court level higher.

I personally like the TESLA approach using temporay/partial permits to build faster and create factual changes.... and they could keep using DIXI (portable) toilets until the sewer line is finished.

"Die normative Kraft des Faktischem" will win once again. Go TESLA!

At least your factory has windows, I know it’s early days in Texas but I haven’t seen any windows in the wall sections that have so far been installed.

 

[Crissa]

At least your factory has windows, I know it’s early days in Texas but I haven’t seen any windows in the wall sections that have so far been installed.

The section of the building that would have windows hasn't walls yet. Also, while it's easier to put windows in when the wall-panels are on the ground... The wall-panels are easier to put in without windows in them.

I expect windows to be the last thing they add. Tesla is a very production-first sort of company.

-Crissa

 

[flowerlandfilms]

...disappointing to see the factual errors and spin on display here...
...especially since there may be real environmental concerns to address...
...you could make a great documentary based on the reality of all industrial land users...
...a public broadcaster should know better...