Tesla has written a lengthy 10-page letter to German authorities saying the country should eliminate bureaucratic paperwork and speed up its permit approval process.
In a copy of the letter seen by Drive Tesla, the automaker calls it “particularly irritating” that 16 months after it filed its application, Giga Berlin is still without its final permit.
“For Tesla Brandenburg and its GFBB permit application, this means that 16 months after applying for the permit, there is still no timetable for issuance of the final permit. This result is particularly irritating, since the basic permissibility of the project has been examined and confirmed by several courts and not a single court decision has called into question the fundamental permissibility of the project.”
Calling Germany a “global leader in promoting renewable energy generation,” Tesla says any further delays could have a significant impact on the country securing other clean-energy projects. In turn, the automaker says this could harm the country’s chances of achieving it’s climate related goals.
To speed up the process, Tesla says Germany should revisit its “outdated” permit approval process by giving priority to projects that help combat climate change.
“The most glaring problem with current permitting procedures and laws in Germany is that they do not allow a permit for a project that is intended to address climate change (such as the GFBB), and a permit for a a project that accelerates climate change and exacerbates global warming (such as a coal-fired power plant), treat them the same. The reason for this equal treatment is simple: the permitting process does not consider neither the global nor the transregional environmental impacts of a project.”
Tesla began construction of Giga Berlin less than two years ago, and plans to have the first cars roll of the production line later this year. Recent rumours have suggested preproduction could begin as soon as May.
