Tesla set to lessen environmental footprint, earns European eco-certification
The electric vehicle giant, Tesla, has recently been awarded the EMAS seal, an environmental management system focused on legal compliance and performance improvement. This recognition comes as the company's Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg, the only car factory of CEO Elon Musk in Europe, celebrates its first year of operation.
Located in Brandenburg, the factory employs around 11,000 workers and produces approximately 5,000 cars per week, equating to around 250,000 cars per year. Despite this significant output, Tesla's water consumption, including sanitary water, at the factory is 2.16 cubic meters per produced vehicle. This figure is notably below the industry average of 3.50 cubic meters per vehicle.
However, not everyone is celebrating Tesla's achievements. The Association for Nature and Landscape in Brandenburg, a citizen initiative against Tesla, remains skeptical about the EMAS seal. Steffen Schorcht, a spokesman for the association, fears less control due to the certificate and labels it as "greenwashing". Similarly, the Ecological Democratic Party shares these concerns, stating that the certification will weaken the already weak administrative control at Tesla.
The concerns revolve around the factory's emission of greenhouse gases. In 2024, the emission of greenhouse gases was around 39,667 tonnes of CO2 (carbon dioxide), and the direct energy consumption at the factory was around 419,503 megawatt hours. Natural gas accounted for approximately 172,539 megawatt hours of the total energy consumption in 2024, while electricity accounted for approximately 234,603 megawatt hours.
Tesla, however, is committed to sustainability. Thierig, a Tesla representative, stated that the company is dedicated to reducing its ecological footprint. To this end, the factory aims to save natural gas by reducing process heating water through waste heat. Furthermore, Tesla claims to have already reached a 100 percent recycling rate for process wastewater, with a goal to achieve a recycling rate of 90 percent for this year.
In an effort to offset its environmental impact, Tesla has already planted more than two million trees as a compensation measure, with reforestation set to continue. The company also aims to increase the amount of photovoltaic solar modules from 5 to 15 megawattpeak (maximum power) this year.
The opposition to Tesla's environmental impacts in Brandenburg is led by an organisation called "BUND," which stands for Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (Friends of the Earth Germany). The organisation continues to monitor the factory's operations and advocate for stricter environmental regulations.
Despite the ongoing debates, the EMAS seal serves as a testament to Tesla's commitment to environmental management and performance improvement. As the factory continues to grow and evolve, it will be interesting to see how it navigates these complex environmental issues and strives for a more sustainable future.
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