Günther takes responsibility: Future of Northvolt in danger!
Günther takes responsibility: Future of Northvolt in danger!
What's going on with Northvolt? The Swedish battery manufacturer, who is considered a European counterpart to numerous leading groups from Asia, has filed for bankruptcy. This message came like a bang and not only started the auto industry in the EU, but also concerned the work at the planned factory in Heide, Schleswig-Holstein. Prime Minister Daniel Günther has now commented on developments and mistakes around the project.
At a small party congress of the CDU Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel, Günther defended the company's state funding. He expressly took responsibility for the mistakes that were made in the settlement of Northvolt. "These mistakes are not responsible for administrative staff, but by me as a prime minister," said Günther. He describes the decision for Northvolt as political that he wears. In the political debate, the SPD and FDP called a parliamentary unification committee on June 12th to receive unwitted files from the state government.
Current developments at the Heide
locationThe construction work on the Northvolt factory in Heide is going to go in Sweden despite the bankruptcy in Sweden, albeit with less swing than desired. The civil engineering work for the power supply is currently underway and the fencing of the 110 hectare plant area continues. "The decision to support the structure of a battery creation in Germany was correct," said Günther. He was determined to keep battery production in Schleswig-Holstein and is happy about the progress, despite the uncertain future of the project.
According to the current status of the construction site, the start -up work and earthworks and the construction of a rain retention basin have already been completed. In addition, the planting of a privacy scale was completed with 20,000 trees and bushes at the end of March. However, the construction of the factory buildings will only start when the perspective of the project and the investor have been clarified. In the meantime, experts, such as the State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Madsen that the infrastructure in Heide is still future A big demand for e-car batteries until 2030.
The economic challenges for Northvolt
The bankruptcy of Northvolt is seen as a result of a profound financial crisis, which was caused by rising capital costs, geopolitical crises and a weak demand for electric cars. While the German subsidiary of Northvolt in Germany is not directly insolvent, it is still subject to the control of the Swedish insolvency administrator. "We have to be careful not to endanger the repayment of the 900 million euros of support that was guaranteed," says a spokesman for the federal government.
With debts of almost 5.7 billion euros and already a quarter of the workforce that was released, Northvolt is under great pressure. Even if the demand for batteries in the EU could increase in the future, the future of the factory in Heide remains uncertain. Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck has expressed his support for the work and works closely with federal ministers and other players on possible solutions.
whether the German subsidiary of Northvolt is able to exist in the long term as a stable part of the battery industry depends crucially on the finding of new investors and the future orientation of the company. The coming months will show whether there can be a positive turn for battery production in Schleswig-Holstein.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | Heide, Schleswig-Holstein, Deutschland |
| Quellen | |