The Bund Naturschutz has spoken out in an open letter against the possible establishment of a semiconductor factory near Landsberg am Lech. Such a project does offer opportunities, according to the paper sent to the chip manufacturer Intel on Monday. However, the Landsberg area is “unsuitable for such a major project”: the effects on nature, the landscape and the local infrastructure are too great. So please “stop the planning for this location”. In addition, the environmentalists accuse the Bavarian state government of insufficiently involving the people in the region in the talks about the settlement. The state chairman Richard Mergner appealed on Monday “expressly” not to proceed according to the “state calculation”, “but what is best for Germany”.
Nobody knows yet whether the so-called mega-fab will even come to Bavaria. Intel has repeatedly pointed out that they are looking for new locations across Europe and that a decision is likely to be made this year. According to the current state of affairs, the final expansion of the factory could consist of eight individual factories; the space requirement is estimated at around 500 hectares. For comparison: the BMW plant in Dingolfing, Bavaria’s most famous industrial plant, covers around 280 hectares.
The state government has so far shown an interest in a settlement. On the one hand, little would work in industry without semiconductors, from refrigerators to cars; on the other hand, chip factories are relatively few and far between internationally. In addition to Dresden, Penzing is a promising candidate, more precisely the former air base of the Bundeswehr. It covers around 270 hectares. The remaining area would have to be acquired in the surrounding area – which, despite all the uncertainties in the region, stirs up both hopes and worries.
A factory of this size would create significant problems
The proponents see in the project, among other things, the chance of new, future-proof jobs. The Federation of Nature Conservation does not contradict this either. From his point of view, however, a factory of the planned size around Landsberg would cause considerable problems. According to the letter, there is full employment in the region. Around 1500 people would be needed per individual factory. These skilled workers can only be won by moving in, which further exacerbates the tense housing situation. Even the water required for chip production could hardly be met with domestic reserves. In addition, the location is not even eligible for approval: some of the surrounding areas are protected biotopes as “permanent grassland rich in species and structures”. “The environment ministry knows that,” says Mergner, referring to the state government. It is now hoped that the company’s politicians will not “roll out the red carpet” behind closed doors – without the local people knowing what exactly is in store for them.
Ultimately, the environmentalists would prefer the Intel factory to be built elsewhere. Just where? The letter says that the choice of location is based on “social and ecological criteria”. At least the former is more likely to be met by the competitor Dresden: In the region, with “Silicon Saxony”, there is already a semiconductor system made up of companies, research institutes and specialists. The Bavarian environmentalists do not want their letter to be understood as a plea for Saxony. The colleagues there have not yet come to a unified judgment about the settlement, says Mergner.
For the time being, only one thing is guaranteed around Landsberg: that the dispute will continue. At the beginning of December, the topic was once again discussed controversially in Landsberg’s city council, at the request of the Greens. The city leaders, however, pointed out that there would be no decision on the construction itself due to a lack of information: So far, only one application with the air base “has been approved as part of a Europe-wide location competition”.