Some strange news has emerged from the World Coal Association recently: the WCA claims that wind turbines use a large amount of coal during their production. At the European Wind Energy Association we recognise that energy is needed during the manufacturing and transport of wind turbines as well as during installation site works, but the amounts suggested by the WCA are way above the reality.

In fact, a wind turbine consumes less than 1g of coal per kilo-Watt hour of electricity produced over its full lifecycle. A coal plant, meanwhile, will consume over 300 times this amount per kWh of electricity, assuming a 40% average efficiency. Moreover, one wind turbine pays back the coal it uses during production with just one month of operation. Looking at all fossil energies used during the lifecycle of a wind turbine, the ‘fossil fuel debt’ ranges from 3-8 months of turbine operation.

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In 2010 wind power accounted 5.3% of the EU’s electricity demand, but this amount varies wildly from country to country across the continent. Denmark, Europe’s wind energy leader, is of course at the top of the table – wind power covers over one quarter of the country’s electricity demand. But the country in second position comes as a surprise. It’s not Germany or Spain, but Portugal – where wind energy accounts for an impressive 15.5% of the country’s electricity demand.

Most of Portugal’s wind power is located in the sparsely populated mountainous areas in the north-east of the country (all of its wind power is onshore). The country combines its wind energy with hydro power and some biomass to reach a level of 45% of electricity from renewable sources.

I have just come back to a chilly Belgium still streaked with snow after nearly a month in the Australian summer. Australia is a vast country, soaked in sunshine and swept by strong winds. Yet on my travels from Perth in the west to the central deserts and onto the east coast, I did not once spy a wind turbine in the endless landscape.

Australia is rich in coal, on which it has historically relied for its energy needs – and unsurprisingly, it is one of the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters per capita. Yet the signs are that it may be waking up to the importance of tackling climate change and slowly turning towards renewables: in 2009, a national target was set of 20% of electricity supply from renewables by 2020.

Moreover, former prime minister Kevin Rudd’s decision to delay the implementation of a carbon trading scheme was part of the reason he was replaced by Julia Gillard last year, as public support for climate action increases.

The growing wind power sector is expected to play a pivotal role in an ambitious plan launched Thursday by the UK government to overhaul the nation’s antiquated and overburdened electricity market.

The announcement noted current arrangements have to be reformed to allow equal access to the electricity market for wind power and other renewable electricity technologies.

A government press release said the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Treasury together have started consultations on fundamental reforms to the electricity market to ensure the UK can meet its climate goals and have a secure, affordable supply of electricity in the long term.