The line graph illustrates renewable energy usage in six countries over a 40-year period, starting from 1971.
Overall, renewable energy use increased in all countries, with the exception of Finland, which declined. Notably, Finland had the highest percentage of renewable energy use throughout the entire timeframe.
In 1971, renewable energy accounted for a quater of total energy in Finland, while the figure for Denmark comprised a considerably smaller share, at just under 15%. France came third, with the percentage of renewable energy stood at 8%. Followed behind were Germany and the US, standing at 5% and 2.5%, respectively, while the UK registered almost no usage.
Thereafter, the proportion of renewable energy in Finland fluctuated with a downward trend, falling to 8% by 2011. In contrast, despite minor fluctuations, Denmark’s renewable energy usage experienced an overall increase, rising to approximately 7.5% by the end of the period. A similar but more pronounced trend can be observed in the US, with its figure increasing to about 8% in 2011, surpassing the figure for Denmark in 2006. France and Germany followed a similar pattern, ending at slightly under 15% and 14%, respectively. Finally, a steady rise can be seen in the percentage for the UK, which ended at just over 5% by 2011.