The provided pie charts illustrate the distribution of electricity generation by various fuel sources in Denmark and Germany for the years 1978 and 1998.
Overall, there were significant changes in the production of electricity from different fuel sources in both countries over the two decades, characterized by a marked decline in the use of certain fuels and a notable shift towards others.
In Denmark, the total electricity production experienced a considerable increase from 90 units in 1978 to 160 units in 1998. Notably, the reliance on coal surged dramatically, escalating from 53 units to 122 units, thus accounting for the predominant source of energy in 1998. Conversely, oil usage plummeted from 15 units to a mere 2 units during this period, while natural gas output remained minuscule, with only 2 units produced in both years. Hydro power also saw a remarkable rise, increasing to 34 units from 15 units, highlighting a growing emphasis on renewable energy sources.
In Germany, total electricity generation also grew to 160 units by 1998, up from 80 units in 1978. However, the fuel composition differed significantly from that of Denmark. Coal production displayed a minimal decrease, dipping from 22 units to 20 units, whereas oil remained constant at 20 units. Natural gas production saw a significant reduction from 22 units to only 6 units. A noteworthy aspect of Germany’s energy profile in 1998 was the substantial increase in nuclear power, which soared to 111 units compared to just 11 units in 1978, indicating a strategic shift towards nuclear energy as a primary source.