New Zealand is being urged to boost its production of wind-generated energy.
The message came from the chief executive of the Irish Wind Energy Association, Michael Walsh, who spoke at a conference in Palmerston North on Tuesday.
Mr Walsh told his audience wind energy produces 8% of Ireland's electricity at present but it aimed to reach 40% by 2020.
He said that would be necessary for the country to meet its European Union-directed goal of achieving overall energy use of 16% renewability by 2020.
Mr Walsh said New Zealand's wind energy contribution was less than 5% now and was not expected to pass 15% to 20% at the most.
But he said he believed New Zealand had the same strong winds as Ireland and its wind farms used that wind more effectively, producing more electricity more often from the same size turbine as in Ireland.
