Malcolm Turnbull has angrily rejected suggestions his government is anti-renewables while saying its new energy policy should be "fully fleshed out" within five months.
The prime minister visited the BlueScope Steel plant at Port Kembla on Monday to discuss energy costs, which will be the subject of further Council of Australian Governments talks next year.
"By the time you (the COAG Energy Council) meet in April we expect to have the national energy guarantee fully fleshed out," Mr Turnbull told reporters.
The national energy guarantee (NEG) would involve energy retailers delivering a set level of ready-to-use power in each state to shore up reliability, while also being compelled to meet a lower emissions target.
Mr Turnbull says its most important aspect is the projected price drops it will bring, especially for large, industrial users.
He said he sometimes saw his government and its policies portrayed as "hostile to renewables".
"What utter rubbish," he said.
"Of course renewables have a big future, of course they do, but you've got to do it in a smart way.
"Are we seriously going to de-industrialise Australia because of some green left ideological crusade for wind farms and solar panels?"
Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg said the agreement from his state counterparts last week to continue work on the NEG sent a bipartisan message it was able to lower power bills and create a more reliable system.
"It's time (Opposition Leader) Bill Shorten got that message and dropped his emissions intensity scheme," he told reporters.
Labor says its policies are vindicated by new ANU research released on Monday that finds Australia could meet its emission reduction target by replacing coal-fired power stations with renewables for zero net cost.
