Malcolm Turnbull says clean energy is a vital part of his plan to boost innovation and create jobs beyond the mining boom.
The prime minister has ditched his predecessor's plan to axe the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
The two bodies will jointly manage a new $1 billion Clean Energy Innovation Fund to start in July.
Projects such as large-scale solar could receive funding.
Mr Turnbull, a previous supporter of an emissions trading scheme, has been toning down criticism of clean energy financing since ousting Mr Abbott in September.
However, many coalition members remain sceptical about the value of spending too much money on climate-related projects.
Labor and the Greens have been critical of the government's opposition to the CEFC, arguing it showed a lack of credibility on the issue of climate change.
Labor has yet to unveil the full details of its policy, which will include a globally-linked emissions trading scheme.
The major parties are engaged in a faux election campaign ahead of parliament resuming in April to deal with workplace laws that could become a July 2 double-dissolution trigger if they are blocked.
Mr Turnbull will be in Sydney, while Mr Shorten will campaign in the central Queensland city of Gladstone.
Two new polls show a tightening gap between the coalition and Labor.
A Seven News-ReachTel poll puts the two-party figure at 52-48, while the Essential poll has the parties at 50-50.
