Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the plan brought Australia in line with other nations, and provided a clear choice to voters at the next election. Labor leader Bill Shorten. Mr Shorten said coal would remain an important part of Australia's energy mix. Pressed on whether Labor had modelled the impact of the 50 per cent goal on Australia's carbon emissions, environment spokesman Mark Butler said it would be "in the order" of a 30 to 40 per cent reduction, depending on a range of factors. He admitted the party had not yet conducted extensive modelling.

Labor has described the goal as an "ambition" rather than mandatory, and has pledged to "work with industry and the community to put in place the right policy settings" to make the transition. The government claimed the proposal would "hike power bills for Australian families, pensioners and businesses" and cost jobs. Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Brendan Pearson said a 50 per cent share of renewable energy by 2030 was "not economically responsible and … technically questionable". The existing renewable energy target granted subsidies to the renewable sector which translated to higher energy costs for industrial users – an effect that would multiply if the 50 per cent goal became mandatory, he said.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union has previously expressed concern that a firm 50 per cent renewable energy target would harm manufacturers. Clean Energy Council chief executive Kane Thornton said Labor's plan would help attract billions of dollars' worth of investment and boost new technologies like large-scale solar, geothermal and ocean energy. He said the target was "entirely achievable" given the growing innovation and capability in the sector, adding an increased commitment to renewable energy would require "the retirement of Australia's ageing coal-fired generation fleet". Head of Australia at Bloomberg New Energy Finance Kobad Bhavnagri said a "suite of policy mechanisms" would be needed to achieve the 50 per cent goal. He said power prices were unlikely to be affected and the move to renewables would lead to more overall jobs, however "quite a few" coal-fired generators would have to close. ACIL Allen chief executive Paul Hyslop, whose consulting firm was engaged for the government's review of the renewable energy target, said modelling showed a 30 per cent renewable energy scenario led to slightly lower power prices than a 20 per cent share.

But he warned that demand and other variables meant prices would not necessarily be lower under a 50 per cent share, which would "lead to a dramatic change in the structure of generation in the market", including power station closures. Acting Greens leader Larissa Waters said the 50 per cent goal was an improvement on the government's stance, but fell far short of her party's call for a 90 per cent renewable energy target by 2030, required "to protect the community from the devastating impacts of global warming". Follow us on Twitter